“Folk music on fire with worldly rhythms and a Latin pulse.” - Margaret Moser
— The Austin Chronicle
Bio
Eclectic, bilingual songwriter and nonprofit founder Vanessa Lively brings passion and fire to her heart-centric writing style and way of living. She has an activist heart and a compassionate attitude that is front and center. “It is music that needs to be heard, shared and experienced” -Gabino Iglesias, The Austin Post.
Her latest release Truth Is chronicles a difficult chapter in her life and showcases her resilience and unbreakable joy. Lively’s vocals are the thread weaving her songs together – they are soulful, smoky and lush. She writes poetically and brings a rhythmic beat to the folk songs she composes. Margaret Moser of The Austin Chronicle describes Vanessa’s music as “folk music on fire with worldly rhythms and a Latin pulse.”
Eclectic, bilingual songwriter and nonprofit founder Vanessa Lively brings passion and fire to her heart-centric writing style and way of living. She has an activist heart and a compassionate attitude that is front and center. “It is music that needs to be heard, shared and experienced” says Gabino Iglesias in The Austin Post.
Vanessa's latest release Truth Is showcases her resilience and unbreakable joy. Her lush vocals combine with poetic lyrics, often bringing a rhythmic beat to the folk songs she composes. Vanessa's Latin roots - which include Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish - are apparent in her songs, especially when she sings in Spanish. Margaret Moser of The Austin Chronicle describes Vanessa’s music as “folk music on fire with worldly rhythms and a Latin pulse.”
Vanessa Lively's artistry extends beyond music, embodying a lifestyle of creativity, compassion, and advocacy. In 2017, Lively started a music-based non-profit in Austin called Home Street Music. The program holds music circles with people who have experienced chronic homelessness. In addition to running the non-profit, Lively is a painter, graphic designer and mother of two young boys.
“Music has always been an integral part of Vanessa Lively’s life. She has used it as a means of self-expression and to process the world around her.” – Anna Lassmann, Austin Woman Magazine. Truth Is has been listed as the #1 New Release in June for Kansas Public Radio, #13 on the FAI Folk Radio charts, and named one of the Top Albums of 2022 by Tom Coxworth - Folk Routes (Alberta, Canada).
Photo credit: Gaby Diemeke (for the Badass Women Project)
SHORT BIO (100 words)
Vanessa Lively is an eclectic, bilingual songwriter and nonprofit founder who brings passion and fire to her heart-centric writing style and way of living. Margaret Moser of The Austin Chronicle describes Vanessa’s music as “folk music on fire with worldly rhythms and a Latin pulse.” Her latest album Truth Is has been listed as a #1 New Release by Kansas Public Radio, #13 on the FAI Folk Radio charts, a #1 New Release by Crossroads Radio in the Netherlands, and named one of the Top Albums of 2022 by Tom Coxworth - Folk Routes (Alberta, Canada). (vanessalively.com)