Liz Cooper

Liz Cooper
Liz Cooper & The Stampede (courtesy of Kane Stewart)
Background information
OriginBrooklyn, New York, USA
Genres
Years active2014-present
LabelsSleepyhead Records
Members
  • Liz Cooper
Past members
  • Ky Baker
  • Grant Prettyman
  • Ryan Usher
WebsiteOfficial website

Liz Cooper (born c. 1992) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and visual artist. She first gained recognition as the front woman of the band Liz Cooper & The Stampede before launching her solo career in 2021. Her work incorporates elements of psychedelic and indie rock.[1]

Cooper has released two studio albums and announced a third, New Day, scheduled for release in February 2026.[2]

Early life

Liz Cooper grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. She excelled as a high school golfer, earning a scholarship to Towson University. After one semester, she left school to pursue a musical career and relocated to Nashville in 2012 to focus on songwriting and performance.[3][4]

Career

Liz Cooper & The Stampede (2014–2019)

In Nashville, Cooper formed Liz Cooper & The Stampede with bassist Grant Prettyman and drummer Ky Baker, later replaced by Ryan Usher.[5] The band’s self-released EP Monsters debuted in 2014, followed by Live at the Silent Planet in 2016 and two live Audiotree sessions in 2016 and 2017. The band toured widely, including performances at Austin City Limits, Newport Folk Festival, and BottleRock Napa Valley, and supporting acts including Lord Huron and Phosphorescent.[5]

Their first studio album, Window Flowers, was released on August 10, 2018 through Sleepyhead Records in partnership with Thirty Tigers. Critics noted its blend of dreamy psychedelic textures, tight songwriting, and folk-rock arrangements.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

Solo career and Hot Sass (2021)

After relocating to Brooklyn, New York, Cooper began releasing music under her own name. Her first solo album, Hot Sass, was released on September 3, 2021, via Thirty Tigers. The album was recorded primarily live in Burlington, Vermont, with producer Benny Yurco.[12][13] Critics noted a stylistic shift toward garage rock and fuzz-driven textures.[14][15][16]

In 2022, she released the EP Soft Sass, featuring reinterpretations of tracks from Hot Sass, as well as a cover of "Crazy Feeling" by Lou Reed.[17][18] Reviews of her live performances emphasize her energetic stage presence and departure from Americana toward indie rock with garage-psych influences.[19]

New Day (2026)

In October 2025, Cooper announced the release of her third studio album, New Day, in February 2026. The album's first single and title track, "New Day," was released the previous month.[20] Cooper described the second single, "IDFK," as "a love song to a friend and myself,"[2] and the song received praise from critics for its "spellbinding" production, introspective lyrics, nostalgic vocal style, and "singular" sound.[21]

Cooper stated that much of the record was written on the piano, in contrast to her earlier guitar-driven work, and explores her experiences coming out and navigating her first queer relationship and breakup.[22]

Musical style

Cooper’s early work blended folk-rock and psychedelic influences. Hot Sass introduced heavier guitar tones and garage rock elements, with critics describing the production as raw and the songwriting as experimental. Reviewers also noted her versatile vocal style.[12][23] In a live review, she described the new sound as freeing her from genre constraints.[19]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Window Flowers (2018) – with Liz Cooper & The Stampede
  • Hot Sass (2021)
  • New Day (announced for 2026)

Extended plays

  • Monsters (2014) – with Liz Cooper & The Stampede
  • Live at the Silent Planet (2016) – with Liz Cooper & The Stampede
  • Live in Chicago (2019) – with Liz Cooper & The Stampede
  • Soft Sass (2022)

References

  1. ^ Turner, Blair (November 11, 2021). "Athlete-turned music artist Liz Cooper is giving her all". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Liz Cooper Captures the Songwriting Process in Video for New Single "IDFK"". FLOOD. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  3. ^ "Athlete turned music artist Liz Cooper is giving 'Hot Sass'". Spokesman.com. November 11, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  4. ^ Webmaster (August 31, 2021). "Liz Cooper". FEMMUSIC Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Liz Cooper". Soundwave Music Media. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  6. ^ Glide. "ALBUM PREMIERE: LIZ COOPER & THE STAMPEDE GET LOOSE AND WILD ON PSYCH-MEETS-INDIE-ROCK EP 'LIVE IN CHICAGO'". Glide Magazile. Glide Publishing LLC. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  7. ^ Weiner, Natalie. "Pop, Rock and Jazz Concerts to Check Out in N.Y.C. This Weekend: Liz Cooper & the Stampede". New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  8. ^ Warren, Bruce. "Liz Cooper & The Stampede's 'Window Flowers' Channels Classic Sounds To Soar". NPR. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  9. ^ Drenovsky, Jimmy. "Liz Cooper & the Stampede: Answering the Questions that Matter". Marquette Wire. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  10. ^ "[No Country Premiere] Liz Cooper & The Stampede Drop Live Video For "Thieves"". No Country For New Nashville. April 12, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  11. ^ "10 More Tiny Desk Contest Entries We Loved". NPR.org. March 21, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Liz Cooper: Hot Sass". Spectrum Culture. October 4, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  13. ^ Webmaster (August 31, 2021). "Liz Cooper". FEMMUSIC Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  14. ^ "Liz Cooper Owns Up to Her Shit on New LP Hot Sass". American Songwriter. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  15. ^ "Review: Liz Cooper – Hot Sass". Maximum Volume Music. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "Liz Cooper – Hot Sass Review". Clunk Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  17. ^ "Liz Cooper". Soundwave Music Media. May 28, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  18. ^ "Conquering Hero: Liz Cooper returns to Gainesville". RAD Music and Arts. January 19, 2025. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  19. ^ a b "Show Review and Interview: Liz Cooper". Americana Highways. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  20. ^ Teitz, Alex (September 17, 2025). "Liz Cooper – New Day". FEMMUSIC Magazine. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  21. ^ Sosa, David (November 10, 2025). "Liz Cooper Proves She Knows What She's Doing on New Dreamy Single "IDFK"". Grimy Goods. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  22. ^ "Liz Cooper Confirms 'New Day' Album & Releases 'IDFK' Single". JamBase. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  23. ^ "Music Review: Hot Sass by Liz Cooper". Guitar Girl Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.