As we head into a new month, we are turning back the clock again on the blog, with our nostalgic Time Machine! To celebrate her new album, Beltane, coming out at the end of October and the first song from it having been released already, I spoke to musician and actress Liana Cornell all about her favourite blasts from her music filled past!

Good Morning Lovelies, 

Music is filled to the brim with nostalgic notes, so when I was offered the chance to celebrate Liana Cornell’s new song, Rising, and upcoming album, Beltane, of course I had to invite her to take a step back in time with me! 

With an incredible voice, amazing talents and a song catalogue full of hits, it’s time to find out how her past influenced her sounds and lyrics! Body glitter and disco balls at the ready because it’s definitely a party…

Let’s start with a quick introduction! What’s your name, age, and when were you born?

Hey, I’m Liana, and I guess you could say I’m around 10,000 years old, dating back to 7976 BCE. Age is a spell, and I prefer to cast my own <3

If you could go back in time and relive one year, which would it be?

1997 was a blast! I started homeschooling and spent most of the year traveling with my family. It was an incredible adventure, seeing new places and learning on the go.

What foods take you back to your school days—either from your packed lunch or the canteen?

School canteen days were the best! Something super special was when my mum would let me get food from the school canteen - you’d bring a brown paper bag with your order written across the front - if I was lucky, I’d get some eucalyptus lollies — they were all the rage back then.

What was your favorite last lesson of the day, and what did you rush home to watch on TV?

My homeschool teacher, Miriam, who still is one of the most precious people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. She used to teach everything through art, and all our lessons were child-led. So, for example, if I saw an egg-sac on the wall, that would become the lesson’s focus. I would paint it, create a scientific hypothesis about it, write an imaginative tale. It was amazing as I was taught to be fascinated by the world around me and became very passionate and curious. As for TV, I was obsessed with “The Wild Thornberrys”. Talking to animals? Yes, please!

What’s a movie from your childhood that you remember seeing over and over? Why did it leave such an impression?

I LOVED The Labyrinth growing up, David Bowie was my first celebrity crush. I still think about those pants <3 also one of my favourite lines; “you have no power over me,” has been a message I return to whenever I’m in tough times.

Did you have a toy you always wanted but never got? And what did you play with instead?

I really wanted this electric mini Jaguar that my friend had, but my parents thought it was a bit over the top. I ended up playing with hand-me-down cars and dinosaurs from my sister. Oh, and I’d catch and keep little water dragons for the day (which my Mumma wasn’t thrilled about).

Is there something from your childhood that you still hold onto today?

I have this toy rabbit named Rabbi (very original, I know). A neighbour gave him to me when my pet rabbit died, and he’s been my little companion ever since. His ears have been sewn back on so many times he looks permanently curious.

Was there a moment from your childhood that shaped you significantly?

When I was 11, I nearly died of pneumonia. I remember my Mum telling me I’d miss singing with the school choir for Mother’s Day. I was so determined that I showed up, IV, feeding tube and all, and sang a very off-key version of “Castle on a Cloud.”

Your next EP, ‘Beltane,’ is coming out soon. Are any of these memories reflected in your new music?

Absolutely. I was raised with lots of different religious teachings which I’m really grateful for as it gave me a deep respect for everyone having a right to their own belief systems. A super important one to our matriarchal line was Wicca and the honouring of our Celtic foremothers. We would celebrate Beltane, jumping the fire and bringing our wishes into the new year. Being raised with ritual taught me to honour each moment with gratitude, and also to sync my body with the cycles of nature. It’s one of the reasons I created the album, Rising, it moves through each of the seasonal sabbat and esbats of the year, interconnected to healing frequencies and chakra centres of the body. I wanted to make music that was healing but didn’t necessarily sound like standard healing music.

Do these childhood experiences shape your upcoming album?

Definitely! They’re at the core of it. Plus, I’m using solfeggio frequencies for healing in the album, so there’s a lot of that childhood magic and energy in there.

If you could go back and do your childhood again, would you? Would you change anything?

I definitely would. I think I would ask to continue being home-schooled as every time I went to a normal school, I got kinda bullied... safe to say weird lizard-loving witches were somewhat of an easy target. Then again maybe I wouldn’t change it though. They taught me to stand up for the underdog and embrace my true self, lizards and all! So, no regrets—I’d just remind my younger self to stay strong and keep being unapologetically her.

faery’s latest EP, ‘beltane’ is out now on all major streaming platforms. The debut album, ‘rising’, will premier on 31st October 2024. Follow @faeryband and @lianacornell on Instagram and via Spotify here.

Joey X