Astrology, Raw Lyrics, and Folk Vibes: An Exclusive Interview with singer song-writer Margot Liotta
Margot Liotta, hailing all the way from Connecticut, is an emerging indie music sensation whose heartfelt and authentic performances have captivated audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
I had the absolute pleasure to interview her. If you are a fan of names such as Lizzy McAlpine, then Margot will definitely be your cup of tea! Thank you again, Margot, for taking the time to answer my questions.
Nicolle: Hi, Margot. Could you introduce yourself and the kind of music you make?
Margot: Hi! My name's Margot, and I am a singer-songwriter from Connecticut. I make mostly folk/acoustic music about being not cool.
Nicolle: You have a song called Planet Song. Do you believe in astrology?
Margot: I do, but I know way less about it than you'd think. I was super inspired to write Planet Song after learning about how my sign supposedly connects with another one and I thought it would be good to acknowledge how beautiful and also psychotic that is to think about.
Nicolle: You write pretty raw and intimate lyrics. Do you consider your songs to be like diary entries?
Margot: I try to be as honest and true as possible in my writing, so I guess you could definitely call them diary entries. If a song is diary entry level, that probably means it could be considered good enough for other people to hear it.
Nicolle: Who are your biggest current influences as far as writing goes?
Margot: I've been loving Adrianne Lenker's new album Bright Future. She inspires me a lot lyrically, I've definitely caught myself trying to mirror the way she puts things into words often. This past year, I've also been obsessively listening to Dijon's album Absolutely. He's so smart it blows my mind. I want to work towards getting out of my purely singer-songwriter bubble and experimenting a bit more sonically.
Nicolle: You have been opening for a lot of different artists. What was that experience like?
Margot: I feel like I'm going to throw up every time I perform, so it's been pretty scary but also really exciting and beautiful. I'm learning and getting used to it very slowly but surely. It's magical to share a space with such talented musicians and I've been lucky enough to open for a couple of artists I'm a huge fan of.
Nicolle: Your song Dead Girl Walking is probably my favourite one. What is the story behind it? I am sure a lot of us relate to feeling like we are behind in life.
Margot: When I first started to use TikTok I posted a video asking people for topics to write songs about. Somebody said, "Write a song about being chased by your evil doppelganger through a desert," so I wrote Dead Girl Walking. For me, it ended up being about the idea that you could always be doing better compared to someone else or compared to the standard you might have for yourself.
Nicolle: You studied at Berklee. How did that influence your writing process?
Margot: I mostly become influenced or inspired to write after gaining life experiences, so it's helped me a lot. I've met so many great people and done so many cool things because of my time at Berklee so I'll always be grateful for it. That being said, I've had my ups and downs and it hasn't always felt good for me. The imposter syndrome is real. There's a lot of ego around, and it's easy to forget what really matters when you're constantly surrounded by people trying to get ahead. I don't blame anyone for it; it's obviously a super competitive industry, and sometimes it's easy to panic. But you have to remind yourself that you have what it takes and there's room for everyone at the table. Also, being a kind and good guy while doing it is the most important thing. Being in this environment has been challenging but good brain training for sure.
Nicolle: If you could pick someone to write a song with, who would it be?
Margot: I would love to write a song with Michael Cera. I think we'd come up with something catchy. Or, if I can choose someone not currently living, Stephen Sondheim, because I would have loved to learn from him.
Nicolle: What would you be doing right now if it wasn't for your music career?
Margot: I'd probably be doing something in the film industry because I love movies. I still hope to do that one day. Other than that, maybe a marine biologist but I probably wouldn't have had the grades for it.
Nicolle: At what age did you write your first song? What was it about?
Margot: The first real song I remember writing was this sort of untitled one about a boy who was shitty to me when I was like 14 or 15. My best friend Julianna recorded it with me and we put it up on SoundCloud. I thought I was being secret and cool about it, but then everyone found it, and he heard it. The high school drama of it all is so funny to think about. That song slapped, though. Gone but not forgotten.
Nicolle: Where do you draw inspiration for your songs?
Margot: Music I love, public transportation, movies, conversations, and feelings.
Nicolle: What's next for you? Can we expect music in 2024? Maybe a debut album?
Margot: To be completely honest, I'm not sure. I've been in a mini writer's block that I'm working through and trying to be kind to myself about. I just graduated, so I've been rotting away in Boston trying to figure it all out. But I have stuff in the vault and I'm hoping to write more good songs that I believe in and put them out and sing them and connect with more people as soon as it feels right to do that. So, yes, stay tuned! ☺
You can find Margot on these social media platforms:
You can listen to her latest song Pocket here.
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Nicolle Knapova is a 30-year-old young adult writer and freelance blogger from the Czech Republic. She has a master’s degree in Creative Writing and Publishing at Bournemouth University. She loves to write about music, books and tv shows. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing them on her Instagram @elisecaverly.
