In conversation w/ Liz Forte

MAY 2, 2025 → WORDS DAVID ALARCÓN

Since we last spoke with Liz Forte, the Madrid-born artist has been sharing sneak peeks of his new project, “RAT RACE”, giving us a closer look at the voice in his head and welcoming us to a new era in his artistic career. This chapter has been very well-received by critics, who in the last few months have praised his ability to connect with human emotions through music, criticizing the system in a very precise and accurate way and delivering lyrics full of meaning. Yesterday, Forte released his new 10-track album, and we speak with him to find out all the details.

Liz, the last time we spoke with you was six months ago when you released your single “ANIMAL (ANSIEDAD X)”. Half a year has passed since you presented the first sneak peek of your album, “RAT RACE (ANSIEDAD VOL. 3)”, which you’ve just unveiled. How you’ve been all this time?

Wow... It has been a trip I would have never imagined 6 months ago. Lots of stuff happened in 6 months. I felt like only a year had passed in the last three, and three years had passed in the last 6 months. Time is weird. Life is weird. You have to love it.

After teasing some of the singles, now it’s time for the official release of your album. You hosted a release party at La Riviera Madrid some weeks ago, didn’t you? What can you tell us about the event, were you very excited?

It was unexpected, but the opportunity came up and I just had to jump in. I haven’t processed it yet, and I feel I won’t until some more time has passed. I was super excited. A tick in a checkbox out of my bucket list, no doubt.

We hear a lot about the nicest side of being an artist, performing for crowds all over the world and sharing your vision of the world from the stage with people who follow every step you take. But making a name for oneself in the music scene isn’t easy. Tight deadlines, constant pressure from the industry to release music, meetings, budgets, etc. Many things go into making an album. How did you experience the development process of “RAT RACE (ANSIEDAD VOL. 3)”? Was it intense?

To be honest... For the first time, it wasn’t. Release time is the craziest ever, but the makings of the album were slow and paced. I made a deal with myself to give myself as much time as the art to be done properly and finished in the way I meant it to be, and that’s exactly what I did. First the art, then the deadlines and dates. This is the exception for me, cause I think that done is better than perfect, but this time I’m so happy and so proud of the result and the process.

What have you enjoyed most about this whole adventure? And least?

Making an album that has sense and coherence is just something as an artist that nothing can match. It’s a feeling of wholeness so similar to a life purpose fulfilled that you can’t help yourself and you just jump into it until it’s finished and then you look at it just like reaching the top of a mountain. You are mesmerized with awe for 5 seconds, then you jump into the next one. What I always hate the most are the visuals, making music videos. But this time the team was amazing and the process was as painless as it can be (still very painful, hahaha) and the result has been amazing.

From “SUDOR Y SANGRE” to “JOVEN PERDEDOR”, ten tracks make up this new album. What are the common elements among them all? And how do they differ?

They are the voice of my head, they all have the same dark angry vibe, and they all approach similar emotions. But every track tells a different story or situation. A different glass or context to look through.

In your lyrics, you talk about universal concerns that affect us all, especially the younger generations who are striving to pursue their dreams, achieve financial independence, and, ultimately, be free and happy. What do you think about when you write?

I want to question stuff. Explore my feelings and the situations that cause them or that those feelings evoke. It’s a two-way road. The particular is universal. Try telling a story that speaks to everybody and it will resonate with no one. Try to connect with yourself and you will do the same with other people.

Did you always use music to channel your emotions? What was your first contact with music, and which artists did you follow as a teenager? 

Yes, music has always been part of my life in one way or another. My first real contact and real interest in music was in my early teenage years when my cousin gave me some CDs and tapes. Eminem, Blink 182, Ska-p, Queen, Green Day. After that, Spanish rap during my adolescence.

Some of the tracks you released years ago have racked up millions of streams on platforms. How did you experience these milestones? Are Spotify streams a good indicator of an artist’s success, or what other factors determine whether someone is doing well in the industry?

To be honest, I don’t give those milestones the same importance now. I always thought I would have “made it” when I reached 100K Spotify monthly listeners, and last year I passed half a million and felt nothing, and nothing changed. I haven’t been able to break through some industry doors, festivals or even making a nice tour. Other artists have much smaller numbers and can do all that. Success has many faces, but no doubt, money and tickets sold are a better benchmark than streaming numbers.

And how is “RAT RACE (ANSIEDAD VOL. 3)” different from your previous works? Is it the project you’re most proud of to date?

I’m deeply proud of every music piece I’ve done. I’m especially proud not only of the music on this project but also of everything else, the visuals, the artwork, the coherence, the releases…

There are no collaborations with other artists on this album. Why?

The voice inside my head (which is the connector between all the songs) and the issues I touch are so personal and introspective that it made no sense for me to include other stuff in the mix. I also wanted to make a sound for myself.

And what would you like people to feel when they listen to this new project?

I would just like to provoke thoughts and emotions. That’s my only aspiration. What colour and what essence do those emotions and thoughts have... That’s on the listener. Not my job at that point, haha.

In your songs, you talk about crisis, the impossible pace we live at, a society and a system that might be very hard and aggressive. What do you think of the situation the world is facing right now?

The world is far more complex than we could imagine 20 years ago and it changes so fast that it just feels stupid to try to anticipate anything. Just try to work on yourself and change the world through your actions in your sphere. Become antifragile and adapt and learn. Don’t think too much about the situation. Act and iterate.

And what stage of your life are you in? How would you define it?

Young-adult-Sunday-morning-enjoyer.

If “RAT RACE (ANSIEDAD VOL. 3)” was a colour, a smell, and a taste, what would it be?

Black/white, smell of city, smoke/metallic taste.

And if it was an animal?

A rat, of course. The one that gets the cheese if possible.

Now that you’ve released the album, the project you’ve been working on tirelessly for the past few months, what’s next?

A white piece of paper. A blue sky. Maybe a small tour. Never a vacation. For sure more music.

What’s your biggest dream?

To die without regret.