Liv Warfield, an acclaimed soul and funk singer best known as a Prince collaborator and powerhouse vocalist with The New Power Generation, joins Joe Kelley on Musicians Reveal. In this in-depth conversation, Warfield shares her remarkable journey from her Pentecostal roots to global stages, where her commanding voice and artistry have captivated audiences.

She opens up about her time performing with Prince and The NPG, the creativity and family spirit that defined those experiences, and how they continue to inspire her music. Warfield also discusses her ventures into aerial arts, the freedom of creating her latest independent album, and unforgettable moments like performing at the White House for President Obama.

This episode offers a rare glimpse into the artistry of one of today’s most dynamic live performers, blending stories of resilience, independence, and the transformative power of music.

📘 What You’ll Hear in This Episode

– Liv Warfield on her Pentecostal upbringing and finding her artistic voice

– How performing with Prince and The New Power Generation shaped her career

– Exploring aerial arts as a new dimension of creative expression

– What it meant to perform at the White House for President Obama

– Behind the making of her latest independent album

– The influence of guitarist Ryan Waters and other collaborators

– Pushing artistic boundaries and embracing future projects

⏱️ Chapters

00:20 – Introducing a New Guest

02:07 – The Journey into Aerial Arts

20:00 – Journey to Paisley Park: The Audition Experience

26:52 – Performing at the White House: A Life-Changing Experience

38:52 – New Beginnings: Embracing Change and Future Projects

🔗 Links & Mentions

– Visit MusiciansReveal.com

– YouTube – Musicians Reveal

– Live365 – Musicians Reveal Radio

📝 Key Takeaways

– Liv Warfield’s soulful journey reflects resilience, risk-taking, and evolution.

– Performing with Prince and The NPG emphasized collaboration and authenticity.

– Her passion for aerial arts shows her fearless commitment to artistry.

– Independence in recording her latest album highlights artistic freedom.

– Performing for President Obama remains a milestone moment in her career.

– Warfield continues to push boundaries, blending music, performance, and personal growth.

Hey, this is Liv Warfield, and you're watching Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley.

My.

Next guest here on Musicians Reveal. I've wanted to have her on for many years.

We finally have have her in the studio here, and she is a tremendous singer, songwriter, cabaret aerial artist.

She toured the world with Prince and the MPG, has performed and recorded with Nancy Wilson Ro Case Royale, and she has released three solo CDs, and we're going to talk about everything and in between, so live. Warfield, welcome to Musicians Reveal.

Thank you so much for having me. What an honor. Thank you.

Yeah, it's great to have you on. And you're doing three or four shows out, and.

Right now it's three shows.

Okay.

You have to excuse me, because I live downtown.

Okay.

Waiting for the fire trucks to come. Any seconds of life.

The north side or the south side?

Exactly. Well, I'm downtown, like, down, middle of town.

Okay.

Yes. So.

So. Oh, yeah, that's all right.

It's.

It's better than New York City.

I'm.

I'm in upstate New York. I'm Saratoga Springs, New York.

So. Okay. Okay. Yeah, go ahead.

I'm doing three shows a week now, and it's the summertime, so but in the fall and the winter, I think they had, like, four or five shows. So it's. It's fun.

Yeah.

Experience. Yes.

Yeah.

People can go to the website. Do you have it on the top of your head? We're going to have it in the links when it airs.

Yeah, I believe it's teatrozenzani.com.

Okay.

Chicago. Yes.

And apologize. I didn't introduce you as Madame Cinzani.

No, it's okay.

Right, I saw that.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Well, for those that don't know, you added this to your performance resume. Aerial Arts. Tell us how you got involved with this and are using it today.

Well, when I started to do Teatro Zanzani, this was probably like five years ago. I mean, I was always inspired by the cir ax there. I was a gymnast way back in the day for, like, 14, 15 years. Like, that's how it started for me.

So when I got to do this, I met Drea Weber, who is Pink's trainer, who was Cher's choreographer and trainer. And when me and Dre started to work together, I was like, dre, I'm interested. I want to start flying. Like, would you teach me?

And she did like, maybe three years down the line. It was called Cabaret Zazu. And she was like, this is your time to try it. So I'll. I just Dove in, like, it really changed my life.

It really changed me. I just, I felt like, I felt like I was back when I was a gymnast. I can do something right. But it was amazing. It was, it was a test.

It was a test to my, my willingness to just try to do something different. I'm always pushing myself to try to do something different. And my body said, My body gave me the approval.

Oh, yeah.

Not too much longer, probably, but you never know.

Come on.

No, exactly. And that's the thing. You just, you don't know. And Dread was really patient and I just, I just took to it. It was like, lovely. It was amazing.

And singing at the same time. So, I mean, of course I was inspired by Pink and I'm like, let me try this.

Right?

So, yeah, I had a question. Upside down singing. Is there a big difference? And do you have to do something to make it sound. The notes coming out right.

It's a, It's a big difference. But no, I just know, like, again, I think I, I said because of the gymnastics training. Fourteen years at, well, I was, till 14, 15 years old.

I started when I was 6. Maybe that was kind of the thing that was just in me. Maybe. Yeah. I don't know. It, it happened.

Yeah, that's right. Hey, I got, I got a quick funny story.

I, I, Whenever I saw the clips of you performing the aerial arts, I started getting twitches because this is a true story. We had a townhouse years ago in a converted factory, warehouse, whatever, above us. We were getting tremendous pounding on our ceiling.

Like, boom, boom, boom.

I went up, knocked on the door. I knew the guy who lived there.

Yeah.

He opens the door, the ropes, the loops, everything hanging from the ceiling. Unicycle juggling pins and knives. They had an aerial arts school. They were training people above where we lived. That was a lot of stress.

My dog would hide under the table. The ceiling.

Yeah.

And I found out because I saw on YouTube the video. And finally we moved out. And I heard two weeks later they sold their townhouse.

So.

Okay.

Oh, well.

But it's crazy.

Yeah.

Where do you rehearse?

Actually, at the tent, as in Zani. It's downtown Chicago in the Cambria hotel on the 14th floor.

So when I get a chance to go in there and, you know, try to rehearse and work out some things, I can. I'm definitely not like, you know, my castmates, I mean, they're incredible. They're insane, what they do every night. Every night.

It's, it's extraordinary to see it and it's just. It's really honestly inspiring to be in the room and to actually, to have the live music playing and.

I don't know, it's just a different kind of energy in there. It's. It's a different thing, what I've normally done for many of years. And I love it, actually. I really love it.

Right.

I do.

So shows booked all through the. The end of the year. And you can go to the website and go see Liz.

Yes.

Hang out with her, say hello to her before the show or after the show. I'm sure you.

Yes.

You're friendly with everybody. But let's talk about music. The new album. Well, it's a year and a half, but still, it's great. In the music business, albums go on forever, sometimes.

Edge. This is your third solo record. And right off the bat, man, those are great, great singles.

Oh, wow. Thank you.

Yeah.

The inspiration for this record, you work a lot with Ryan Waters, Your. Your musical partner.

I worked a lot with Ryan. I also worked a lot with my bass player. I. I worked a lot with the whole band.

And even in the past, music that I've done, this record was a testament for me to be able to do it on my own, meaning without a label, without all of the things that I was used to.

So it was just like, how do I pull myself up out of the things that kind of had me waited a little bit and an open door to, like, what else do I want to say? Because I hadn't.

It changes a lot, you know, like the record that I did with Nancy Wilson of Heart, like, the whole rock, rock and roll, that energy, that vibe, and who knows? I mean, maybe I want to do some, like, jazz or. Or something like that. I just. I try to just go with the flow of what my heart is telling me.

Right.

Not necessarily like, I gotta put out a record here, there, like a year and a half. I can't necessarily force myself in that way. It just has to come. And then that record, the Edges just was like, we were just ready.

You know, the band was ready, Ryan was ready, Ryan had all the songs, and I was like, okay, let's go. You know, so it was. It was amazing.

Yeah.

Maybe they'll take your picture. That was the first single. So what was your choice off?

What was my. My first.

It's funky. Yeah, it's funky. How'd you decide on that one?

I don't know. I asked everybody. I was like, what are you all feeling like? What do you. Because there's so many songs on there that I like.

My choice would have been Bloom, right?

Yeah.

But picture was just like. Yeah, it was like, you know.

Right.

I see Ryan. You know, it was perfect. Yeah, it's perfect.

Yeah.

And people should go to livewarfieldofficial.com and also YouTube live. Warfield will have all the links up there and watch those videos because you definitely be. If.

If you don't know her from the Prince of the MPG days, you'll know this is an amazing artist who continues to make great music.

Yeah.

Thank you. Thank you.

The Edge. I know you've been doing dates in between your. Your. You were out in Chicago. You did a date with a few members of the mpg, right?

Yes.

Mike Scott.

Yeah.

Yes. Mike Scott. Oh, my God. Tommy Barbarella. Oh, my goodness. It was. That was crazy.

And I actually, how I got inspired by it was, I think a year before me, Sunny T, Mike Scott, and Brandon Commodore. Let me tell you, that whole experience with Sunny just changed. Like, it just. It just did something to me. Like, I just.

To be able to play with him, to be in that room, just to feel that energy. It was like vortex. It was crazy. And I'm like, I want to do it again. Sonny didn't join us on the last one. I just did.

But I'm just like, can we please do this again more often? Because, you know, we take some of Prince's songs, and I. I try to do them the way that I feel.

I hope that he would like and just do them in the way that. How I feel. How I feel that, you know, the energy of how I. I guess I want to interpret it, you know? And man, Sunny, steady as ever, right?

Mike Scott and Tommy Barbara on the keys.

Yeah.

And Brandon.

Yeah, and Brandon. Crazy.

And that was at the Dakota Jazz Club. Prince.

No, the Dakota was.

That wasn't.

Well, the Dakota was Sunny. Oh, yeah, yeah. In Chicago. Teachers and Zani.

It was like I said, Tommy Barbarella, Mike Scott, Brandon Commodore, and Mike I from Mint Condition on bass. Rick. So it was like, crazy. It was amazing.

I was really curious because when you're doing a show with different members of Prince's career that you weren't necessarily with a lot. How do you Decide on a set list. Do you talk it over and see what they're willing to play?

I do. I do. Just because maybe for me, sometimes songs hold different emotional weight for different members of the band.

You know, comfortability or comfortability or uncomfortability. I don't know. Like, for instance, there was a lady. I have to say this just for me when I did the show.

She's like, I came all the way to this show, and I didn't get to hear you sing Purple Rain. And I said, not me.

Yeah.

Like. Like, I have nothing against anybody who wants to. Who's been just. I know. Like, for me, no.

And if a chance ever happened, for me, I think that is such a spiritual opening. I don't know. For me, it just holds so much weight. I just know when I was performing with him live and doing that song, how that made.

How that just did something to me. So to your question, like. Yeah. I always ask the guys that. I always ask you, do you want to do this or do you want to do.

You know, I'm trying to think of a song that one of them, they were like, oh, no, I could never.

Take the place here, man.

Right.

What's that?

I can never take the place he. Did you do that one?

I think I did that. I might have done that, like, during a pandemic. Not with them, maybe, but maybe I did. I'm trying to remember if I did or not, but, yeah.

So I asked the guys the question, and then we. Man, we just. We fall in. We fall in and we agree to the songs that we want to do, and it's crazy.

Yeah, it would be nice with all the. The Tree of Prince in Minneapolis on everybody in there. Get a nice festival together. Everybody's right. Cooperating, I'm sure. And. And tour.

Tour venues all around the world.

That would be amazing.

The man definitely will be there.

Yeah.

Yes. That was amazing. Yes.

Right.

Before we get into your introduction to work with Prince, I wanted to go back to Peoria. Peoria, Illinois. How far away is that from Chicago?

About two and a half hours.

Okay.

Yeah. Two and a half hours. Yeah. South.

So you grew up in some strict Pentecostal household, right?

Very much, yeah.

Very, very much. Yeah. It was strict. I just learned a lot sneaking out, listening to different songs, because, I mean, I grew up on a lot of gospel, which is great.

Clark Sisters, Reverend James, Cleveland. Like, all of that was amazing because that was, you know, that's my center.

But my ears were always picking stuff up because my mom had us in Me, a violin early. I wasn't necessarily reading, but my ear would always just pick up to just different sounds and.

But my dad, every once in a while would sneak me some stuff. But for the most part, actually, as a gymnast training, I would be listening to, you know what?

They would have classic rock playing in the background. And Etta James. The Rain man soundtrack changed my whole.

When I heard her, it was like my voice instantly tethered to the fact of, oh, my God, like, I heard my sound. Or she could be hard, she could be soft. She could be. All the things about Etta, like, even now I'm getting chills talking about her.

But she was my first ear. Like, oh, yeah, I hear. I could, you know, really wanted it. I really wanted that. But that was a life.

Singing was not a life that I even could even imagine. I wanted to perform, but I just was like, I never do that.

Like, did you sing in the church? Were you singing in the church a lot? Oh, you didn't.

No, I never sang around anybody. I never sang in church. I never really. Nobody knew anything.

Okay.

You had it all inside, right?

Yeah, I did. I did.

And when I left home, I really, like, I just broke loose because I had all the things that I was, like, craving for, you know, that my heart was craving for. You know, I was listening to Whitney a lot. Who El. Janet Jackson a lot. Who else?

Oh, my parents did tell me the one thing that probably changed me as a performer was Diana Ross.

They said to keep me from crying, they would set me in front of the TV and I would watch the Midnight Special and watch her change into these outfits and.

Right.

That was another pool. So I don't understand why they couldn't see that.

Yeah, yeah, right.

You know, so many people reference that show like that I have on, like, they're Midnight Special. Oh, yeah. Maybe because we're all getting old. I mean, you're.

You're younger than me, but so many of your people that, you know, they mentioned something about the Midnight Special. Even Charlie Will, the Gap Band was on there with Leon Russell.

Huh.

Okay, you're back in him.

Yeah.

So.

Yes, yes.

So I read something when you went to college out in Oregon that did a little Miles Davis, Back to the crowd singing. Was that true?

Oh, yeah, for sure.

Right?

I mean, I just couldn't. I couldn't look. It wasn't intentional. Well, it was intentional because I couldn't look at people.

Okay.

I couldn't. I could not sing in front of the crowd of people. I was, like, singing my Back to the crowd. I think Linda Hornbuckle was her name, bless her.

She was one of my mentors, and she was like, honey, if you want to sing, you want to be a singer, I'm going to need you to turn around and let people see you, because you can't be doing this all night, you know?

Right.

And it was just when I tell you baby steps for me and, like, really from the ground up, grassroots, definitely for me. Like, definitely. Like, I'm even talking about this now. It's just.

It's amazing just to see how you unconsciously, subconsciously manifests, and it's sitting back there in your mind whether. Whether if it's the story you want to tell with your life or performance or whatever it is, because I knew it was the thing that I wanted to do.

But how do I get there? Or how do I let my voice be heard kind of thing, you know? So it's just the trip over your.

Before you got into your own music and bands and stuff like that, what was your go to karaoke songs?

Oh, man. I'll always love you. Of course. That was probably my first song I ever sang. Etta James, at last.

Okay.

Always. Those are the main two. And then Chaka Khan's through the Fire.

Ah, yeah, yeah.

Yes.

Yeah.

So, I mean, you could see the. The butterflies starting to fly. And that introduction with Prince. Pretty.

You.

You've been at the right place, and you've been prepared, it seems, for all these huge things in your career. What was the experience getting into that Paisley park fold?

Even though I had a really great experience, like, the record was doing really well, it was the traveling. It was the performances. It was the, like, I'm not built for this kind of energy.

And I'm like, I have one more show left, I think in Arizona or something. And I said, I'm done doing this. So I met, I think, in Atlanta, Marva King. She was at my show a bunch of times.

Yeah.

Yeah. And this guy named Rick and Marvin told me Prince was looking for a background vocalist. And I was like, I'm not doing that, kid. Like, I can see. I.

You know, I can sing, and I can blend well with people, I believe. But I'm. There's no way. Thank you, Marva. I appreciate it.

You know, Is she gonna stay in the group or.

I think she was leaving at that time. She was Getting ready to leave. And I just was like, well, I'm not the person. Like, I. I have such a cool gig, but nah.

So end up finding out that they sent a video anyway to him.

Okay.

And three months later, I ended up getting a call back, random. And they were like, you know, prince would like to. To meet you. And I'm thinking, like, wait, what? Like, I am. Seriously. I was in.

I remember I was in the salon. I told the story loud. I was in the salon. I was getting my hair done. I was getting a full weave, putting my hair. And then the phone rings.

And then, like, right, you're gonna get a call from an unknown number. So I'm like, hair half done, some hair out, and I'm on the phone. And then sure enough, he's like, liv, this is prince.

And I'm like, wait, like, this is what, the Prince?

Yeah.

Yuna, right? And I love your voice and I'd like to meet you. And would you. You know, I have some shows and would you be interested in coming to Paisley?

And of course, you know, and then said a few words after that, I got to Paisley park, and actually two days before then I had to study like, 40 or 50 songs. I didn't. Like, I was in that man's catalog, like, printing them out, getting all the things.

Because, I mean, I knew the music, but I didn't know the songs like that, you know?

Right.

So I just didn't know what to expect. I didn't know he was going to call me to do this and that, you know? Anyway, so I got to Paisley park and he was lovely. I was so scared.

I waited all day in that hotel room.

Was it the Chanhassen down the road?

Right, Chanhassen. I was like, this is not a regular audition. I've never actually even been to, like, an audition. Like, just didn't know, right?

And I think it was like around seven o' clock at night. I think six or seven. And he came and he opened up the door. So nice, so chill. He could tell I was nervous as hell. He was like, are you hungry?

And I'm like, no, right? I don't want to do nothing but just go sing. Go sing for you and go back to the hotel, you know?

Right.

And he was just like, no, just chill out. And we had dinner and, man, he was so cool. And we got to sing together. And that's why I met Shelby and Marva. And it was crazy.

Like, I just had to, like, snap myself out of it because he sat down at those. At the Piano and just started to. Just playing, like, effortlessly, just playing, like, it was just. I feel like my heart was about to explode.

Like, pull it together. And then we sang some sly stuff. And I think I learned a little bit of stuff off of the Lotus Flower, maybe just trying to.

To see how well we blend together. But, yeah, that moment changed my life. And he was like, we love your voice. And we. You wanna. You wanna come sing with us?

And I'm like, oh, he offered it that night.

Yeah.

Oh, wow.

Yeah. He said, I like your voice. And. And that was. That was. That. And it was crazy because I still wasn't ready.

I just wasn't ready for what was about to come.

Oh, we. We had a Lisa on the show a couple weeks ago, and she gave some big credit to you and. And Shelby, and she. Something sticks in my mind.

She said about you. You always had the tough note, the middle note. What exactly is that? In three ladies singing together?

I just had that melody. But the thing was, it was always to. I guess I want to say, trying to match sometimes his tonality, you know, into just the kind of whole hold.

Maybe like, hold the line sometimes, because our voices were very different, you know, but it was just always a challenge because we were always kind of like jumping here and there and. Oh, maybe I want you to take the soprano list sometimes.

And because of the tonality of what the song calls for, maybe Elisa had to sing alto and Elise is a soprano.

Right.

But maybe the tonality called for my voice to sing the soprano sometimes. But, I mean, we were trained. I mean, we were like a machine, you know? And I loved it. I loved it. I love being able to sit down with him in a circle.

He would just acoustically, it was like campfire singing with us.

Yeah.

Every day with him. And you take that sometimes for granted. Like how. What a time, you know, What a time to be around somebody like that, to teach you to talk.

It wasn't always work. It was conversation. It was. It was all the things, you know, everything, Life. It was beautiful.

Did he ever mention to you that he preferred female vocalists over males? Because there's always that talk he did.

You know, in my mind, you can clearly see. Honey.

Yeah.

Like, I mean, it was. It was. No, I mean, he never, ever, ever. It was just. I don't know. It was just so cool with him, though. Hanging out, cracking jokes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It was everything.

And Elisa, she. She, I think mentioned also she. She wants a reunion with you and Shelby.

Ah, we definitely should do that.

Yeah. Yeah.

Maybe an Album together. That would be cool.

That would be cool, too. That's been in my heart. For real. For real. Yes.

Right.

I agree.

Did you do shows with Prince or record first with him in the studio?

I recorded first.

Okay.

Do you remember the early part where you were recording?

That's a good question. I want to say. I could be wrong, but it was like, maybe Future Soul song.

I love that track.

Yeah.

Maybe it was something off of that Lotus. Definitely Lotus Flower record. But I do know that my. The first shows for me were the Nokia Theater shows. Those three shows that he did.

Yeah, yeah.

That was like, okay, honey, buckle your seatbelt, because this is. This is. You do not get the manual for this.

Right.

Jump in. You know?

And what was the venue? He was pissed about the sound. That was. That's. No, that was at the theater.

Which venue?

Oh, yeah, yeah, that's true. Which venue?

Happens. Yeah, yeah. But it was. Yeah, it was like, to the max. And I was like, oh, my God, this is. Okay, here we are.

And I remember him putting that tambourine in my hand. Like, no, you're just not gonna be standing there side to side clapping your hands.

Yeah, we gonna give you a tambourine and we gonna give you the drum machine.

Right, right.

So, hey, you learned everything on the fly like that.

That's great. Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

How about a preference? Anything that you worked on or want to eventually want to see from the vault, either. Concert videos. I don't call them necessarily videos, but.

Or recordings, unreleased, that, you know, haven't been released. Do you have anything off the top of your head you love. Love to see the light of day?

I don't know. To be honest with you, I don't even know how to answer that question.

Too many things.

Yeah. As an artist.

Right.

How. Oh, talk about the White House playing for President Obama. That must have been incredible.

That was another thing that was like. It doesn't really hit for me. It hit maybe, but it didn't hit me until now. When you think about. Because you're just moving. You're constantly in the.

You know, just the orbit, the. The. I don't know the meaning of all of it, you know, the why of all of it, the purpose of all of it.

Like, you're here in the midst of this, you know, this is historical on so many levels. So that was life changing, you know? And I go back and I look at the picture sometimes. I'm like, oh, my God, this is right. You know, just.

It was special. Really, really special time.

No giving away Comp tickets for that event, I'm sure.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. They sealed everything up like nothing. Yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

And that there was a lot of video released officially from Paisley Park. And I wanted to talk about the Sweeter He Is. Your feature prominently in that song. How did that get decided to be in the set?

I don't know. I mean, the thing about him, to me was, I think with anybody, kind of like last minute, we'll have the songs that we're supposed to do.

And like, last minute, it's kind of being thrown in there like a wild card sometimes. Sometimes it's always. Always set up, but then it's a wild card and you're like, oh. And then.

But I also understand it because it's the energy of it all, you know? I think when he presented the song to us the first time, I was like, oh, wow, this is stunning. This song is amazing. It just.

I don't know, like, it's interesting the. The songs that he does find, and then he introduces it to the band, and then we have a chance to kind of.

Kind of chirp on it, you know, sing on it a little bit, you know.

Yeah. That song he gave the three of the ladies.

Yeah.

Amazing.

Yeah.

Yeah. So it was. It was just a nice way of him always wanting to the band and everybody to be inclusive in that way. Just everybody's energy and frequency.

That's what I loved about him the most, because he knows he didn't have to do that, but it was just like a family up there, you know.

Especially towards the end of his career, he was doing it pretty often like that.

Yeah.

Giving up space on the. On the stage.

Yes.

Yeah.

Was one of the things. I don't know if you remember this, but unplanned that during Janelle, Monet said he was wheeled out on a hand cart. You remember that?

What.

What's.

What was the story behind that? Is there a story?

Because I was like, I don't know. That's probably between him and Janelle, but I have no clue because I. We didn't know until we probably saw him being wheeled in the hallway.

I mean, I know I was looking like, what is going on? You know? And there it is, you know?

Yeah. Yeah.

Quite a picture.

Yeah.

And it was like. It's like, wow.

Yeah.

That I'd never seen before.

Yeah. I was like, oh, okay.

Right. Then you pop back out. Yeah.

Yes, of course.

Always surprising, you recently knocked over one of the toughest critics in the world, Simon Cowell on talent. How did you decide to get involved in that program? And what was the experience like, getting the Golden Buzzer and everything? Man, that was great.

Thank you. That was crazy. That was. That was life changing and an experience because I think I did it.

I think they reached out and then I was like, you know what I told the band? I was like, y' all want to try to do. Let's try to do America. I. I think I told the band, like, hold your breath for a second, you guys.

Like, I know I'm gonna ask this question. Are you gonna look at me like, what? And they were down for it. And I. I wanted to do it because I wanted to show.

Because for me, the industry at the time, even then at the time, and that wasn't long ago, hitting a wall of, like, live performance. For me, like, I was like, the live. What we do live, to me, I was like, I just need the experience and just not experience.

I just need the chance to bring everything that I have learned to more stages. It's just harder now, you know? And I just wanted the world to see it.

I wanted the world to see a representation of me, my band, live music, and have the chance to do it, you know? And when I was It. When I was up there, it just all hit me at once because I know where I've started. I know. I know everything that I've sacrificed.

Not. Not just me, but other artists, you know, that get overlooked sometimes by social media numbers.

Right?

And I don't know, it's just. All of it just came flooding on me on stage. And I think he's felt it. And that was the thing for me is I just wanted the world to feel it.

Whatever the ca. Whatever was gonna happen. What was gonna happen, like, I.

Whether it was golden or not or thank you for coming, I was cool with that because I just wanted the. The world to feel the frequency of what we can do, you know? And when he did it, when he. I was like, what? Wait.

I honestly was just not even prepared for the confetti.

Yeah, Everything. And the presentation of the button.

Right.

Yeah, I just. Yeah, I just was overwhelmed because I was like, no, you better not, girls. You better not cry hard in front of everybody like you said.

Not, like, please hold this together. And we had a long talk at the very end, and it was a learning experience. Down to everything.

Just how the world, reality, that whole thing really changed good and bad, you know, good and. And bad for me.

In what ways?

Good, because the exposure was amazing.

Right.

It was amazing for. Especially for the first song. We did stare because I wasn't in my head. Right. Right. I was just like, here we are raw. When we got into it, the.

The thing that made it stressful for. For me is that now I'm trying to contain something that just comes. So spirit sent for me that I'm.

That I got to be careful about the gift that I've been given and what. How I'm using it. That's how I. That's how I felt. And then the comments and then this and then that.

And I just had to learn, like, so self containment and. And why I'm doing it. And so it's just. Even now, it's like taking me a lot to kind of get out of. Out of why. I'm doing the why for me, you know? Yeah.

So it was. It was all the things. It was all the emotions that I had to run. Run up against, but I wouldn't change. I wouldn't change it for. For the world.

I love it because it just. It opened up a new perspective, a new side for me that I was burying.

Yeah.

I'm sure you. I mean, I. I read the comments a lot of the videos and, you know, very positive. I'm sure you picked up a bunch of new fans.

And how about the promoters for getting gigs like that? Do they take. I mean, you've got a great resume right off the bat with. With all the people you work with and does it help since you did that show?

I mean, it. It helps. I don't necessarily know. And that's probably on me about the promote, the promoter part of it. Like, I just felt. I don't know, I just.

I felt indifferent, you know, I just. I felt very indifferent. It's great. Like, it's so. It's. It's really amazing.

But I also was just fighting with that, you know, Fighting with it for a long time. Yeah.

Oh.

I had a question just came to my head. What is. I don't know if it's any different than other instruments.

What is it like having six horns on one side, six horns, the other blaring while you're singing? Is there a. Like, what does that feel like?

Energy Beyond. It's just energy.

Okay.

It's crazy frequency. It's like a rush, a body rush. It's. It makes you feel like the superpower.

Okay. Wow.

Because they give you so much, you know, and I'M already the type of person that I am. As far as me performing. I'm already like, I don't know, have all this angst and energy. And then when you hear the horns, it's like, you know, it's.

I don't know, it's a different. It's a different thing and it's. It's inspiring for me, you know, because they give that extra, you know.

Oh, yeah. And you brought them along.

Yeah.

You know, you brought different. Roy was on the. The first show, right?

Yeah, Roy. Oh, my God.

Yeah.

We had Lynn Grisid on the show.

Yes.

He's a cool guy.

Yeah.

Yes, he is really cool. Yes.

Yeah.

So you still keep in touch with a lot of the people on the MPG that you.

I try to, for sure. Like, a lot of those guys are absolutely amazing and doing their own things. Like my. Marcus. Marcus Anderson, man, Keith, like, bk, like, those guys.

Adrian, a lot of them. Phil Lassiter, like, a lot of them are amazing things. They. Yeah, of course they are. You know, those guys are incredible.

So I wouldn't expect anything less.

Yeah, that.

That first video. Well, the video you did off. Off the one album for Prince. I didn't realize Nikki west was playing for that video.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, she was in there.

Yeah, that's right. Yes.

John Blackwell, he was a really good friend of ours. So it was you. You did a lot of tours with him, right?

Yeah.

Yes. John was always inspiring me when he saw the. Probably the stress and the difficulty in me. Oh, man. John was always right there.

He was always like, just making me laugh, but just always inspiring me. Always, you know, put me on the music. Just.

Yeah, I always. I always mentioned the story with John Blackwell. I think it was his first solo record. He calls me up, he's like, hey, Joe, I gotta.

I gotta play you some of my album. New album. Like, okay, yeah, sure. I thought It'd be like 10, 20 seconds here, 26 there.

He played song by song, the entire thing, commentary in between each song. It was like two hours long just to the last song. And I was like, I wasn't going to interrupt him. I mean, was. It wasn't even released.

It was, you know, I was honored he. He did that.

But yes, yes, that's definitely John for sure.

Yeah.

I always felt like when he called, like, it was like he thought the wires were tapped and we were like, in the mafia. Because he never said, Prince, he got your boy. He would say, your boy knew we were.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm like, you know him Better than I do.

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah. Funny. Funny times.

Yeah.

The upcoming future. I know you're doing Zanzani in. In Chicago with your own music. Do you have anything planned out for the Neck? The end of the year coming up?

Not the end of the. Not this year. Next year is going to be pretty amazing. Pretty big year. I get to do a lot of the songs off of my three albums with the Symphony.

Peoria Symphony. That's going to be massive. And I'm really, really excited about this because hopefully it. It pushes out to something else.

I'm working on a new record. I just did an amazing shoot and, like, a small documentary with Norman Sief. Like, there's a. It's a lot of amazing stuff happening.

I just wanted it to be in the right. Whatever. Right timing is. I think it's kind of like, energy, like I always say. Like, things will present themselves as they should and.

And I just need to know what I need to say right now. I just. I'm on a different energy right now, so. But I'm excited about the next project. I am. I really am.

You still working with Ryan on.

Yes. And I might tap into some other things and other writers and stuff like that and producers, because.

Yeah, I just, you know, I like to just push the envelope and try things different. I don't like to always try to do stuff repeatedly the same.

Yeah, yeah, we're gonna look forward to. I mean, we've been supporting you on radio.

Thank you. For years.

And.

Yeah.

And look forward to you coming out with your own band, you know.

Thank you. I'm excited.

Yeah, we're. We're in upstate New York, but we'll. We'll travel. We used to live right near New York City in Connecticut, so.

Ye.

Thank you.

So you got to rest up. You got a couple days off right before.

Yeah, I have a couple days back in the action, back to being Madam Zanzani again. So do you.

Do you sing any songs during that show? Grounded? Are you always up in the air for.

No, I'm grounded.

Okay.

For the most part. These shows. Yeah, I'm definitely grounded. I might do something maybe in the fall or winter. I'm training for it, so.

Okay.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You're all.

You're always a lot of positivity, so we'll continue to support you live.

Yeah.

Thank you so, so much, really.

And the. And the v. L. Small. That's it. That's yours.

Yes.

So, hey, thanks. Thanks for all the music all these years and, of course, the performances we saw. You with Prince and just wish you the best. And finally, we. We talk.

So, yes, you know, we'll love to have you back on the show.

Thank you so much.

So if.

If you want to check out Liv's music live, Warfield's music, it will be on our radio station, Musicians reveal Radio on Live365. And we'll have it on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, all the big networks, but it'll be up there for eternity until those companies go out of business.

Yeah.

So thank you, Liv.

Thank you so much. All right, all right.