It’s definitely an Asari and it does look a bit like her, but I think it’s an assumption people are making that it’s Liara T’soni.
I didn’t hate Andromed as much as some do, but I think which galaxy it’s in is kind of backstory at best, it’s less of interest to me than the characters and plot. personally I’m assuming a reboot either way, with little to do with previous stories or characters.
Oh, the music though. The music in Mass Effect is one of the really strong emotional associations I have to the whole thing. The classic ‘Mass effect’ synth carillon at the end literally gave me goosebumps.