Athlete turned Musical Artist Liz Cooper gives “Hot Sass”

Liz Cooper is not the first college athlete to become a professional musician. Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line played baseball for Florida State University, violinist Vanessa Mae was an Olympic skier, and Billy Joel competed in Golden Gloves boxing tournaments.

Cooper, 29, received a golf scholarship from Towson State University. But her stay at university was short-lived as, like many young athletes, she exhausted herself. “I spent a semester trying to go to school and play golf, and I was like, ‘This sucks,’ Cooper said, calling from Arizona.“ I had to do something. something more meaningful, and the music was much more meaningful to me. “

So Cooper moved from Maryland to Nashville and focused on his career ten years ago. Cooper drew on his athletic background to launch his career in music. “To be able to play sports you need a lot of discipline and willpower,” said Cooper. “It helped me with the music.”

Cooper’s latest album, “Hot Sass”, is full of gritty and intelligent indie rock with a touch of psychedelia and a nod to Liz Phair and Angel Olsen. Cooper connects with the moody melody “Slice of Life” and the anthemic title song. “I’m giving it all away with this album,” Cooper said. “It’s autobiographical. I have come a long way from the world of golf.

And then there’s his musical journey as Cooper favored unabashed pop as a kid of the 1990s. “When I was a kid, I loved Destiny’s Child, the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears,” Cooper said. “My parents said to me, ‘Why are you listening to this music?’ It’s funny how I grew up loving different styles of music, and now I make music and do it my way.

Cooper was scheduled to cover Lucky You Lounge on Saturday, but the date was canceled.