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One of our New Year's Resolutions – or at least one we plan to keep – is to revisit songs that we might have slept on, and Liang Lawrence’s “Kiss My Apocalypse,” from late fall of last year, is one criminal example of a song we should have been up on from the get-go. With its bright, sneaky harmonies that simmer over the verse, riding a bright snare backbeat into a punchy chorus, this song is pure optimistic bliss, a perfect tune to ring in this new year. Wanting to make up for our tardiness and get to know this impressive talent even more, we reached out via mail to learn more about sourdough bread, colored pencils and brother-in-laws pushing you out of your comfort zone: 

OTW: Who is Liang Lawrence?

Liang Lawrence: A lover of sourdough bread and chicken broth and an incredibly honest and shameless songwriter.

What is “Kiss My Apocalypse” all about?

“Kiss My Apocalypse” is about loving someone until the end of time. I’ve spent the last year falling insanely in love with someone and basically just living in this ideal fantasy world with them and I just found it so incredible how insane love makes you feel. Usually, in the best way but also sometimes I would just be sat around thinking about them and be like, “Yeah I would die for them,” which is kind of ridiculous when you think about it for too long! So yeah, this was like the least casual way for me to tell them that I’d like to spend the rest of my life with them.

What happens when someone is stuck to you forever lol?

You end up shutting the curtains of your bedroom window during an apocalyptic event and go down loving.

Any collaborators? Who produced the track?

I wrote this song with two lovely people called Luke and Bliss (a.k.a. Luke Adams and Pura Bliss). Luke also produced the track alongside a couple of my lovely band members, Coby Miller and Joey Walker, who played guitar and drums. We were also really lucky to have Jed Bevington play strings on KMA which I think was just the cherry on top. This truly was a track built on collaboration and I think that’s why I love it so much. Being completely transparent, I wasn’t super sure about the song at the very beginning stages of working on it but once we started bringing these musicians on, I was so on board. 

How do you feel your sound has evolved since “Santa Cruz”?’

“Santa Cruz” really was an impulsive lockdown decision, which I’m so glad I ended up making. My sister’s husband actually produced the whole track and pushed me to release it, really with not much convincing other than “Why not?” As someone who never grew up around the music industry, I think I had a really high level of naivety and hope or even understanding of what releasing music meant and I’m so glad for it! My sound has completely changed since “Santa Cruz” but that track wasn’t necessarily the sound it was because I wanted it to be like that, we also just didn’t really have any option to make it sound any different. I’ve always loved the sound of live instruments and just people playing music in a room together so we’ve gradually moved towards that.

What can we expect from your sound going forward?

I think I’ve been through a phase of really rejecting my acoustic folky roots and tried to get away from it but now I’m in this really fun phase of finding a middle ground between that and a soft rock sound I love. I love country, I love midwest, I love rock, I love folk, I love indie and somewhere in there is me. 

Besides this excellent single what else should we be on the lookout for?

The next 6 months for me are exciting because I’m really developing my live musicianship. I’m playing loads of shows around the world with HONNE and also going on my first headline tour around the UK with my band. So you can expect loads of opportunities to see me play live. And as always, loads of new music that feels more like me than ever before.

What's inspiring you right now outside of music? 

I’ve been taking lots of photos and videos of things and moments and people I think are pretty. Been spending way too much money on shitty film cameras and expired film rolls. I’ve also been trying to draw more and master the art of colour pencils. I’m finding it really hard but also really fun.

Place we must visit to best understand your music?

Honestly, just the deepest, darkest and most honest parts of your conscience.

Musically who is new but making all the right moves? Who are your current OnesToWatch?

I will stan Esme Emerson until the day I die. I was so lucky to have them support my debut headline show this year and I think they’re just making such cool music and have such a cool look. Madison Cunningham, I don’t know if she counts ‘cause I think everyone in the industry loves her but she deserves so much more love and attention. She’s one of the best of our time, I think. Jack Kane, incredible vocals, incredible songwriting, such a classic but fresh sound. Obsessed. Nieve Ella is just the coolest always, been a big fan for literally forever. Grace Gardner, Kevin Atwater, Jake Minch. I literally can’t stop. I love all of these guys and truly in no particular order, they’re all so worth watching and are into amazing things.