Liz Stringer raises her voice for change on The Second High tour
Acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Liz Stringer is on a mission. Stringer, whose latest release, The Second High, has been named one of the albums of the year by Double J, is currently on tour across the nation to not only showcase her new tracks but also to fundraise and campaign support for homelessness services across Australia, spotlighting local organisations that are working on the front lines at each of her stops. Perth fans will have their chance to catch the emotive storyteller when she calls in at Lyric’s Underground in Maylands this Friday, November 7. Ahead of the show, MICHAEL HOLLICK caught up with Stringer to ask her about her experience recording in the UK, the inspirations behind her new album and what the layperson can do about the current homeless crisis in Australia.
Firstly, you just kicked off the Australian leg of the To Survive tour on Halloween. Did anything spooky happen?
It was Halloween while we were in Alice Springs, so there were lots of costumes and pumpkins around, nothing too scary though!
This tour is quite special, as not only will you be sharing your songs, but you are also using these gigs to bring awareness and raise funds for the current housing crisis within Australia. How did you first get involved in this cause?
I’ve been interested in social justice for a long time and a supporter of smaller groups who are working at community level to help people who are suffering from the wealth gap, including Wombat Housing Support Services in Melbourne, who we ran a very successful fundraiser for in 2021 at the Thornbury Theatre in Melbourne. Since then I’ve wanted to do it again, but this time to broaden the scope and partner with support organisations in every tour location to generate some support for not only the organisations but also for the growing number of people they support. We are all only a couple of twists of fate away from experiencing chronic housing stress or homelessness, and because of a lack of effective government action at all levels, it really is up to us to look after one another.
As you say, homelessness is something that is never that far away from any of us. What do you think the everyday person can do to support this cause?
I think a key thing is for people to look into organisations in their area who are supporting people and volunteer, donate or at least share on socials and get the message out. It is also so important to do your homework around housing policy when it comes to who you vote for, from council to the federal level. This crisis needs to be addressed with meaningful, effective policy, so the more pressure we can put on our political leaders to create those policies, the better.
Keeping on this theme of your activism and the housing crisis, can you tell me about the tour’s namesake, To Survive. Is it true that the lyrics for this song came from a real-life story?
Yes, it’s a true story and is about a case worker at Wombat Housing Support Services who grew up on the streets in Melbourne and now works with youth who are in the same position that he used to be in. He’s an amazing person, and I was instantly inspired to write a song about him.
Is this common for you to get your inspirations from real life? Are there other examples you can give for the songs on The Second High?
Like most of my albums, The Second High has some stories about other people who I’ve met along the way, those who have inspired or interested me, while other songs are from my own personal experiences. There’s one track on the record where I dissect a relationship that I was in for many years that was quite destructive; that was quite a cathartic experience to make. Then there’s other songs that have a social or political angle. I’m very inspired to speak out about the criminalisation of poverty in Australia that I currently see.
You went to London for the recording of The Second High. What was this experience like? And what difference did you find between recording in Australia and recording in the UK?
I wanted to work with UK-based producer Beni Giles, who works out of a studio in Brixton. That part of the city is great; there’s always something happening, there’s a constant buzz there, and there’s incredible food and music. I had a blast there for the few months we were recording. Working with Beni felt natural and very fruitful. He’s an incredible producer and engineer and an even better musician. He plays bass on the record and did some of the backing vocals as well, so I learnt a lot and was able to stretch myself with him creatively.
Finally, you might be aware that back in June, Double J listed The Second High as one of the albums of 2025, which is quite the acknowledgement. What is an album that you consider the best of the year?
I really love Hachiku’s record called The Joys of Being Pure of Heart. Anika (Ostendorf)’s songs and her approach to production are something I find a lot of joy in!
Liz Stringer plays Lyric’s Underground on Friday, November 7, 2025. Tickets are on sale now from lyricsunderground.oztix.com.au