With over a decade of quietly shaping the edges of pop’s future, LIZ returns this summer with Prototype, her most fully realized vision yet. Fresh off the release of “Juicy Sweet” — a lush, flirtatious, semi‑tropical daydream of a single — she invites listeners deeper into the glossy, hyper‑emotional universe she’s been building long before the mainstream caught up. Blending Y2K nostalgia, futuristic kitsch, and the mischievous confidence that has become her signature, LIZ stands at the center of a pop landscape she helped define. As Prototype approaches, we caught up with her to talk world‑building, evolution, and the irresistible pull of her latest sonic fantasy.
“Juicy Sweet” feels like a three‑minute pop daydream — hypnotic, flirtatious, and slightly surreal. What was the first spark that set this track in motion?
Just like “L in Lover”, “Juicy Sweet” was a demo from the early 90’s that Jimmy Harry had sitting pretty on his hard drive. It was a campy sexy slow jam reflective of that era, and we thought, if we tweaked it right, it could have a lot of potential to be a current tongue-in-cheek earworm record.
You’ve always had a gift for blending Y2K nostalgia with futuristic pop textures. Where does “Juicy Sweet” sit on that timeline between past fantasy and future pop?
Like my other songs “L in Lover” and “Intuition”, “Juicy Sweet” is another meta-Y2K song, since its original conception was in the era I reference a lot. We re-did some of the lyrics and I added a spunky rap, plus we completely updated the production. We kept the fantasy aspect front and center, and I think we tastefully blended that nostalgic 90’s glossy R&B sensuality with futuristic hyperpop vibes.
The song’s whisper‑close vocal delivery creates such an intimate atmosphere. How intentional was that choice, and what emotion were you trying to capture?
The vocal delivery was very intentional- we wanted it to be intimate, with a wink. I like that it’s more sensual and adult than anything I’ve released in the past. Jimmy did “Touch of my Hand” for Britney and it evoked some of the same sensory emotions for me…I think it’s earned a spotlight position on this record.
The rap verse adds a sharp, mischievous contrast to the track’s softness. What inspired that switch in tone, and how does it reflect your personality?
I’ve been playing around with rapping and pitching up my voice since “When I Rule the World”, and I love when a song switches up and almost feels like you’re featuring on your own track. Drake, Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat do that flawlessly…that’s kind of what I was going for. I wanted to balance out the record with some punchy, saucy energy. My personality is kind of like that too- I pride myself in being thoughtful and emotional intelligent, but I am also playful and I don’t take life too seriously.
Prototype has been described as the moment where your entire sonic universe “clicks into focus.” What does this album reveal about you that previous releases only hinted at?
With ‘Prototype’, I’m not chasing anything. Even though I’ve really admired or appreciated what some other artists in my space have been doing, it hasn’t affected what I’ve been making in quite some time. We’ve seen some of the best work come from other pop girlies when they stop worrying about eternal factors and just make what inspires them and what feels genuine to them and their identities. I will be a teenybopper at heart forever, and I have been and will always be unapologetic about that. I do like to think I mix that sentiment with thoughtful underground references and seek out cool collaborators who really see me. Everyone evolves and grows up, and I think this body of work is a nice concise project full of bops that is a bridge between my early Mad Decent releases and the more hyperpop stuff I’ve made.
You’ve collaborated with some of pop’s most forward‑thinking artists — SOPHIE, Charli XCX, Diplo, Dylan Brady, Pharrell. How have those relationships shaped the world of Prototype?
I always take something away from everyone I work with and I’m sure the flavors we created together seep through from project to project. However, I did this record primarily with Jimmy Harry. I trust him a lot because he’s worked with a lot of my pop idols like Britney, Madonna and Kylie Minogue, and he’s able to be objective and ruthless when it comes to my writing and vocal delivery. He would straight up make me re-record a whole song because the vibe just wasn’t hitting. We sat on songs for many months until we cracked the code on them. He’s not afraid to tell me when something is lame. So, when he thinks we’ve really got something in a song, I believe him.
“Juicy Sweet” feels playful on the surface, but there’s a deeper emotional escapism underneath. How do you balance glossy fantasy with real vulnerability in your songwriting?
I think I always write from a vulnerable place, but the finished product tends to have gone through a lot of processing. For me, a lot of the art is in how you package something- not just your point of view conceptually/lyrically, but sonically and aesthetically as well. I admit I am probably always holding a piece of myself back, whether that be not sharing much on social media, or avoiding getting too specific/personal in lyrics, and that may not be what people want to hear me say. But I do value mystique and the concept of channeling a character. I miss the days of fantasizing about my favorite pop-stars and picking apart magazine interviews and CD liner notes for any insight into their personalities. These days, some artists tend to give away too much of themselves, which ends up leaving nothing to the imagination.
You were exploring hyperpop aesthetics long before the mainstream caught up. How does it feel to see the genre — and your influence — becoming more visible now?
It’s cool to see hyperpop go more mainstream. I am not surprised. I like to think I had an impact on that. I’ve also noticed a lot of K-pop has been exploring sonic aesthetics I played around with more than a decade ago. It’s kind of been a theme in my career- always being too early…being a ‘prototype’ in some scenes and landscapes. It’s a double-edged sword. Maybe some other bigger artists will invite me to collab or make songs with them. I’ve got a lot of ideas that never saw the light of day that could use a different vehicle to transcend the underground. I’m not always the right artist for everything I make.
Your earlier singles — “Sunscreen,” “Likey,” “L in Lover” — each explored different corners of your sound. What made “Juicy Sweet” the track that ties the Prototype universe together?
I don’t have any slow songs on this album, per se, but “Juicy Sweet” is probably the most grownup mid-tempo one on the project. I thought it offered a different flavor that shows off more of my raw sensuality, which does show up here ‘n there on some of the other songs on the album. This one just really goes for it. It’s a vibe. The song has a strong identity and place in the Prototype universe and LIZverse in general.
TikTok has introduced your music to a massive new audience. Has that shift changed the way you think about crafting hooks, visuals, or storytelling?
I do think sometimes about what snippets of my songs may have potential in social media land, but it’s so hard to predict what could catch on and become a thing. A lot of it is luck honestly. I think it’s a balance of being aware of the climate without being too contrived or try-hard.
You’ve been called “The First Lady of Mad Decent” and a “One to Watch” by The Guardian. Do you feel like Prototype is a reclamation of your narrative as an artist?
I do think if I had released ‘Prototype’ 12 or so years ago on Columbia Records, it would’ve been critically acclaimed, like my other releases. Now, with the landscape the way it is and fighting to stay relevant within the ever-daunting algorithm in a pool of millions of releases- who knows. I am proud of it and I know it’s amazing and that’s all that matters. I hope I get more eyeballs with this project, but at the end of the day, the real ones know, and I’m okay with that. Of course, this album is my child and it’s a product of my identity and point of view, which I have a calling to express as an artist…but I’m also looking at this project as an advertisement for what I could contribute to other artists’ projects as well as my value to brands, tv and film.
If Prototype is a world listeners can step into, what do you hope they feel, escape, or discover once they’re inside it?
I’d like for my art to represent a world that is free of judgment, worries, bills, responsibilities, politics, or societal pressures. When you listen to my music, I hope for you to get in touch with your inner teenybopper, lover and dreamer.