fallarts SHAPESHIFTING SOUNDS OF AMERICANA The duo behind Violet Bell shares their musical journey on the cusp of a new studio album release By Cai t l yn Yaede | Photo by Chri s Fri si na
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chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2022
for performing arts at both schools. Now, Omar works at Kidznotes, a Durham nonprofit that empowers children through music education, something he says would have supported him growing up. The two met through a mutual friend six years ago, and although they came from wildly different backgrounds, their biggest similarity brought them together – a passion for diverse musical stylings. Lizzy says that when they first rehearsed together at Omar’s home in Durham, their music took on a whole new dimension, thus sparking their musical partnership. Lizzy, also a visual artist, designs the group’s merchandise and spearheads administrative work while Omar handles the logistics of setting up for shows, from maintaining instruments to driving 3,000 miles in June alone. In their Honda CR-V, Lizzy and Omar traveled to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire to teach at Miles of Music Camp, stopping to perform at various shows and festivals along the way. That same month, they made their way to Nashville, Tennessee, for a recording project and the beach to spend time with family. While they both play to their strengths, she notes that being creative entrepreneurs has been a cooperative process. On stage, Lizzy, as the group’s vocalist, performs alongside Omar’s instrumentals, from the fiddle to the banjo. They both contribute to the songwriting process – one that gives them both the opportunity to express themselves through the narratives they create. Lizzy and Omar live with the values they instill in their music at the forefront of their personal lives. They reside in a house off Old 86, at the end of a long gravel driveway and grassy field where they shot music videos for their upcoming album. As they prepare for the release of “Shapeshifter,” Lizzy and Omar are touring the East Coast with fellow musician Lauren Balthrop, taking dips in their favorite local swimming holes and growing “Cherokee Purples” – their favorite heirloom tomatoes. For their first local performance since the pandemic, Violet Bell will take the stage at Cat’s Cradle on Nov. 11, performing songs from the new album. The duo hasn’t played a headlining show in their adopted hometown since the last album release in November 2018. “We’re really excited; we’re going to throw down, and we want our Chapel Hill family and friends – new and old – to come out and join us for that,” Lizzy says. “As we collectively navigate reemerging after isolation, it’s such a blessing to be together and cultivate community as much as we can and feed those values of making art, connecting with nature and connecting with other people in a spirit of love.” CHM PHOTO BY MARQUELL MCKINNEY
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or Lizzy Ross and Omar Ruiz-Lopez of Violet Bell, music is a means of empowerment. The two, who have been performing together for six years, put a unique twist on Americana and folk music, creating sounds that complicate the traditions of the genre. Through their music, they raise questions about their queerness and bodily autonomy, hoping to be a source of healing for listeners. As the Chapel Hill-based duo prepares for the Oct. 7 release of their latest live studio album “Shapeshifter,” Lizzy and Omar share what paths brought them to the unique blend of genres and styles that characterize Violet Bell and what they hope to inspire with their work. The pair’s newest album tells the story of the selkie, a mythical being that can transform from seal to human. Each song tells a part of the story, they explain, and “is a way for people to see and feel their own complexity” while returning to their wildest, most sacred selves. The decision to record the album live was to emphasize the grassroots style of music that Lizzy and Omar are proud to create and connect with listeners through. “This music doesn’t fit into tiny boxes,” Lizzy says. “It can’t be easily branded and sold.” She has been interested in music since her youth. “Singing is making yourself into a resonating chamber,” she says. “You’re feeling the vibration of the music, and it’s this amazing portable healing magic that we all have accessible to us.” Reminiscing on her upbringing in Annapolis, Maryland, Lizzy fondly recounts paddling through the marshes, crabbing and spending time on the water. Having grown up in two households, she was exposed to a diverse array of music in her childhood, from Joni Mitchell and Neil Young to the Rolling Stones. After relocating to North Carolina in 2006, Lizzy says she found a vibrant and social music scene that the mid-Atlantic lacked. “That’s the first time I saw music in a community context,” she says. It was during her time at UNC that she realized her passion for music could also be a career. Omar’s earliest memory of music is sitting at his father’s feet while he played a nylon string guitar. At family gatherings, he would shake the maracas, dancing and parading behind his father. Having been born in Panama and raised in Puerto Rico, Omar’s childhood was influenced by merengue, bolero and bachata. After moving to Florida, he fell in love with indie music and played classical instruments – such as the viola, violin and cello – throughout his time in college. He attended Florida Gulf Coast University and Edison State College, receiving scholarships