Lisa Crawley

Lisa Crawley's path to her debut album has been less than straightforward. But her natural charm and heartfelt songs could see her becoming yet another local singer-songwriter household name. She talks to Lydia Jenkin.

She's a 25-year-old
songstress with golden
hair.
Not dissimilar to Gin
Wigmore perhaps, though
with a rather more honeyed
voice. She's a multiinstrumentalist who has a
knack for writing heartfelt
songs with an upbeat twist.
Which might perhaps win
her comparisons to Brooke
Fraser. Yet she's really
nothing like either of those
fellow solo females.
She's Lisa Crawley and
she's already had an intriguing musical life - her experiences echoed in the 10 songs and title of her
debut album Everything That I Have Seen.
Charmingly frank on stage and in person, Crawley has been involved in music all her whole life.
Recorder lessons extended to clarinet and piano and she eventually joined a band at Avondale High
School. But it wasn't until the band broke up that she began writing songs of her own.
She attended jazz school in Auckland but was offered a job as a singer/entertainer in a town called
Atami in Japan.
"I left uni to go and do that for four months. It was like a full-on dinner show, with people all sitting
down, watching. Seven days a week we'd do two shows each night, and then I'd go and play piano in
the lounge later in the evening. It was really cheesy material, like Japanese pop songs. Then the two of
us would have to come out in green fluoro outfits and dance to this Japanese version of Livin' La Vida
Loca, and then shake hands with all these people and try to get tips. It was quite bizarre. I didn't know
what I was getting into really. It was quite isolated and lonely at times, but a good experience."
She moved to London, crashed with friends, managed to play a few gigs, and worked long hours in a
night club.
"The work was kind of horrible, but it was the only way to do it, because I didn't have a working visa. It
was fun though, the guys from The Checks were living there as well at the time, so I could hang out
with them, and the betchadupa guys, I remember meeting them for the first time. It was all quite new
because I'd had quite a sheltered upbringing. I never knew what a bong was until I went to their house."
Leaving and returning to London with a valid visa a year or so later, she got gigs as a lounge pianist in
hotels like The Ritz.
"I'd made a few connections the first time I went to London that I wanted to keep up, and when I met
Richard, my first boyfriend, he was also going [to London] at the same time so it worked out really well."
Richard fell ill, and though Crawley initially intended to stay for two years, after a year she returned
home with Richard before he passed away in 2008.
Still, while she was there she made the most of it, joining the band of former goodshirt frontman
Rodney Fisher, building herself a reputation and playing shows with artists like Holly Throsby and Little
Boots.
Her time in London helped spark a determination to pursue her music no matter what. And she's done
it all off her own back, with her own record label. The release of Everything That I Have Seen follows a
2009 EP and the album's songs distill her experiences and emotions of the past few years.
"Because it's my first album I've had those songs for a while. I've only had three proper boyfriends in
my life, but they all take their little turn in terms of influence. Obviously Richard's sickness and passing
away affected me and that probably comes across on a few songs, like Always, and Close Your Eyes.
"And then Wish You Well sort of stemmed from the end of my second relationship, I guess. We've
managed to become good friends again now."
She also explains how she's struggled with anxiety and depression on and off over the past four or five
years, which she thinks occasionally filters into the tracks, though the album is not a downer by any
means. "A lot of the songs seem to have the word 'lonely' in them" she laughs. "Not that I consider
myself to be an unhappy person, but I think travelling and living by myself a lot in Japan and London
and having all these weird experiences have had an impact."
The track Birds has a quirky way of addressing that funny feeling of not really fitting anywhere, an idea
that stemmed from teenage years.
"I had this whole thing in my head that my brother was a sort of indie king [Matthew Crawley is a wellknown Auckland promoter and musician], and everyone would go 'oh, you're Matthew's sister' and I'd
go and see gigs with him every now and again and be really intimidated by these girls with their floral
indie dresses and this twee thing."
She didn't feel cool enough, or that her own pop songs really measured up.
Even now she's not quite sure how her music fits into the spectrum, though she's one of the most wellliked musicians in Auckland and has a wide group of friends.
"I'm totally content with that no - NZ Herald - (Cover of Time Out)

By Lorin Pickup, Writer Services Representative
What makes a good song? What is it that makes you want to listen to it over and over again? According to Lisa Crawley, it has to be thought provoking and honest.

That’s exactly what this 22 year old from New Zealand achieved, to beat close to 1000 entries to take out the top prize in the 2008 Pacific Songwriting competition. What is more impressive is that Lisa’s song Stranger, was written when she was only 16 years old.

“I wrote Stranger, when I was working at Music works... I went down and used one of the pianos on my lunch break. It talks about, people, just encounters with people some you may have known from ages ago, and it’s that sort of awkwardness, whether you actually bother to say hello or you just leave it cause it’s kind of awkward. It’s about approaching people and interacting with people.” Lisa explains.
Although Lisa’s songwriting and style has evolved in the six years since the song was written, there is something in the song that has remained relevant, not only to Lisa, but to the judges also. “What we heard in her music was the honesty. It’s not necessarily the top layer we listen for, it’s the layers underneath and it’s the layers under the words that we listen for... There’s insight there...People recognise honesty and integrity and it’s there in her performance,” explains one of the judges.

Established in 2005, the Pacific Songwriting competition is growing with each year. With songwriting being the only focus, this competition strives to support and encourage songwriters from all nationalities, abilities and genres. The prizes for the competition include: money, return flights to Sydney, accommodation, four days in a recording studio and a website, all of which will help Lisa in her future endeavours. “It was a great prize. It’s good to have on the CV, and the new recordings will be helpful. I’m working towards an album at the moment...it’s just a matter of getting funding and everything, so it’s great to have some more tracks that I really like to hopefully put on the album.”

A multi-instrumentalist, with a stunning voice, Lisa has worked hard to establish her presence in the New Zealand live music scene. With goals not unlike any other young musician, Lisa hopes that soon she will be able to travel the world supporting her music, or rather, have her music support her. “To live off my music would be great, but more importantly I love to just tour, I love travelling as well and I really want to travel with my music... not have to play cheesy lounge covers to pay the rent!” Having already gigged around London while living there and played at South by south west with another band, it appears Lisa is already within reach of her aspirations.
- APRA

By Lorin Pickup, Writer Services Representative
What makes a good song? What is it that makes you want to listen to it over and over again? According to Lisa Crawley, it has to be thought provoking and honest.

That’s exactly what this 22 year old from New Zealand achieved, to beat close to 1000 entries to take out the top prize in the 2008 Pacific Songwriting competition. What is more impressive is that Lisa’s song Stranger, was written when she was only 16 years old.

“I wrote Stranger, when I was working at Music works... I went down and used one of the pianos on my lunch break. It talks about, people, just encounters with people some you may have known from ages ago, and it’s that sort of awkwardness, whether you actually bother to say hello or you just leave it cause it’s kind of awkward. It’s about approaching people and interacting with people.” Lisa explains.
Although Lisa’s songwriting and style has evolved in the six years since the song was written, there is something in the song that has remained relevant, not only to Lisa, but to the judges also. “What we heard in her music was the honesty. It’s not necessarily the top layer we listen for, it’s the layers underneath and it’s the layers under the words that we listen for... There’s insight there...People recognise honesty and integrity and it’s there in her performance,” explains one of the judges.

Established in 2005, the Pacific Songwriting competition is growing with each year. With songwriting being the only focus, this competition strives to support and encourage songwriters from all nationalities, abilities and genres. The prizes for the competition include: money, return flights to Sydney, accommodation, four days in a recording studio and a website, all of which will help Lisa in her future endeavours. “It was a great prize. It’s good to have on the CV, and the new recordings will be helpful. I’m working towards an album at the moment...it’s just a matter of getting funding and everything, so it’s great to have some more tracks that I really like to hopefully put on the album.”

A multi-instrumentalist, with a stunning voice, Lisa has worked hard to establish her presence in the New Zealand live music scene. With goals not unlike any other young musician, Lisa hopes that soon she will be able to travel the world supporting her music, or rather, have her music support her. “To live off my music would be great, but more importantly I love to just tour, I love travelling as well and I really want to travel with my music... not have to play cheesy lounge covers to pay the rent!” Having already gigged around London while living there and played at South by south west with another band, it appears Lisa is already within reach of her aspirations.
- APRA

Lisa Crawley is a rare talent known mostly for her voice and piano skills, but she can also pull out and play a bunch of different instruments, all of which add an extra layer to her songs. She is cutsie pie pop and has a cheeky 'I mean business' smile on her face. If they were to make a Barbie sized Lisa doll, everyone would want one. The songs on the EP are all written beautifully and are full of love, heartbreak and emotion - all of them are believable and real. She wears her heart on her sleeve and says what she means. She has put together a talented, tight band to perform these songs with her, and all players come across very well in these recordings. She is the girl to watch this year. Let's all hope that she goes down in history for her songs and not her Norah Jones impression on Stars in Their Eyes! - RIP IT UP MAGAZINE (NZ)

Lisa Crawley is a rare talent known mostly for her voice and piano skills, but she can also pull out and play a bunch of different instruments, all of which add an extra layer to her songs. She is cutsie pie pop and has a cheeky 'I mean business' smile on her face. If they were to make a Barbie sized Lisa doll, everyone would want one. The songs on the EP are all written beautifully and are full of love, heartbreak and emotion - all of them are believable and real. She wears her heart on her sleeve and says what she means. She has put together a talented, tight band to perform these songs with her, and all players come across very well in these recordings. She is the girl to watch this year. Let's all hope that she goes down in history for her songs and not her Norah Jones impression on Stars in Their Eyes! - RIP IT UP MAGAZINE (NZ)

Rising talent keeps those stars in her eyes
4:00AM Saturday Jun 20, 2009
By Joanna Hunkin
Lisa Crawley's next goal is to write a full album. Photo / Supplied
Lisa Crawley looks tired as she sits down for our mid-morning chat. She was up until 2am shooting a video for her new EP, and then had to drag herself up for an early-morning appearance on breakfast TV.
She won't be getting to bed early tonight either. She's booked to play a three-hour set at SkyCity, which will go towards paying her make up artist for the shoot, and then she's off to Parnell to play piano wars up at Ivory Lounge for four hours. That will pay for the food for the two-day shoot.
"I spent every last dollar I have," she says with a small laugh. "I extended my overdraft just so I could get a video out, because to get on the hit disk you have to have a video."
Crawley is ambitious and desperately determined. No job is beneath her if it gets her closer to her goal - to write and record her own music.
At 22, she has already released two EPs independently, without any grants or financial support. Shoot the Night was recorded in 2007, three weeks before she moved to London. And this month, she released Hello, Goodbye andEverything Inbetween.

......
"I was going to London so I wanted something to take over there," she says of her first EP. "I put it in shops myself but I got way too many printed! I got 2000 printed and sold some.
"But I'm much happier with the new one. I had 500 printed two weeks ago and I've sold all of them so I've got to get some more done."
To fund the recordings, Crawley has a series of lounge residencies playing jazz covers, and recently appeared on Stars in their Eyes as Norah Jones.
"I don't like doing covers, it's just to pay the bills. But it's worked out to be a good way to get my own stuff out there."
It can be the source of some confusion, however, when people expect a sultry jazz chanteuse and instead discover her special brand of playful folk pop, full of percussion, trombones and even the odd recorder.
"It's a double life. When I sell my own CDs, they see it's not, like, a black dress lying on a piano, and they go 'oh, you're not doing yourself justice, love!'
"They just don't understand that I'd rather be doing my own stuff," she laughs.
Crawley laughs a lot. She radiates hope and good humour - when, frankly, she has plenty to be bitter about.
Her time in London was spent singing "cheesy lounge music" in swanky hotel lobbies - including the Ritz.
"It was all a bit sleazy. There were always businessmen writing their room numbers down and putting them in your tip jar. You'd see a lot of things. There'd be a lot of prostitutes who'd come in and married men would leave with them. It was really depressing at times. I felt like they looked at me in the same way. I didn't really want them to tip me if that was why."
But the gigs made ends meet and allowed Crawley to pursue her own music at small gigs around the city.
Her days were spent more solemnly, looking after her boyfriend who had been diagnosed with cancer just weeks after their arrival in London.
"It was pretty hard ... the daytimes were in hospital with him doing chemo or whatever. And then I'd go and play these lounge gigs where you're singing about how wonderful everything is."
The couple returned home last year for more treatment. Sadly, it was unsuccessful and her boyfriend died over New Year.
It's a hard topic to talk about and Crawley says she has yet to really write about the experience in her music. Although, one song on the EP, Lost, was written for his funeral.
The situation would have got the better of many people. But Crawley's determination and tenacity remain intact. Her next goal is to write a full album - she says it's the right time - but she has to raise the funds before she can start recording.
"I want to do an album and get a bit more established here. I would love to travel again but I want to travel with music.
"I don't want to have to go over there and play any more horrible hotel lobbies until one in the morning."

Lowdown
Who: Lisa Crawley - singer, songwriter and Stars in their Eyes contestant
What: Hello, Goodbye and Everything Inbetween is out now.
When: Crawley appears as Norah Jones on the Stars in their Eyes final, June 30.
Also: Crawley is one of 18 female songwriters featuring on the compilation Birds of Paradise, in stores June 29. - NZ HERALD

Rising talent keeps those stars in her eyes
4:00AM Saturday Jun 20, 2009
By Joanna Hunkin
Lisa Crawley's next goal is to write a full album. Photo / Supplied
Lisa Crawley looks tired as she sits down for our mid-morning chat. She was up until 2am shooting a video for her new EP, and then had to drag herself up for an early-morning appearance on breakfast TV.
She won't be getting to bed early tonight either. She's booked to play a three-hour set at SkyCity, which will go towards paying her make up artist for the shoot, and then she's off to Parnell to play piano wars up at Ivory Lounge for four hours. That will pay for the food for the two-day shoot.
"I spent every last dollar I have," she says with a small laugh. "I extended my overdraft just so I could get a video out, because to get on the hit disk you have to have a video."
Crawley is ambitious and desperately determined. No job is beneath her if it gets her closer to her goal - to write and record her own music.
At 22, she has already released two EPs independently, without any grants or financial support. Shoot the Night was recorded in 2007, three weeks before she moved to London. And this month, she released Hello, Goodbye andEverything Inbetween.

......
"I was going to London so I wanted something to take over there," she says of her first EP. "I put it in shops myself but I got way too many printed! I got 2000 printed and sold some.
"But I'm much happier with the new one. I had 500 printed two weeks ago and I've sold all of them so I've got to get some more done."
To fund the recordings, Crawley has a series of lounge residencies playing jazz covers, and recently appeared on Stars in their Eyes as Norah Jones.
"I don't like doing covers, it's just to pay the bills. But it's worked out to be a good way to get my own stuff out there."
It can be the source of some confusion, however, when people expect a sultry jazz chanteuse and instead discover her special brand of playful folk pop, full of percussion, trombones and even the odd recorder.
"It's a double life. When I sell my own CDs, they see it's not, like, a black dress lying on a piano, and they go 'oh, you're not doing yourself justice, love!'
"They just don't understand that I'd rather be doing my own stuff," she laughs.
Crawley laughs a lot. She radiates hope and good humour - when, frankly, she has plenty to be bitter about.
Her time in London was spent singing "cheesy lounge music" in swanky hotel lobbies - including the Ritz.
"It was all a bit sleazy. There were always businessmen writing their room numbers down and putting them in your tip jar. You'd see a lot of things. There'd be a lot of prostitutes who'd come in and married men would leave with them. It was really depressing at times. I felt like they looked at me in the same way. I didn't really want them to tip me if that was why."
But the gigs made ends meet and allowed Crawley to pursue her own music at small gigs around the city.
Her days were spent more solemnly, looking after her boyfriend who had been diagnosed with cancer just weeks after their arrival in London.
"It was pretty hard ... the daytimes were in hospital with him doing chemo or whatever. And then I'd go and play these lounge gigs where you're singing about how wonderful everything is."
The couple returned home last year for more treatment. Sadly, it was unsuccessful and her boyfriend died over New Year.
It's a hard topic to talk about and Crawley says she has yet to really write about the experience in her music. Although, one song on the EP, Lost, was written for his funeral.
The situation would have got the better of many people. But Crawley's determination and tenacity remain intact. Her next goal is to write a full album - she says it's the right time - but she has to raise the funds before she can start recording.
"I want to do an album and get a bit more established here. I would love to travel again but I want to travel with music.
"I don't want to have to go over there and play any more horrible hotel lobbies until one in the morning."

Lowdown
Who: Lisa Crawley - singer, songwriter and Stars in their Eyes contestant
What: Hello, Goodbye and Everything Inbetween is out now.
When: Crawley appears as Norah Jones on the Stars in their Eyes final, June 30.
Also: Crawley is one of 18 female songwriters featuring on the compilation Birds of Paradise, in stores June 29. - NZ HERALD