INTERVIEW: LISA WOODBROOK MAKES HER SOLO MUSIC DEBUT WITH ‘SO BAD’

Renowned nationwide for her explosive performances on stage and making a name for herself through her sensational vocals and unmatched stage presence, Lisa Woodbrook comes in hot on the indie scene with her first solo debut track, ‘So Bad’.

Before taking on the music scene solo, Woodbrook showcased her talents on the stage so much that she has a whole string of achievements to show for it! Such achievements include being the 2020 Cabaret Weekly Award Winner Fringeworld, singing the National Anthem for the Hyundai A-league at AAMI Park and for TABtouch Perth Racing, singing for Crown, Optus Stadium, BMW, Channel 7, and Carlton Football Club, and her greatest achievement thus far - selling out her one woman show ‘It’s Not Me, It’s Definitely You’ across Australia. You can definitely tell that Woodbrook is a stage favourite and I doubt her music career debut will be any different.

​What was the turning point in your career that made you want to step out into the world and release your own original music?
I've wanted to release my own music for a long time now and have always thought about what it would be like to write my own music, collaborate with other writers and create something really special.  Last year really gave me the push I needed to start. I had a bit more time available and could really sit down and create. 

How does the creative process writing original music differ to writing a whole show like 'It's Not Me, It's Definitely You'?
It's a different ball game writing something for 3 minutes compared to a whole hour, however the narrative concept is similar and I always work on how I want my audience to feel. It's a different process creatively and I love them both. I wrote my show over a few weeks back in 2018 and everytime we perform the show it continues to evolve as each new audience brings something new and exciting to the show, I think that's why I am still performing it after 3 years. Live performance is incredibly special with instant feedback, whereas writing a song is very different, there's feedback from people you trust throughout the project however once it's out, it's out! I guess the evolution comes song, after song, after song. It was also a fantastic different experience releasing a single compared to when we launch a new show.  
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Woodbrook draws a lot of inspiration from mainstream pop artists such as Dua Lipa and Sam Smith, which you can hear reimagined through her powerful voice in a lower register. She mentions that this song was inspired by a strong connection in her life and explains how, “the lyrics in this song really speak to how someone can have such a huge impact on you. I think a lot of people have been in this situation and hopefully this song resonates with audiences". This pop ballad was co-written and produced with Bri Clark and then handed over to Mike Lizotte (Diesel) for mastering.
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​Who are your biggest musical influences and why?
I'm a big fan of Sam Smith, I love his honesty, his musicality and really enjoying singing his music. Amy Winehouse is a huge influence, she has written some of the greatest songs that are so heartfelt, it's brilliant every time you listen. Mark Ronson has always been a brilliant artist in my eyes and when he released Late Night Feelings I had it playing non-stop and felt I wanted to create music like that. 

Can we expect more original music to come in the near future?
Most certainly! I'm really enjoying writing and collaborating, finding my sound as an independent artist and can't wait to release more music.  

What's next for you after this single release?I have a few tours lined up with my show so that will be super fun! And there is another song in the pipeline I can't wait to share with everyone as well. Also currently working on some new music so we will see how it goes!

Who would you recommend 'So Bad' to? 
Everyone! Go listen! 'So Bad' is for those who love a pop ballad and a party. My favourite piece of feedback I got from a friend was, "It makes me miss my ex, and I don't have an ex." Hearing that made me so happy and I laughed my head off. 

Have a listen to this powerful ballad below! ​

​Crystal Moonsamy