Her name is Lizz Chisholm, but you can call her Double Z!
Signed to the Qwest/Reprise Record label, Double Z’s debut CD is called, what else, “In Z Mood.”
Talented, sexy, and smart, we talked to Double Z recently about her music.
Q – What kind of reaction is “In Z Mood” getting? Any idea?
A – Oh, everybody is crazy about it. The reactions I wanted are the exact reactions I’m getting.
Q – How long did it take you to secure your own record deal?
A – It took about, actually, all in all, about a good five and a half, six _ years, simply because I had a publishing deal with Warner-Chappell. I was a staff writer for them for about 2 years, before I landed the artist deal. Just between touring, writing for other people and trying to live a life, and dealing with record companies, it took six years.
Q – Your CD was produced and arranged by Trevor Gale and Kenni Hairston for Gale Warnings Productions, in association with Snake House Productions Inc. Who are all these people anyway? It reads like an intro. to a major film?
A – They’re two people. Kenni Hairston and Trevor Gale.
Q – Who is Snake House Productions?
A – That’s their production company.
Q – How many people did it take then to get this project of yours off the ground?
A – Trevor Gale, myself, and Kenni Hairston.
The other people that are involved are engineers, mixing engineers, basically engineers, and Lisa Morris, she’s my executive producer. She signed me to the label at the time we were connected with Warner Bros, and now we’ve moved over to Qwest. She’s the Director of A and R in New York, for Qwest Records.
Q – We know you play bass, but when you’re writing a song, what instrument are you playing?
A – Oh, it depends. Sometimes I don’t compose them on anything. I hear them in my head, complete sometimes. It depends on where I am and what I’m listening to, or what’s influencing the song to come through. I’ll tell you the truth, a lot of the times I hear the songs in a beat, a drum beat. To me, the beats sing the songs. So I write around the beats.
Q – How did you come to the attention of Qwest Records?
A – Well again, I had the publishing deal They heard my material through another label as a matter of fact. One of the executives at R.C.A. was very close to the head of Warner-Chappell Publishing Co. He fell that my writing talents were so happening that I should have a publishing deal. So, he brought me into her focus. When I landed the publishing deal, I had to solicit more of my catalog. Through the songs they realized I had what they felt was really great writing ability. One of the songs, they really felt in love with was called “Bored to Tears,” which is also the re-mix on the album now. I landed the deal through that song. It grew from a 12 inch deal to a multi album deal, with Warner Bros, and then I switched over to Qwest, as of last year.
Q – Are you the one who came up with this Double Z concept?
A – Well, it’s how I spell my name, L, i, double z.
Q – Were you known as Double Z for a long time?
A – Na, I was known as Lizz for a long time. (Laughs)
Q – What happens when someone calls you Elizabeth?
A – Nobody does that except my parents.
