Interview by: Fabiola Mejia & Brittany Ormiston

Article by: Brittany Ormiston

Alt-pop sensation Livingston is on the rise with his ability to create music from the heart. With every soul-baring lyric and intensive instrumental, each song becomes a soundtrack to the lives of his listeners. Despite the weight of the world and personal hardships, Livingston’s art provides a comforting embrace and the courage to get back up again. His debut album A Hometown Odyssey was released in March of 2024, and it made a lasting impact all around the world. Following millions of streams and debuts on Spotify charts, Livingston had the opportunity to take his album out on the road for his first-ever sold-out North American, European, and U.K. headlining tours. His dream came true in front of his eyes as rooms full of people of all ages were whisked into his world between reality and fiction. They found hope and healing just as Livingston did when creating those very tracks. Livingston is taking his talent across the pond again as he travels to the UK and Europe this month to continue his headlining tour (part 2). Furthermore, with the release of ‘Brainstorm’ on January 24th and another North America headlining tour this spring/summer, Livingston’s new era is a force to be reckoned with.

Since releasing your first EP Lighthouse to now, how do you feel your mindset has shifted when it comes to writing, producing, and performing?

Livingston: “The focus is just wider. I used to have such a narrow view on my life, experiences, and what inspired me. This was helpful because it allowed me to focus on emotions and experiences I felt deeply familiar with. Now I feel more adventurous. I’m able to flirt more with fusing different sounds together, write about things I’ve felt only briefly, and channel much more abstract things together in one song. It feels more like play than like a journal these days. I love it more than anything. When it comes to performing, I’m just getting more and more surprised by how wide reaching this music is in terms of audience demographic, age etc… I’m just very humbled to be able to do it.”

The mature perspective and level of authenticity depicted in your songwriting gives off a distinct old soul vibe. Who / what influences your music during the creation process?

Livingston: “I love Imogen Heap, Labrinth, Jon Bellion, J. Cole - storytellers with unique voices who tend to lead nearly all parts of their creative pipeline. I feel like there’s something special about steering the ship in each element of creating a song, because you’re able to weave in emotions in more nuanced ways than just lyrics. It can be through sound selection, the way that background vocals are mixed, and doing all of this from early on just made me fall in love with expressing these feelings through each step of the process. I just want to make things that are true to myself and what I’m inspired by.”

Describe how it felt to release A Hometown Odyssey, and for those same songs to reach more than 14 million people in the last year.

Livingston: “It’s just proof that you never know when your life can change. That album came after a long, quiet, pretty dark year. I had been dropped by my record label and was trying to figure out how I could afford to stay out in LA. Social media felt like a lost cause. My roommates convinced me to put out all the songs I’d been working on (‘Shadow‘ & ‘Last Man Standing’), which I was considering throwing out entirely. To my surprise, when I teased them, it felt like the whole machine turned on. People got it. They shared it. I sold out two headline tours, we even got a Spotify billboard completely independently. That’s a lesson I will never forget - you absolutely never know when things are going to turn around, so just keep pushing and doing your best work.”

Reality and fantasy become one within your music. It’s easy to picture tracks like ‘Fairytale’ and ‘Look Mom I Can Fly’ in live-action Disney movies. Which of your songs would you choose to be part of a movie soundtrack and why?

Livingston: “I would love if ‘Glow’ made its way into an epic heroic fight scene or climax moment in a movie. It just feels so interstellar. I love when pop songs can leverage cinematic elements, and I’ve always really desired to get into the film music world.”

A Hometown Odyssey mini documentary was released last month on your YouTube. What are you hoping resonates with those who watch this video, and listen to the album?

Livingston: “What matters more than anything is being yourself. You exist at the center of a one of one life, and a one of one set of things that inspire you. If you understand the power of story, you understand everything you need to chase your dream and channel your art in a meaningful way. My dream and career is built off of an unpredictable, overthinking mind that also is flooded with a great deal of color, awe, and wonder. It’s recognizing my flaws and darkness as well as my strength of how I view the world that allowed me to make music that reached people in this way. And a reminder to myself that story, honesty, and clarity is the beating heart of this whole thing.”

You have been performing a few unreleased tracks on tour such as ‘Brainstorm’ and ‘Haunt Me.’ What is your favorite lyric from one of these tracks and why?

Livingston: “‘How am I supposed to love - when I’m stuck inside of my brainstorm?’ Just a really simple line that describes what it’s like to be afraid to love someone when you’re so stuck in your own thoughts. It’s a terrible, but real feeling.”

As a young artist, what are some challenges you have faced while navigating the music industry?

Livingston: “Ego (my own), overthinking (my own), lack of direction or knowing what the next step is, distraction from the art by external voices, missing my family, everyone having an opinion about everything, balance of life and work.

This is a hard career. But I know why I chose it, because I want to shine some hope in a really chaotic and dark world where not much makes sense. And I want to do it on the biggest stages in the world so that another young, bullied, autistic kid can look up on stage and see himself - someone who has felt their pain and proven that they can do it too.”

You will be traveling back to the UK and Europe this month to continue your headlining tour! What are you most excited about, and which places are you looking forward to exploring?

Livingston: “Amsterdam! 2 nights, 1,400 people a night! I can’t believe that. And I’ve always been excited to go to Switzerland, too.”

You have a great connection with fans through social media, especially on Instagram. What is one of the most heartfelt messages you’ve received from a fan?

Livingston: “Too many to count - just powerful, personal stories about people overcoming mental struggles, loss, addiction, and grief with the help of this music. I feel so unbelievably lucky that it gets to play a role in people’s lives. It’s a big responsibility.”

What are your resolutions for the new year?

Livingston: “Simplify, focus, take it one day at a time and make the best things I possibly can.”

Livingston

Full Circle Boys

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