country routes news: Liv Austen releases new pop single “Window Shopping” (Review)

Single: Window Shopping

Artist: Liv Austen

Release date: 20.07.18

Label/publishing: NUA Entertainment

Sounds like: Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Taylor Swift, Danielle Bradbery

Norwegian born, London based Liv Austen describes her music as “part Scandi pop, part UK singer/songwriter and part Nashville country”. Her new single Window Shopping is full of great lyrics and catchy melody hooks, which is what made people pay attention to her when she first came on the scene.

Austen wrote Window Shopping with Kaity Rae, a young, extraordinary songwriting talent, often mentioned as a favourite of Ben Earle of The Shires. Earle has followed and supported both artists' careers from early on. He also wrote Liv's 2016 single Over, released by Decca Records.

Liv and Kaity bonded over their frustration with how superficial a lot of people are when looking for love. We are all expected to have a "type", and the standard for young people is to judge who they want to date from a photo. Is the addiction to keep browsing for the perfect match preventing us from having real life connections and feel genuine attraction? Window Shopping challenges listeners to live life authentically, to "try someone on" rather than just tick boxes and expect love to be the result!

While taking inspiration from the great modern sound that is coming out of Nashville, the track is also undeniably European. The song's use of English terms like “fit” confidently declares that there is no desire to mimic American artists.

Liv ensures that her music is a genuine UK product, not just in how she writes and who she writes with, but also in her choice of musicians and producers. The song was recorded with London based producer Jon Wright. Liv also co-produces all of her own tracks.

Liv says: "It is always a goal of mine to write something that's fun and catchy on the surface, but holds a much deeper meaning for anyone who listens closely to the lyrics.” Window Shopping is a perfect example.

Cover Art Fashion

Liv Austen wearing JADED Badges High Neck Mesh Bikini Top (80% polyamide / 20% elastane £25.00 (Product; regular price £35.00) adding a wipe clean JADED Pink Patent Mini Skirt £20.00 (Product; regular price £40.00) with a front zip with ring puller and jaded taping. With an off the shoulder pose she co-ordinates with a JADED Rose Gold Rain Mac £35.00 (Product; regular price £50.00).

Liv Austen “Window Shopping” (Single Review)

Release Date: 20 July 2018

Label: NUA Entertainment

Total Length: 2:58

Genres: Pop

Amazon UK – UK iTunes - Spotify

Sporting a new blonde hair-do and fresh look it was evident from both her look and sound from her C2C Festival set in March that Liv has moved towards a more pop-infused direction, dubbed Scandi pop.

Co-produced by Liv, this pleasing brand new single Window Shopping, tagged Pop, is certainly proof of that and the groove is taut on this fun-soaked-tongue-in-check-number on which there is a sense that Liv feels comfortable in this musical home.

The opening riffs (Jon Wright: guitar) with the handclaps have something of a speeded-up vibe of Blake Shelton's ‘Boy Round Here’.

Liv lays down some new humorous ground rules in the first verse whilst looking for a perfect match but certainly not perfection in terms of the looks department but carrying a caveat that the fella must have something going on upstairs!

I'm not looking for a pretty face

Hot, but the head's just empty space

Perfect hair, perfect teeth,

Spends more time getting ready than me

Nothing more to say past the first date conversations

Might look good behind that glass

But it doesn't work like that

Yes, the dating APPS don’t appear to have come up roses so far and is looking for something meaningful that’s a good fit rather than a hot looking dude with superficial feelings. With its catchy auto-tune chorus (co-writer Kaity Rae providing background vox) slap-bass lines (Mike Prince) and backbeat (Stuart Pringle: drums) it opens the possibility for an energetic one-of-a-kind Average Joe!

I gotta try you on, wear you out all night long

Don't care if you're fit, just if we fit, oh

To me you've got it going on if you give me a feeling so strong

That I've got no hope in stopping

I'm not gonna find that, window shopping (I'm not, I'm not, I'm not gonna find that)

Window shopping (I'm not, I'm not, I'm not gonna find that)

Good conversation and a little rough-around-the edges charm is the order of the day here rather than those top high street brand names and a Love Island appearance.

An unquestionable tension-filled relationship will push the right buttons, make the connection and have the lady hooked!

Liv adds a cheeky spoken line “He’s not much to look at but I love him”

Fancy a little fun-filled snap, crackle and pop, then seek out with a little window shopping.
Adrian Clark

Others take on Window Shopping

It was co-written with Kaity Rae so you know it’s an absolute banger. It’s surely destined to be Austen’s third Chris Country radio A-list single in a row, and one of many highlights on her forthcoming debut album. - Redrospective.com

If you are a fan of the likes of female powerhouses Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Danielle Bradbery and Taylor Swift then you are going to absolutely love this latest release from Austen which promises to be one of the biggest songs of the Summer. - Laura Klonowski Celebmix.com

The upbeat, slightly dance vibe number is a perfect feel-good summer anthem that makes you want to get up and dance.

If you mix the best sounds of Taylor Swift and Little Mix then you get Window Shopping. Blast this from the car stereo with the windows down or have it blaring from the garden whilst hanging out with friends then neighbours and passer by’s are bound to take notice of the tune - Hannah Jessica Building Our Own Nashville

Essentially Pop.com: Six Quick Questions With Liv Austen Ahead Of Release Of New Single ‘Window Shopping’

https://essentiallypop.com/epop/2018/07/six-quick-questions-with-liv-austen-ahead-of-release-of-new-single-window-shopping/

EP: You describe your style as “part Scandi pop, part UK singer/songwriter, and part Nashville country”. Has your sound been a conscious decision or do you feel you have to sing this way, it’s part of you, it’s the way you must express yourself?

LA: It’s really just how it turned out – from the music that I’ve been influenced by in my life. I have never made a conscious decision to be any one thing, I have just always wanted to make the music that comes out naturally, and that’s the best way I can describe it! Read more at Essentially Pop.com

Your Life In A Song.com INTERVIEW (by Dan Wharton): Liv Austen On Her New Single ‘Window Shopping’, Signing A Record Deal, Changing Musical Direction & More!

“Liv Austen is one of the hottest properties

on the British country music scene”

– Country Music Magazine’s 2018 Hot List

Country Music Magazine Issue 08 Page 42 Feature

ABOUT Liv Austen:

Originally from Olso in Norway, Liv moved to the UK to develop her acting career, when the songs she was writing in her spare time found their way into the hands of music industry folk who clearly saw their potential.

A few years later she performed at C2C 2015 playing The Brooklyn Bowl just after Ward Thomas, plus had Ben Earle from The Shires write material for her and became an instant force to be reckoned with on the UK’s Country Music scene.

Liv wrote tracks for an upcoming album with various people including Jessica Sharman who wrote five tracks Cartwheels by Ward Thomas (the first Country album to make No 1 in the UK).

As well as this she’s filming for a well-known Channel 4 series as well as gigging with her band around the UK.

Looks like 2018 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Liv Austen and her heartfelt blend of Country-Pop.

After her debut single release for NUA Records, The Next Time (Sept 15 2017 Amazon UK – UK iTunes), which enjoyed a 11-week run on the Chris Country A-List (the only UK artist featured), Liv stormed into 2018 with the release of her updated next single, Don’t Regret A Single One (Jan 26, 2018 Amazon UK - UK iTunes) and was also featured in Country Music magazine’s 2018 Hot List alongside The Wandering Hearts, Tyler Childers, Catherine McGrath, Jade Jackson and others.

Her rich lead vocal was described as “akin to the same dynamic power as Carrie Underwood and the result is a performance both infectious and inspiring”.

She performed at all three days of the 2018 Country To Country Festival at The O2 in London playing Big Entrance Stage (Fri 9 & Sat 10 March 2018) and C2C Close Up (Sun 11 March 2018; Building Six; with Meet & Greet).

Be sure to check her website for upcoming gigs and – you won’t regret a single one!

Saturday 21 July 2018 - Create Festival (1:30 PM Victoria Park, Ashford)

Hanging with the guys 😍 Thank you for having us on your main stage @createfestival! I think you "win warmest festival gig" for me and the band this summer 😂 ☀ . . 📸 @jvincelitlr

A post shared by L I V⠀A U S T E N (@livausten) on Jul 21, 2018 at 7:56am PDT

Friday 27 July 2018 - Buck’ N Bull Saloon and Nashville Meets London come together to host a ‘Southern Fridays’ boat cruise down the River Thames. The programme includes acoustic performances by Liv Austen, Frankie Davies, and Raintown (Stevie Lawrence guitar; Paul & Claire Bain Vocals), and a DJ set by Baylen Leonard featuring fan-favorites spanning Country and Americana. More information surrounding the pre-festival cruise is available by visiting www.bucknbullsaloon.com | Tickets (£37.80; VIP 8 people Table £530.00).

Saturday 11 August 2018 - The Pheasantry, Chelsea, London (MAP; 152 King's Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4UT) 7:00 PM Event