‘It’s rational to fear the music industry’: Grouper’s Liz Harris on virality, streaming scammers and her ‘restorative’ dream-pop trio
Liz Harris, the influential ambient artist behind Grouper, performs sold-out shows at New York's Town Hall whilst promoting Helen, her reformed dream-pop band. When a Grouper recording went viral on TikTok, fraudsters attempted to steal her royalties, reinforcing her existing wariness of the music industry. However, collaborating with drummer Jed Bindeman and bassist Scott Simmons in Helen has reminded her of the creative fulfilment and joy that comes from working with others, offering a compelling alternative to Grouper's intensely solitary practice.
Harris, 46, established Grouper in 2005 in Oakland's DIY noise scene and has since become a titan of modern ambient music, influencing artists from Phoebe Bridgers to 100 Gecs. Based in Astoria, Oregon, she creates minimalist soundscapes using guitar, piano, voice and space. Helen's new album, Linda's Head (their second, after 2015's The Original Faces), showcases a brighter energy whilst maintaining the darkness present in both projects. The trio's name references Mount St Helen and a childhood ghost Harris imagined speaking to; their songs explore what Harris calls "ecstatic nihilism"—the simultaneous urge to escape and to be present with community during turbulent times.
- Liz Harris balances solitary Grouper with collaborative dream-pop band Helen
- Streaming fraud and viral TikTok success reinforced her distrust of the music industry
- Helen's new album Linda's Head shows a brighter, more socially connected side of Harris
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Liz Harris is an influential ambient musician who has created music under the name Grouper since 2005. She has become a significant figure in modern ambient music, with many contemporary artists influenced by her work. She creates minimalist soundscapes using guitar, piano, voice and space.
Harris has grown increasingly wary of the music industry. When one of her Grouper recordings recently went viral on TikTok, fraudsters attempted to steal her royalties, an incident that reinforced her concerns about artist protection in the streaming era. This highlights the broader challenges musicians face in maintaining control over their work and income online.
Harris recently revived Helen, a band project with drummer Jed Bindeman and bassist Scott Simmons. This collaboration contrasts sharply with her solitary work as Grouper and has reaffirmed the creative fulfilment that comes from making music with others. Their new album features a brighter sound than both her Grouper work and their first release, whilst maintaining some of the darker elements that characterise Harris's music.