Check Out Lisa Goe’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Goe.

Hi Lisa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m not sure how brief I can make this, because the twists and turns of my story could easily be separated into a multiple season Netflix Series. My story begins in Los Angeles, CA. I was born in Santa Monica, and at a young age, I was quickly enamored by the sparkly lights and stage. As a young child, I auditioned for commercials both in print and on camera, and was placed in minor ads, but nothing much to mention. My parents moved to Santa Barbara where I spent the majority of my adolescent years. I was always involved in musicals, and started writing poetry at a young age. I entered several contests anonymously, and was always flattered to see them published in small local articles as well as my high school paper.

I had always been interested in the songwriting process, however was never encouraged to see it as a career. A girlfriend of mine who lived down the street from me, encouraged me to continue my writing, and even gave me their Daisy Rock guitar to start putting music to the lyrics. She was a Christian singer/songwriter, and as a young 16 year old with a car, she and I took the pedal to the metal, and signed up for open mics, snuck into any show we could, and really that girl showed me more about what I had the power to do and what I was capable of then my otherwise conservative upbringing. She taught me a lot about the road, and the music industry. We stayed friends for some time, and it encouraged me to get more into sound engineering, concert management, and radio. It landed me at Wheaton College, which was located about 30 minutes from Chicago. Through my experience at Wheaton College, I recorded, and co-produced a song that was published to the school’s annual CD and had a little College radio play.

This caught attention from close friends, and was passed around, however, nothing landed as far as a career in writing music. My friend who had taught me so much about the music industry, had moved to the secular market, and after I graduated from college in Chicago, I moved back to California to pursue music more full time. Being a sound engineer, let alone a female songwriter in 2005 was not so much looked down upon or discouraged, but it wasn’t anyone’s first choice as far as participation, and I was told to ” stick where I belonged ” Sound engineering equipment was also not as affordable as it is now. I pretty much grew out of practice in sound engineering, but continued to work in concert management, throwing on events and such, tour managing and connecting bands I liked with people in the industry just because! ( Little did I know this was basic A*& R)

In 2008 I was given the opportunity to go on the road with my friend who had taught me a majority of what I know now in the Music industry. I had just landed a job to open up multiple retail locations worldwide for a denim company. The day before the signature was signed in ink, Katy called and asked if I wanted to go on the road with her as her ” Merch Girl ” Although the job I had landed paid well, and looked great on paper, this was one of my best friends asking me to go on tour with one of our favorite tours, Warped Tour.

I let the job know I would be happy to reach out in a few months upon my return, but had to turn the job down for the moment. I had also been singing and playing at a club in Los Angeles called Hotel Cafe. I was building my own relationships for my own music, however going on the road with one of my best friends, just seemed like a no brainer.

That tour changed my entire life. My friend Katy Hudson, was now Katy Perry. Warped Tour 2008 was the change for a lot of us. I met so many people and gained lifelong relationships. The one thing I did not want to do, was utilize Katy’s newfound fame for myself. So upon the tour being done, I made the decision to leave Los Angeles and start somewhere new.

I landed on Nashville, however not for music. Nashville was meant to be for a moment, a break from the facade of la, and really get my head on straight. My Nonna, had also recently had her own bout of bad luck with a semi-truck. Don’t worry she survived another 8 years! I didn’t want to move to Chattanooga, where she was placed, but Nashville was just a hop skip away, and I could visit her more easily.

I had intended to stay in Nashville just a few months, however, in those first few months that have now grown to 13 years, I found a peace I did not have in California. I had my own space, away from my involved Japanese Italian family, I had way more financial freedom, and I was able to travel a lot more easily. I also found real relationships, rather than the relationships I was starting to gain due to the people I knew rather than for who I was.

I kept quiet about my ability to sing and write, and while sitting on the porch of an ice cream shop I worked at in East Nashville, I began to write Country Music, or what I experienced as Country Music. Joy Williams of the Civil Wars had been in the Christian Industry, and one day, she came into the ice cream shop and we began to talk about her new band, her experience away from Christian Music, and her newfound love for Nashville. It was encouraging, and I still kept myself pretty quiet even though I had this acquaintance who was pretty well involved.

I can’t remember now, but I know I had some friends who had suggested I send in a few songs I had recently been playing with. I sent them over, and found that Faith Hill, a name I had recognized from working in Country Radio in California, was looking for songs. I knew she was kind of a big deal, and was honored one of my songs had been considered. The song did not go to final cut, but it was pretty neat that it was acknowledged.

My crew of friends from Hotel Cafe, were family, and although they toured and we didn’t speak to each other as often as we may have wanted, they would come through Nashville, we would grab a bite, or go on the Rock Boat together, however, I wasn’t really promoting myself any longer as a musician or a writer. I feel this was due to no longer being on the road with Katy, thinking maybe I wanted to work on the business side, but had no real idea how to do so, and fearing that I would be told again that I should stay in the background. I was just lost, going through my own transitions for a few years. I also did not really want to write Country music. I was primarily a pop/jazz/indie writer.

With my experience of concert management and event planning, I began to throw on events, and help connect other musicians and industry folk with one another. I started to get a name in town for booking shows, throwing events, and connecting new talent with industry associates. This eventually landed me a gig at a bar called South, located a few doors down from Tin Roof in Nashville’s midtown. This was a hot college strip, and still is today. I began the Lisa Goe Variety Show, and it was promoted as a dinner and live music event with not just any music…excellent music. If you couldn’t get into the Blue Bird Cafe, The Lisa Goe Variety Show was a great second.

This was intended to be once a month, and quickly became every week, with a supplemental show called the Lookout Hour that was geared more towards Country Music and another outlet that coincided with Whiskey Jam. Prior to South unexpectedly closing their doors, I had gone through a pretty difficult breakup between myself and my Country producer boyfriend. I had become more involved with Country Pop music, however, the breakup naturally divided friends, and very swiftly, it felt like I was forced out of the inner circle.

I needed something new to look forward to, and realized if I’m having a difficult time in the pop music world, there must be more. I KNEW there were more just like me, who had independent success with no local recognition. See, I had written a song with my friend Ernie Halter, who was my brother from Hotel Cafe. He came through town and said “we are writing song. It’s been long enough you haven’t put anything out” We wrote this song called “Come Home to Me” little did we know, this would alter our lives forever.

Sadly this part of the story, is not the Hallmark ending you would expect. The song we wrote together was put out on Ernie’s album, Franklin and Vermont. A year or so later, it caught some attention by a young Demi Lovato. We believe her tweet, might have encouraged Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber to listen to Ernie’s music. The song ended up becoming Justin’s love song to Selena, and he began covering the song worldwide on stage from start to finish. He then made a free download of the song that then was downloaded by many fans, used on lyric videos, and monetized for everyone but Ernie or I.

Ernie constantly fought for me in interviews to make sure I was included, but while the popularity of the song grew, I was still working as a stylist for JCrew 9-5, unhappy, ignored, unacknowledged, and it ultimately lead me into a pretty dark place. I continued to support other artists around me, take meetings with publishers, but the door was clear “Go back to la, you don’t belong, we don’t know what to do with you” and then while in LA “we need you to move here in order to do anything” yet the song that I was writing and producing, were all with people in Nashville, NOT la. The people I was writing with in LA ( until later) were… honestly a waste. I was confused. How could I be in these rooms with signed writers, and I was writing a majority of the lyric, and one time, I was screamed out of a room for not being a published writer in a room I was invited into. It was embarrassing, hurtful and confusing.

With the last name Goe, you better believe, this did not stop me.

I started Popoff Nashville in 2016. Popoff began as a time to connect. Not a show, just a listening party with a bunch of people who felt otherwise left out for being “not country” or for lets face it “not being white” or “not being under 22”. Since the birth of Popoff, other associations have been encouraged to begin their own forms of support. What we have now in 2022 is a wealth of resources for the pop community including more accepting publishers and labels, yet I’m still independent, working three jobs, seeking out new music, and making my own, still being told “we don’t know where to put you”

My story continues, and while with many downs, there is always an up. These ups are what have kept me going. I’m not sure how much longer I will be in Nashville. I’ve been playing with the idea of moving overseas, as their industry has been a bit more accepting of me as the writer I see myself to be. 2020 definitely put a halt on this progress. as I was considering moving to Copenhagen where I have a group of amazing producers I love working with. For now, I’m still developing Popoff Nashville as it has moved more to a platform of encouragement for mental health in the arts, and have a few projects that were started during the Pandemic that are still in development.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If your road in music is smooth, in my opinion, you are not telling the truth. The music industry, is the most misunderstood business in the world. Even as a hobby, taking the time to expose yourself, and then share that music, and then pay someone to produce, then use your own money to invest in your project, and then the project does not go as planned, or perhaps it does go as planned, however then you find your team doesn’t want you anymore, or your publisher or label no longer wants to continue with you. There is no smooth road, and the struggles are endless. I suppose it’s what you do with it.

I wish I could say I have easily been able to get back up on my feet time and time again, but truthfully, I’ve had to take a lot of breaks, to build up my self-worth to even consider putting myself back out onto the songwriting market. I recently had a song I was featured on with the Midnight Kids. The album was launched in May of 2020. Obviously, the climate of our entire world, went silent, and trying to promote a song while so many other things were happening was no longer on the forefront of anyone’s minds. It felt like this was the start of more possibilities, and while it did support my career, it needed a necessary pause. Wild to think it has almost been 2 years since that release.

While some don’t want to believe that my gender, race, or age has had any part in keeping me back from opportunities, the truth is it has. I mean, let’s consider, my grandfather grew up owning a berry farm, my family currently owns a farm in Illinois, yet, an Asian Country artist, let alone an Asian Country writer/ artist from Los Angeles, CA? It would be silly to think others would not consider my credibility as worthy. I know it’s not something anyone would want to admit, but the truth is, I’ve posed the question, I’ve made remarks literally saying “I would love to be a Country Artist sharing the songs I believe are Country” and I have been laughed to my face as if the idea was ridiculous. I have been asked not to write some of my more pop leaning lyrics, and melodies in rooms as being “too different” or “not the way” I’ve been told I couldn’t be a part of a room without a third due to being a women writing with a man. I’ve been told it would be better if I was gay when I didn’t feel the lyric was best from a women’s conservative perspective. I have been told a lot of unsavory things, and have still been invited into incredible rooms, with incredible legends, and then told by their label, I should have never been in the room, even when the song itself was well received.

So smooth? No. But given the obstacles I have, I’d say I’ve been doing pretty well with the rocks that I’ve got.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a singer/songwriter/artist.

Genre:
*Singer: R&B / Jazz/ Indie
*Songwriter: multi-genre
*Artist: Currently Edm Feature / Indie Rock & Roll / Ethereal

Most proud of:
*Starting Popoff Nashville (www.popoffnashville.com)
Im looking forward to what this will bring. Ideas in the works

*I’m proud of starting a new project called The JNSQ (www.instagram.com/jnsqmusic) as well as a new project with Warren Lively from the Brummies that will be under artist name: Lisa Goe.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Nashville has become such a monster, in both great and quite frankly annoying ways. I have a great belief that prior to entering Nashville, it should be a requirement to take a city driver’s test. People are horrible at driving here. As a city driver, it annoys the heck out of me! I have had to get out of my car to help a woman use the roundabout. Literally… got out of my car and had to wave this human into the roundabout, then get back in my car to continue on my way.

When I arrived to Nashville, I was a vegetarian. This quickly changed after I gained so much weight from eating mac n cheese and fried okrah haha! There were not a lot of healthy options. I love seeing the city change in this way. We have great chefs moving from all over, and I’m a major foodie, so any opportunity to try food… I’m in (and I’m also no longer a vegetarian)

Above all, I’ve stayed in Nashville, due to the community. Especially in the music circles. Without community, the music that is being written here, I don’t believe would be as raw, as honest, as vulnerable. It’s an extremely unique city and currently you can still get from a to b quickly. I can breathe here. I can still afford a drink at a bar and not have to worry about how many hours I need to work to afford it.

I don’t really love the larger conglomerates coming in, not considering the history of our city. I was pretty upset when I found out the Cherry Blossom trees were removed for football. The trees were a gift from Japan, and were ripped out ‘and placed elsewhere?’ however, many of those trees died, and the location of those trees, were not really publicized. I felt it was money over history and nature and I didn’t appreciate that. As a Japanese American, I did take it a bit personally. Sports… won… wahoo. Better for the economy… really? Venues such as Exit Inn and Studio B have also been threatened by this type of economic thinking, and its wild to think, the very items that give Nashville their landmark charm, could easily be swept out by money. Not a fan of that.

Contact Info:

• Email: booking@lisagoe.com
• Website: www.lisagoe.com
• Instagram: @lisagoego

Image Credits:
@sammyhearn