ARTIST TO WATCH: Liddy Clark + EXCLUSIVE First Listen To New Single "Potential"!

Looking for a new favorite music artist with relatable lyrics and majestic vocals? Liddy Clark is your girl! In 2020, Liddy went viral on TikTok for her "Bachelor"-inspired song "Wrapped Up In Roses". Since then, she has gained over 15 million views on her original music posted to the app. You may also recognize her songs from Spotify's official Wild Country, Fresh Finds Country, and New Music Nashville playlists. 

We recently chatted with Liddy and learned more about her songwriting, favorite performances, and more! Plus, Young Hollywood has the first listen of Liddy’s new single, “Potential”! Check out our conversation with Liddy and the exclusive listen of “Potential” below!

YH: When did you first fall in love with songwriting?

LC: I started off singing when I was 7 or 8 years old. I did a lot of musicals and productions down at my school and the theater camps around there. When I was around 13 or 14, I was carpooling on my way to school, and the family that I carpooled with only listened to country music… I really started getting into the genre. I was working with a vocal coach at the time who was like, “Hey, I can help you learn how to write songs, we can co-write some songs together!” After that, I did a few songwriting programs over at Berklee College of Music, and I think that’s where it really cemented.

YH: You have opened for major artists like Taylor Hicks and Scotty McCreery. Do you have a favorite show that you’ve done?

LC: My favorite show that I’ve done so far would probably have to be at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Garth Brooks just happened to be in the green room right before I went on stage because he had been the act that went on before me. I was like, “Oh my gosh, Garth, you just opened for me.” And he was like, “I know, crazy.” He was super kind and super sweet, and after the performance, he was like, “Wow, you have a really great voice, keep going.” Getting to be in a place where there is so much history and so much music and just being surrounded by some of my heroes was the most amazing thing.

YH: Which artists would you like to open for or collaborate with in the future?

LC: I know Lauv just dropped an incredible new album. If he’s going on tour any time soon and needs an opening act, hit your girl up! I’m such a Julia Michaels fan and also JP Saxe. They’re dating and it’s like my songwriting power couple. Either of them—both of them—would be a dream writing room. Also, Emily Weisband! 

YH: If you had to choose any song that represents you, what would it be?

LC: It would probably be my favorite song of all time, which got a bit of a second life on TikTok recently: “Vienna” by Billy Joel... every single line in that song just rings true. I feel like I am constantly pushing myself to be better, be greater… You only have so much control over your life and what’s going on, so do what you can and just give yourself a break. I think that’s one of the philosophies I’ve been trying to adopt into my life.

YH: You went to USC! What did you study, and how did your college experience influence your songwriting? 

LC: I studied music industry! I was originally a business major, but then I dropped it the first week because I hated Economics and I just could not do it again. I think the biggest thing for me, honestly, was the music school over there. It was a little bit smaller and you got to see people more on a regular basis…it was super inspirational, especially in songwriting classes where I would get to hear different songs every week that people were writing. It was so cool to get to see everyone grow and change.

YH: You are from Texas, relocated to Florida at a young age, and are now based in L.A. This year, you’ve released songs like “Austin” and “Nothing Like New York”. Do you tend to find inspiration in places? What gets your creative juices flowing the most?

LC: Yeah, I definitely went through a little bit of a phase where I really enjoyed writing songs about cities. For “Austin”, I was specifically inspired by a person who just happened to be from Austin. “Nothing like New York”, I think I just had that as a title in my phone notes for a really long time. I was like, “Ooh, I really like the alliteration and what could that mean potentially?” I love traveling, I love experiencing new things. I really do find inspiration in new cities and also just in new people I meet. I get the best stories out of interacting and making new connections.

YH: Your new song, “Potential”, is an honest, relatable track that touches on themes like overthinking and self-doubt. Can you tell us more about the song and your writing process?

LC: For this song in particular, I definitely did start with the verses because I was like, “I’ve had too much to think tonight,” haha, that’s funny—a very country line right there. The song eventually evolves into more serious lines. I was inspired by early-2000s rock-pop energy of being frustrated with the world and feeling like everything is crumbling around you… I would talk to a lot of people, and they would be like, “Wow, you have so much potential. You’re going to be really great someday. Just keep practicing, keep getting better.” I’ve been at this long enough that I’ve been like, “Okay, when do I start actually being good? Am I ever going to get past 'potential'?” 

Now that we know all about Liddy and her new song “Potential”, let’s give it a listen! Check out the exclusive release here:

Liddy has been releasing singles that will be compiled into her first album. She has two more tracks coming soon; one is based on a failed relationship, and the other—her favorite—centers on being at peace with love coming to an end. Plus she’s already working on the concept for her next big project. To top it off, if you want to see Liddy sing live, she will be performing at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on September 1 at 7pm!

In the meantime, keep jamming out to “Potential” and check out Liddy’s website to stay in the loop!