Liza - The Alternate Ending (EP)
By opening up, Liza [pronounced “lee-za”] exudes confidence in its purest and most unfiltered form. The Ethiopian-Canadian singer/songwriter brings a dynamic range to her neo-soul songwriting, alternating between moments of hushed intimacy, delicate introspection, and climactic catharsis. Hailed by Atwood Magazine “as a voice for the R&B sound today,” she has quietly attracted praise from Billboard, Refinery29, FLOOD Magazine, WONDERLAND, TheFADER and Complex, in addition to amassing millions of streams independently.
With all this backing, Liza has been garnering anticipation around an upcoming sophomore EP, now revealed as the intricate and ambitious The Alternate Ending. The six-track comes hot on the heels of fan favourite teasers ‘Back For More’ and ‘In The End’, as well as recent single and EP opener ‘Shades’, which saw Liza showcase the angelic vocal abilities she possesses through emotive arrangements. After three singles, each contributing to a larger story, "The Alternate Ending" delves into the realms of possibility, exploring the divergent paths that could have unfolded and the myriad "what if" scenarios that might have shaped your journey differently. Serving as a continuation of Liza's 2021 debut EP, DONE IS DONE, it offers an alternate culmination to what was initially envisioned.
The project was executively produced by Liza and long-time collaborator, Akeel Henry. The project also includes collaborations with Jack Rochon (Beyoncé), Marcus Semaj (Tyla, Snoh Aalegra), WaveIQ (Goldlink, VanJess), Kofo (Wizkid) and more. Liza’s headline show will follow on June 7th.
The three new additions see Liza craft more radiant and sultry experiences, infusing energised rhythms and grooving bass lines into ‘Gasoline’ and featuring a vast orchestral string ensemble for the delicate interlude ‘I’m On You’. The final track ‘Alternate Ending’, is the culmination of all we’ve heard thus far. Liza masterfully creates an atmospheric haze, skilfully navigating between confidence and vulnerability through amorous vocal performances and dazzling R&B instrumentation. Liza moves from an alluring rising star to spellbinding neo-soul royalty with the project.
She shares: “‘The Alternate Ending’ delves into the realms of possibility, exploring the divergent paths that could have unfolded and the myriad "what if" scenarios that might have shaped your journey differently.” Liza explains, continuing, “Serving as a continuation of my 2021 debut EP, DONE IS DONE, it offers an alternate culmination to what was initially envisioned.”
Diving into the recent single, she adds, “‘Shades’ is a candid, introspective piece exploring the willingness to dim one's own light in the name of what they perceive as love. Serving as the inaugural track of the EP, it seamlessly bridges from our previous project, "DONE IS DONE," delving into the evolving narrative.”
In between holding down a career as a registered nurse and clinical researcher, Liza assembled her 2021 debut EP DONE IS DONE with producers Akeel Henry and Kofo. With lead track LANSDOWNE quickly surpassing 1 million streams on Spotify alone, Liza capitalised, growing her audience through viscerally relatable music.
Liza lent her voice to “COMPLEXITIES” from Daniel Caesar’s critically acclaimed CASE STUDY 01 and landed on Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground official Spotify playlist, in BET’s Twenties, Amazon Prime’s Harlem, ABC’s Grown-ish, and Netflix’s Raising Dion among others.
The songwriter was one of 30 artists worldwide, and one of the first-ever Canadians, to be selected as part of the YouTube Music Class Black Voices Fund. Most recently, Liza was selected as the only artist and Canadian to be a part of the inaugural Snapchat Creator Class of 2023 and has been named Amazon Music’s Breakthrough artist. Liza was recently awarded the Canadian Black Music Award.