Liv Warfield facts for kids

Liv Warfield is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter. She grew up in Peoria, Illinois. Liv became famous for singing with the legendary musician Prince and his band, the New Power Generation. Later, she joined a band called Roadcase Royale with Nancy Wilson from the band Heart.

Liv's Early Life and Music Journey

Liv Warfield grew up in a strict home where she mostly listened to gospel music. Her father was a church deacon. When her parents weren't around, she would secretly sing songs by Whitney Houston.

After high school, Liv moved to Portland, Oregon. She went to Portland State University on a track scholarship. Her singing career began at a karaoke club. At first, she was so shy that she sang with her back to the audience! But she soon loved performing. She even started wearing wigs and costumes.

Liv decided to become a full-time singer. She left college and sometimes slept in her car. Her mom was upset at first. But she later became very supportive of Liv's dream. In 2006, Liv released her first album, Embrace Me. She sold her CDs at local markets.

Singing with Prince

Liv's big break came in 2009. She sent Prince a video of herself singing "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones. Prince was impressed and asked her to audition. She then became a member of his band, the New Power Generation.

Prince became her mentor. He helped her improve her stage presence and how she arranged her music. Liv toured with Prince for five years. She also sang on his album Lotusflow3r.

In 2014, Liv released her second solo album, The Unexpected. Prince was the executive producer, meaning he helped guide the project. The New Power Generation played horns on the album. Prince even wrote the title song for her. After Prince passed away, Liv performed at a special tribute event called Celebration 2017 at Paisley Park. She felt a sense of peace during the performance.

Forming Roadcase Royale

In 2015, Liv opened a concert for the band Heart at the Hollywood Bowl. Nancy Wilson from Heart had seen Liv perform on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Nancy was very impressed.

Liv was a big fan of Heart. After the show, she met Nancy Wilson. They quickly connected over music. In 2016, Liv and Nancy decided to form a new band called Roadcase Royale. Their music mixes rock, R&B, and ballads.

Other members of Roadcase Royale include guitarist Ryan Waters, keyboardist Chris Joyner, bassist Dan Rothchild, and drummer Ben Smith. The band released their first song, "Get Loud," in January 2017. Their first full album, First Things First, came out in September 2017. Roadcase Royale was set to open for Bob Seger on his tour.

America's Got Talent

In 2024, Liv Warfield auditioned for season 19 of the TV show America's Got Talent. She received the Golden Buzzer from judge Simon Cowell. This means she automatically advanced to the live shows.

Awards and Recognition

In early 2014, VH1 Soul recognized Liv Warfield as a "Soul You Oughta Know" artist. She was nominated for a Soul Train Music Awards in 2014 for Best New Artist. She also won an award for her song "Stay – "Soul Lifted"" from The Unexpected in the Best Contemporary Jazz Performance category.

Her hometown of Peoria, Illinois, honored her in 2014. Mayor Jim Ardis declared May 10 as "Liv Warfield Day."

Discography

• Embrace Me (2006)

• The Unexpected (2014)