Noise11’s Paul Cashmere sits down with Liz Stokes, frontwoman of New Zealand indie rock band The Beths, to talk about the band’s fourth album Straight Line Was A Lie and the journey that led to it.
In this in-depth conversation, Liz explains how the album title emerged from the final song written for the record and how the idea behind it reflects a bigger theme in her life and songwriting: the realisation that progress is rarely linear. The discussion explores how the band’s sound has evolved since their debut album Future Me Hates Me and their breakthrough record Expert In A Dying Field, and how the growing catalogue has changed the way The Beths approach live performances.
Liz also opens up about the emotional side of songwriting. Her lyrics often explore anxiety, self-doubt and what she jokingly calls “catastrophising” – the dramatic internal monologue that many people experience. She talks about how songwriting allows her to examine those feelings in a creative way and why turning personal experiences into music can sometimes make them easier to share.
The interview also looks at the band’s musical background, including their time studying jazz at university in Auckland and how that training shaped the collaborative spirit of the band.
Along the way Liz shares stories about appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the surreal moment when Barack Obama added The Beths to his personal playlist, and the challenge of building a setlist now that the band has four albums of material.
With The Beths returning to Australia, Liz also talks about what fans can expect from the upcoming shows and how the band balances new songs with fan favourites.
The Beths Australian Tour 2026
Friday 17 April | The Gov, Adelaide/Tarndanya, Sa
Saturday 18 April | Astor Theatre, Perth/Boorloo, Wa
Thursday 23 April | The Tivoli, Brisbane/Menanjin, Qld
Friday 24 April | Roundhouse, Sydney/Eora, Nsw
Saturday 25 April | Forum, Melbourne/Naarm, Vic
https://www.handsometours.com/tours/the-beths/
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