KIIS FM's Alex chatted with our current #KIISNextUp Artist of the Week - Livvia! After spending her childhood in the bay area and touring as a musician in her early teens, Livvia has settled on a new sound. Her new song Catch A Body featuring Quavo from Migos is getting major attention and she doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon.
Besides being on the rise in the music industry, Livvia is a full time student at University of California, Berkeley finishing up her degree in Economics. Her response to Alex asking "Why Economics?" is:
"Well I guess I figured I'm getting a lot of practical experience in the music industry for the music side of my interests and my career - but with music I'm really interested in the business side of things and really all aspects of it. Everything that goes on behind the scenes. Econ really I think just relates, it's a really good base for any career path."
After taking a break from touring with artists like Meghan Trainor, The Jonas Brothers and Jesse J to focus on school, Livvia was determined to discover a new sound distinct from the music she's created in the past. She describes her intention as wanting to make music that if she were at a party or hanging out with friends, it could come on and be something they'd want to dance to.
How Livvia linked up with Quavo is an interesting story. The production team she's working with - Rock Mafia (credited with Demi Lovato, Zedd, Miley Cyrus, and more) - was working with one of Quavo's producers on a separate project. Rock Mafia played them the song, then sent it to Quavo who decided to jump on the track. Livvia's team loved the verse he wrote and the rest is history!
Livvia described her reaction as:
It's still, It's really surreal of course. But hearing it for the first time too like when he sent it back - we were all just blown away. He really added just part after part and then he goes into that more melodic part of his verse and it's just so cool."
Don't get Livvia started on the topic of Harry Potter - she's certifiably obsessed. She even came to the Next Up stage wearing a Gryffindor ring! When Livvia was a child her parents got her the Harry Potter novels and she grew up following the series and listening to the audio books. Her obsession extended into her studies at UC Berkeley as she was Head Girl of Gryffindor in a Harry Potter based literature course.