Interview: Liv Charette - Game Over

Pop singer Liv Charette is delivering an epic victory with her new song “Game Over.” Marrying Charette’s powerful vocal with an undeniable swagger and classic Midway Arcade aesthetic, “Game Over” is equal parts modern pop and power throwback. The song also features a music video inspired by the 1990s VH1 show Pop Up Video. In it, Charette makes her way through an arcade as animations pop up on the screen and reveal fun facts about Charette, her love for video games, the song, and more.

By Kamil Bobin

Discovered via Musosoup

What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?

Passion, drive and the stubbornness to never take no as an answer. Sure, natural God-given talent helps, but it’s not everything. I think success as a musician comes from persistence, hard work and the willingness to learn and take constructive criticism and show up so that you’re ready when opportunity strikes.

What was the best phase in your life?

I always want to think of the current phase of life as “the best”. My goal in life is to make each year the best. Not every day is great, sometimes not every week is great. But if you continue building your personal brand and working on all of the things that make you the best you, you can assure yourself that each phase of life that you’re in is “the best”. I’m currently doing things that I only dreamed of several years ago. I am releasing music, I started a podcast called “She’s on the List,” I am using social media and technology to connect with fans in a way that was only a pipe dream a few years ago. I am literally living my best life right now!

Your latest track is 'Game Over'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?

This song was cut between Nashville and LA! I started writing this song with my producer, Jason Mater, when I was in LA on a writing trip and finished the lyrics and cut vocals when I got back home to Nashville. It was one of those songs that actually took a few sessions to write, but we really believed in the song and wanted to nail the track and make it an immersive experience to the listener, like they were really in a video game when they listened to it.

Where do you see your musical career in 10 years?

In 10 years, I plan to still be making music that moves people. Whether they dance or cry or anything in between, my goal is always to create music that makes people feel something. I hope I am also still connecting with fans like I do today, both digitally and in person. My dream is to headline the biggest stages in the world and get to meet fans from around the globe. There is nothing like standing on a stage and seeing people singing back the lyrics to your song.

What is the most surprising fact you’ve learnt about yourself?

I’m a self-proclaimed nerd and I’ve been surprised at how much that has helped in my music career. I am a gamer and just released a song called “Game Over”, but from a more practical perspective, my “nerdism” has driven me to learn how music production works, how algorithms work, how video editing works, etc. It’s allowed me to do a lot more for my career myself and truly understand all of the tech aspects of my world.

Do you think that education is important?

Absolutely. My parents have always said that education is something that can never be taken away from you. I’ve always been good in school and believed I owed it to myself to go to college. I graduated from Belmont University in Nashville with a BBA in Music Business and an emphasis in Audio Engineering, while pursuing my music career full-time. For me, college was never plan B – it was part of my Plan A. Not only did it allow me to be in Nashville, get a degree and build my craft, I also got to meet so many incredible people, make amazing connections and learn so much about the business side of the music industry.

What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

To be honest, I couldn’t imagine my life without music – it’s who I am and what I truly believe I was born to do. Ever since I was in my early teens, the only place I could picture myself was being on a big stage, performing for thousands of people. I don’t think I would feel fulfilled if music wasn’t at the center of my everyday life.

How do you structure your week?

As a musician, structure and routine is everything! I like to start off my mornings at the gym 5-6 days a week, then the rest of my day varies. Sometimes it’s a co-writing session, recording my podcast, filming TikToks and social media content, prepping for an upcoming show or release, etc. – that part of my day typically varies. Nights and weekends often consist of playing shows.

What do you think is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen or experienced?

Other than being on stage in front of an audience and getting to witness the power of music and its ability to connect with people, one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced is getting to watch the sunset on the crimson rocks and canyons of Sedona, Arizona. I’ve been blessed with being able to see the world, whether it be through music, family vacations, or girls trips, and I must admit, there is truly no place on Earth like it. There is something extremely magical and magnetizing about Sedona that I truly cannot explain – you have to see it to believe it!

What do you think of your generation?

I think my generation consists of big dreamers and creatives and I love seeing people putting themselves out there and being super authentic, both in person and on social media. I believe that we are a very welcoming and accepting generation overall – we aren’t afraid to talk about difficult or stigmatized subjects and we follow the mindset that “anything is possible”, which I think is very inspiring.