Recently, I was given the opportunity, and the honor, to interview a wonderful young woman who travelled from her homeland of Havana (with her four bandmates) to shape a shared musical dream. LISSET DIAZ is the voice and face of SWEET LIZZY PROJECT, an exciting rock band whose debut album 'Technicolor' is featured throughout our conversation. She and her four friends had many limitations playing their kind of music in Cuba, so they put their hands together and expatriated to the United States, settling in Nashville. With some guidance from songwriter-producer Raúl Malo, the members of Sweet Lizzy Project are finding the success they had been dreaming of. The name of the band reveres Lisset, at least to some degree, which she will explain. And as you listen to us talk, you will discover just how sweet she actually is. But wait until you hear some of the music from the new album, because her sweet voice escalates to a strong and spirited siren. Lisset has a wonderful story and represents her bandmates (Miguel, Wilfredo, Angel and Alejandro) with grace and humor. It was a true pleasure to chat with this talented and positive young lady as she and Sweet Lizzy Project soar into the future. Please enjoy this very special episode and you'll appreciate the full story.
Dean Olson
StrongWriter On the Radio
* Listen to Lisset's Interview with Dean! *
Featured Guest: LISSET DIAZ (Sweet Lizzy Project)
Sweet Lizzy Project, one of the most culturally significant bands to emerge from Cuba in recent years, has a distinctive sound imbued with overtones of classic American indie pop-rock suffused with an intoxicating Latino flair. Lead singer Lisset Diaz’s incomparable voice, which has been likened to that of a long-caged sparrow finally set free, captures listeners’ imaginations, note by note, leaving fans enthralled as they surrender to the group’s mesmerizing forcefield of sound. In addition to Diaz, who also plays acoustic guitar, the five-piece band includes: Miguel Comas, lead guitar, producer, and background vocals; Wilfredo Gatell, keyboards and background vocals; drummer Angel Luis Millet, and bass player Alejandro Gonzalez. Sweet Lizzy’s songs, all original and penned in English, are reflective of the members’ wide range of ages, from their 20´s to 40´s. SLP has attracted international attention with its high-energy, genre-defying live performances. In 2017, they were showcased on PBS’s “Havana Time Machine,” alongside Grammy award-winning group, The Mavericks. It was a fortuitous pairing, as it gave SLP an opportunity to forge a relationship with Raul Malo, the Mavericks congenial lead singer, who invited them to Nashville,TN the following year. Since arriving in the United States, SLP has performed coast-to-coast. The group, which was featured on PBS’s Emmy award-winning music television series, “Bluegrass Underground,” has been touring the nation with The Mavericks. SLP has just completed its second album, “Technicolor,” which was mixed by renowned sound engineer Niko Bolas and Thom Pununzio at Blackbird Studios in Nashville.
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