Daily Inspiration: Meet LIANNA

Today we’d like to introduce you to LIANNA.

Hi LIANNA, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is LIANNA and I’m an artist from born and raised in the Pacific Palisades. I was raised in a small seaside Trailer Park that recently burned down in the Palisades Fires of 2025. This was the backdrop to much of my development as a musician and what is behind so much of my artistry, especially on my Debut Album “Westside Forever” which I released March 13th 2026. My album is an autobiographical musical journal of sorts that tells my story of how I grew up in West LA. The title track “Westside Forever” is inspired by my life driving through the Canyons of Topanga, Mulholland Highway in the Valley and down to Point Dume in Malibu.

I was always inspired by films, TV and music that was quintessentially California like Californication, Hotel California by the Eagles and Mulholland Drive by David Lynch. I think you can hear the cinematic influence throughout my album, and in each track. I’m very inspired not only sonically but also visually. My album cover is even an homage to Mullholland drive with the Palm Trees overlayed. That picture is from my home in the Palisades that recently burned down, I was always surrounded by gorgeous Palms, and I wanted that dreamy quality to be seen in the Visuals as well.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to Hollywood is not necessarily paved with golden stars… I have been on this journey since I was six years old when I began as a classical violinist. I always dreamed of being a film composer, I loved the movie Amadeus and was so inspired by Mozart as a little girl, he was a Rock n Roll star of his day. As I grew up I fell in love with Folk music, like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and CSNY. That’s when I put down the violin and learned to play guitar and sing.

I played my first show up in the the Palisades Village, with only 1 original song and a dream. I remember I bought a sparkly purple heavy metal guitar with a Wawa bar, it was totally inappropriate bordering on blasphemy to be playing folk music on a guitar like that, but I loved the color.

There have been so many obstacles, and roadblocks along the way, but my love for singing and songwriting has carried me through. I really believe in my art, and the art of writing a really great song, so that keeps me going. I think my strength is never ever giving up.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am most proud of releasing my debut album “Westside Forever”. It has 13 tracks and I recorded some of the vocals in my home studio and most of it with my longtime collaborator and producer John Wilmer at his studio in Culver City. I go every week and we work together on writing, producing, and bringing our visions to life sonically. Together we did this whole album, and it has really been a labor of love.

So much of our lives have become virtual in this new age, so it feels really inspiring to get together and collaborate old school style. I think my album catches that. I’m very inspired by the 70’s, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, that golden era of music, so I think we worked on capturing some of that magic but also staying in this current time.

My song “White Light White Heat” which is track 4 on my 13 track album is a true LA song. I wrote this about a time in my life when I was living in Silverlake and going out a lot, partying hard, and making those friends that only come out late night. We would frequent Zebulon and Tenants of the Trees in that era. I’d spend my days at the Venice Boardwalk, tanning and getting high, shopping for vintage with my girlfriends. There was lots of long nights out that lead to staying up until sunrise. I feel like that song captures my adventures in that time.

I wanted to share my music video that I made for it. I filmed it with my sister in Venice Beach and Santa Monica. It is a great song to drive to. I wanted to take you back to my old spots.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see this industry has really been infiltrated by AI. They say that all jobs will become obsolete, but I believe that our true nature and humanity can’t be fully replicated. I think as everything has become, virtual and artificial, that humanity as a collective years for something real. Something that connects us with our true nature, and source. So I hope you can feel that real heart and soul essence in my songs.

Ai has many benefits, but we should use it to help us with the mundane. Art is our self expression, soul, and creativity! I don’t want that desire that almost all humans feel to get lost in the search for convenience and ease. It’s a challenge to stay grounded in this reality and not get lost in the Cloud, if you know what I mean.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/queenlianna
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queenlianna
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QueenLianna
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@liannatownsley

Image Credits
All pictures taken by Raena Ross-Townsley