An Interview With The All-Female Band, THE MRS. On Empowering Women Through Motivational Music and Much More!

Meet The Mrs., an all-female rock band with an empowering message and a mission to change the way women see themselves through their music and technology. Their first hit single “Enough” launched a powerful movement that’s resonating with women from all walks of life, encouraging them to accept themselves just the way they are. Recently seen on Good Morning America, Better TV, and The Queen Latifah Show, the band’s music connects with real women who can relate to true-life experiences of motherhood, relationships, careers, marriages and friendships.

Recently, All Access sat down with The Mrs. founder and drummer Andra Liemandt to learn more about this hot new band:

How did you all meet? How long have you all known each other? How do you think your relationships have transformed over the years?

Jenny Mason and I have known each other for over a decade, but we both feel like we’ve been in each other’s lives forever!  I met Larissa several years ago while looking for piano lessons for my daughter, then we all met Jennifer and Mandy who were active in Austin’s live music community.  It has been a wonderful experience working together, as well as developing great friendships!

How did you come up with the name The Mrs., and why did you decide to start this band?

I’ve always loved music, but it wasn’t until I started playing the drums in my mid 30s did I really discover this passion. I was having so much fun that I got some friends involved – and a band was born!  As for the name, I wish there was some magical story, but the truth is we had to really look at who we are and what makes us different.  We came up with The Mrs., and when we checked on the domain name, we were shocked that it was available, so we immediately grabbed it!

Tell me about your mission to change the way women see themselves and how do you do this through your music? Have you already seen the impact The Mrs. have on women around you and your fans?

The lyrics to our song “Enough” came from the realization that as women, we each experience challenging times where we feel we’re letting ourselves and/or those around us down. As mothers, wives, and friends with very busy lives, we tend to be self-critical about our perceived shortcomings.  In realizing that other women share these same concerns and critical inner voice, we wanted to make these negative thoughts, fears and insecurities STOP!  So we set out on a mission to change the way women see themselves when they look in the mirror. This has been an incredible process for us — we have seen so many women and girls (and even some men) who have embraced our message and have been honest with themselves, many for the first time, who celebrated their own personal beauty and inner truths.

“Enough” was your first hit single. Why do you think it has resonated with women from all walks of life?

I believe our “I’m Enough” movement resonates with so many people because our message of self-acceptance is universal — people want to feel good about themselves. Our music helps women to see how others perceive them — their inner beauty, their positive attributes, their strengths, their goodness, and so much more. As women, we’re always doing so much for other people, and often times we tend to put our own needs and priorities aside.

Please explain how you came up with the “Magic Mirror” – How exactly does it work?

We created The Mrs. Magic Mirror as a way for women to see themselves from a different perspective. We can’t give away the magic behind the mirror, but we can say that every woman who visits it experiences an individualized transformation. The Mrs. Magic Mirror represents a place for women to see their true reflections…the way others see them and to realize that they are indeed, ENOUGH, just the way they are!

Tell us about The Mrs. Magic Mirror App.

For those who are unable to visit the mirror firsthand, we introduced The Mrs. Magic Mirror App as a way for women to band together and make others feel like they’re “enough” when they most need the encouragement. One way to positively encourage loved ones is to send them “Enoughies” (which are encouraging little reminders such as “Keep Calm You’re a Super Mom” or “You are Beautiful”).  Users can also create customized Enoughies with their own phrases or even send audio Enoughies.  We update the app frequently with new features so it’s always changing! Every mirror can be a magic mirror if we can convince women to speak to themselves with compassion and kindness.

What musicians have been inspiring you since day one?

I remember growing up dancing around to songs by Madonna, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, Journey and Erasure.  Even now, all these years later, I still love listening to these musicians and all their great music!

When can fans expect your debut full album release?

We’re currently working on our EP and are planning to launch it this Fall.

How did your Mother’s Day Celebration at Rockefeller Center go?

It was such a beautiful event! We created an indoor garden 67 floors above the New York skyline that had the most incredible views, and we were thrilled to benefit the Dress for Success charitable organization. However, what really made an impression on us as a band were the amazing women we met — women who are warriors for their children and families with remarkable stories of courage, commitment and resiliency.  We treasure being able to celebrate these women and the words of wisdom shared by their mothers.

What was the inspiration for your newest single “You Told Me”?

As a band and as mothers, we were sharing different struggles that our daughters were experiencing and realized that the words of wisdom our mothers once conveyed to us are the same values and expressions we’re trying to impart on our children.  We were inspired by all the little things our mothers did and said to us while we were growing up, and realized that we’re communicating the same values to our own families.

How much of yourselves and your personal experiences are reflected in your music?

Music is really personal for all of us as a band. For some of us, it has been a lifelong passion, and for others (myself included), it has become a new passion as we give ourselves permission to try something new later in life.  One of the reasons we all came together is that we desire to create meaningful music with a purpose. It’s intensely personal when we write lyrics together because our messages matter as much as the topics and music.  After all, we are a band on a mission!

What was it like being featured on such shows as The Queen Latifah Show and Good Morning America?

Sharing our “I’m Enough” message on a national platform is beyond exciting for us.  It is motivating for us to know that our message is bigger than a band, bigger than a mirror — that it is universal.  These experiences have solidified our commitment to continue to share our message of self-acceptance and quieting inner critics everywhere — one voice at a time.

Where do you see The Mrs. in ten years?

As our lives continue to evolve, I believe that our music will also evolve to reflect new experiences of what we’ve learned.  It’s hard to believe that in ten years I’ll have a daughter starting college and one in high school, so I’ll be dealing with dating and letting them grow into the adults they will become. We will have many experiences that we can’t even imagine yet, but the one thing I know to be true is that our mission to empower women will remain steadfast.