We caught up with world singer-songwriter Miriam Lieberman after the release of her stunning new album Just Transforming.
Released last week, the album was created during the tumultuous year of 2020. The tracks on Just Transforming evoke comparisons with classic songwriters of the past such as Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon, with Lieberman’s distinctive and unconventional vocals elevating the music.
The is album filled with soft but powerful arrangements, haunting harmonies mixing with sweeping but delicate strings. Their lullaby quality are the soothing antidote to the stresses of the precarious current moment.
“In this crazy past year of uncertainty, I’ve come back to my songwriting after a hiatus of becoming a mum,” Lieberman said, reflecting on her album. “The result is an album of new songs about our incredible and fragile planet, about becoming a mum, about imagination and about our need for each other. It’s my intention to empower and uplift people with this music.”
Just Transforming truly deserves to be witnessed live and Lieberman and her band have a few dates in June and July for fans to catch her touching music in person (see dates below).
After the release of her album, we thought it was a great time to chat with Lieberman as part of our popular Get To Know series to find out more about her and her music.
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SAT, JUNE 26TH | THE BASE, NEWCASTLE, NSW | ALL AGES ALBUM LAUNCH
Tickets available from The Base Health
SUN, JUNE 27TH | DJANGO CAMELOT, MARRICKVILLE, NSW | ALL AGES ALBUM LAUNCH
Tickets available from Sticky Tickets
FRI, JULY 23RD | OPEN STUDIO, NORTHCOTE, VI
Check out ‘Infinite We Are’:
How did your artist name come about?
For a while I played in bands under other names but knowing pretty early on that music and songwriting was not going to be a short fling but rather a lifelong love affair, I wanted the music that I created to be easily followable across the projects I was involved in. It actually felt very scary at the time, but that’s when I went with my very own name.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
Oh, if only I had met either of my Grandmas. Sadly, both of them passed long before I was born. There is one – my paternal grandmother who I know used to sing, she had a colourful personality and despite coming from a complex and difficult background, she is remembered as a lively and passionate woman.
I would say I recognise my music, my attention to sound, and my love of singing as well as the particular timbre of my voice as a gift you’ve given me, that it’s somehow travelled from womb to womb, through DNA from something that you’ve held dear and now passed to me. I treasure it.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘Infinite We Are’ is a song about the power of imagination. More specifically the power of collective imagination – sharing our dreams and ideas as a way of surpassing our own limitations and finding solutions to things yet unsolved.
‘Little Bird’ is a song about the loss of the wild and the climatic changes in our world. It’s about our innate connection to nature, our own part in the wild that sometimes in modern day feels lost or forgotten, and how much we need the wild represented in a little green-winged bird.
‘Song for Lior’ is a song I wrote about the incredible love explosion of meeting my child for the first time. The bond that felt like a universe blooming between us and the fear and trepidation I had felt previous to meeting him about my transition into motherhood as a solo parent.
What do you love about your hometown?
Where I am right now as I write. The ocean. The wonderful thing about Sydney is that although it’s a fast-paced, high density city, the wilderness of the ocean is around it.
I come to the sea almost every day. Usually I swim laps in the seapools. It’s a pilgrimage of sorts. It wakes me up, clears my head and reminds me of the big picture. It’s ever-changing, wild and always beautiful.
Check out ‘Song for Lior’:
Career highlight so far?
A glowing review from Rolling Stone Australia about my brand new single ‘Infinite We Are’ – “‘Infinite We Are’ is an enthralling, intoxicating piece of blissful wonder.”
Performing with my mentor, the Grammy award-winning kora player Toumani Diabate at Angel Place in Sydney CBD.
Having my song ‘Crack of Dawn’ featured in an Australian feature film – All About E.
Performing at the prestigious West African music festival Le Voix De Bamako (The Voice of Bamako) in Mali, West Africa.
Receiving a songwriters award for my song ‘Legacy’ from the Australian Song Writers Association.
Fave non-music hobby?
Ocean swimming! Ain’t nothing like a plunge in the sea.
What’s on your dream rider?
A comfortable green room with a beautiful view, some good wine and tasty fresh food, a roadie that can retune my instruments for me between songs and do the load in and load out too.
Dream music collaboration?
I feel like I have the dream team with my trio – Lara Goodridge and Susie Bishop. They are incredible strings players with a fine-tuned sensibility, they both have exceptionally beautiful voices and, best of all, they are dear friends whose company I relish.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Writing more songs, putting out more albums, touring, still swimming in the sea everyday and spending lots of quality time and adventures both home and on the road with my children.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
‘Make You Feel My Love’ by Adele.
And the other one that we have been singing on repeat on tour so much so that my toddler is now singing it is ‘Jolene’ by Dolly Parton!
What’s on the cards for the future?
Touring my new album in Sydney, regional NSW, far Nth QLD and Melbourne.
Check out ‘Little Bird’:
