Now that you have some physical distance, what’s your relationship with the South like?

Avsha: I think everything we ever do will be forever molded by the South. The musical community and history in Atlanta especially is so eclectic and elusive, it creates a bond to the city that influences most of my emotional and creative thoughts to this day. It can really test you, but it makes finding the right community even more rewarding. It took serious work to find places I belonged in the South, but because of it, I feel like I was rewarded by finding a lifelong friend in Liv. Both of our families still live there so I definitely still feel that it is a refuge, it’ll always take me back in if I need it.

Olivia: I wouldn’t be who I am now without having grown up in Atlanta. I’m someone who moves at a slower and quieter pace than the average New Yorker. Atlanta is sprawling and integrated into the various natural terrains that make up its geography: swamps, forests, mountains. The people are so kind and there is a large sense of pride and support for the art and people that find success from ATL.

I have Atlanta to thank for my strong connection to nature which also heavily influences my art and overall relationship with myself and others. Me and A try to go back pretty often, and still keep in close contact with many friends who still live there. In a big way, the essence of myself still lives there and any time I come back home, I can feel myself relaxing into this feeling of deep resonance with my surroundings. I don’t feel that kind of specific power anywhere else in the world. I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up anywhere else.

You both have solo projects. What keeps you coming back to Lowertown? What do you love about working together?

Avsha: Solo projects are a really great way to experiment and give in to the urge to control everything, but there is something so magical when you are creating with someone that knows how to complement your ideas perfectly in a way you could never have thought on your own. Liv and I have known each other for almost 10 years, so we’re almost telepathic in the way that we work, but because we still have different tastes, it’s like writing with a parallel universe version of myself that is blonde and short.

Olivia: Lowertown is a certain world that has been built brick by brick over many years. We’ve always known since the beginning what we want it to be, and that vision is very focused and specific but constantly evolving. Avsha and I are the kinds of people that compulsively will make art no matter the circumstances. I always want to experiment and grow and try different things, and many times I may not see that art fitting into the world of Lowertown or on the level it needs to be.

Music is a language of communication and connection, and I’ve recently over the past few years really enjoyed writing with other friends and collaborators. It’s a great way to grow and challenge yourself, but ultimately, at the end of the day, Avsha is my other half in so many ways. Our strengths and weaknesses compliment each other and bring out the best in each other. He’s the one person in the world I’d follow anywhere or trust with anything, so I’m lucky the biggest portion of my creative time is intertwined with his. We’ve created things together that I could never dream of achieving. I think as we’ve gotten older, we’ve gotten better and better at communicating and letting go of our egos and self consciousness and truly working together on the deepest level.

You’ve shared the stage with acts ranging from screamo bands to rappers. Do you prefer to be on a bill with a clear sonic throughline, or an eclectic one?

Avsha: Definitely eclectic. Of course, from the perspective of performing, you can tell when the audience is worn out of a specific sound or getting restless, and that usually happens with a bill that is too homogenous. But also, we love to go to shows, and there’s nothing that is as trying on the soul as the third of a four band bill is about to start, all of whom are variations on each other. You could get tired of Beethoven if he was on a bill with Mozart and Haydn.

Olivia: Eclectic. Growing up in Atlanta, it wasn't abnormal for a rapper to share a bill with a hardcore band and a singer songwriter. I always think it’s a great way to bring different groups of people together under one roof and expose them to different music and communities. A and I love so many kinds of music and I think it’s exciting to be able to platform and hang with other kinds of artists. I always find it inspiring to see a show with a varying bill, those are always my favorite shows. I’m also extremely ADHD and when a show starts to feel monotonous I find it way harder to stay engaged the entire time.

I also think the difference in sound highlights the strengths of each artist.

We’ve shared a bill with so many different kinds of artists and the cool thing about LT fans is they’re super cool and open minded and usually are super excited and down to enjoy any kind of music.

Lowertown - I Like You A Lot

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