Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizz Valdez.
Hi Lizz, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Music has always been a core part of who I am. As my mom likes to say, I’ve been singing since I learned to talk. I started taking lessons at a very young age and started performing not long after. Around middle school, I started writing my own songs and as I got into high school, I started performing them. I really threw myself into my writing throughout high school. I went through a lot: losing my dad, getting sick, making very poor decisions, and dealing with my mental health in the aftermath. Writing was my way of understanding what it was I was going through and what I was feeling. It kept me going.
Eventually, my songwriting landed me at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. I was able to study what I love and meet people who are just as passionate for music as I am. Music has become my entire life, and I am eternally grateful for it. Being able to create my debut single, “Sixteen,” has been one of the best experiences of my life. I couldn’t have done it without all the amazing musicians I’ve met here in Boston and the support from all my friends and loved ones.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been smooth. I have struggled with severe depression and anxiety for most of my life. I started to get worse after losing my dad when I was 15. I then got sick with a chronic illness and was thrown into what I consider the worst time of my life. I wrote my song “Sixteen” after I was diagnosed with PTSD. After years of my mental illness going unrecognized and untreated, it was overwhelming (yet relieving) to have a name associated with my feelings. The basis of the song is about feeling stuck and haunted by your past, specifically a bad involvement I had with an older guy. The arpeggiating 7th chords heard throughout the track were very intentionally written because I associate that specific sound with my high school years.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As of right now, I am a third-year student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Aiming for a Professional Music degree with concentrations in Songwriting, Music Production, and Performance. I am currently working on my debut EP called “One Last Look, But Don’t Look Back” under the artist name “Don’t Call Me Lizz,” which follows more of my experiences over the last 5 years of my youth. The songs are emotional and catchy and fully define who I am not just as an artist but as a person. They are 1000% my raw heart and soul.
I consider myself an extremely emotional and poetic person, and I always aim for that to be present in my music. I think my experiences and what I’ve been through set me apart from others, and I hope that they can resonate with the right audience and help them with anything that they go through. I grew up with so many artists and musicians who helped me through some of the worst times, and I want to do the same with my work.
It’s been an amazing journey so far, and the fact that I’m just getting started fills my heart with so much joy!
What makes you happy?
Lately, many things have been making me happy. Walking in the city, feeling the sun on my skin, spending quality time with my friends and family, working on my projects, my coffee and bacon/egg/cheese croissant I order almost every day, and overall, just existing. It’s a wonderful feeling to be happy just to be alive. It has been a very long time since I have felt this way but am extraordinarily grateful for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/dontcallmelizz
- Instagram: elizabethgvaldez
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizavmusic
Image Credits
Vinson Valdez Films
