Maintaining her distinctiveness as an artist even as she effortlessly breezes between genres and styles is what singer-songwriter Lily Hain does best. The North Carolina-raised and now Brooklyn-based artist unveils her debut EP ‘Drifted’ following the release of singles ‘IMYJ’ and ‘People Grow Apart’ this summer. Also featured on the EP is the unheard ambient track ‘Broken Like Me’.
Lily Hain began working as a featured writer and vocalist for electronic producers across the globe and has been featured on Spotify’s Fresh Dance and Friday Cratediggers playlists. Lily also has a successful YouTube channel where she posts weekly covers and originals, boasting over 350,000 views. She prides herself on creating uplifting beats and melodies from sombre topics. Lily Hain has also received support from Alex Rainbird, being featured on his compilation playlist. Her debut single ‘Graveyard’ has already garnered over 12,000 streams and showcases her enticingly intimate songwriting style.
Lily Hain also uses her skills as a video editor to make all her own music videos and artwork. Outside of music and videography, Lily’s biggest passions lie in being an advocate for mental health awareness and for equal rights, especially LGBTQ+ as she is part of the community as a bisexual woman. Women’s rights and Black Lives Matter are also extremely important movements for Lily Hain.
Tell us about the genesis of your project. How did you get to where you are now?
The idea for Drifted came about from the sense of loneliness I felt in 2020. I moved back in with my parents after graduating college in December with plans to move out in the spring but then the pandemic hit. All of my friends were far away both literally and figuratively and I had a hard time dealing with the isolation so I just wrote and wrote and wrote. Thankfully I had my family to lean on during that time but it was still hard to grapple with the disconnect I felt with the rest of the world.
What does music and being an artist mean to you?
To me, music and being an artist means authenticity. I feel like when I’m writing music I am the most true to myself. It helps me uncover what I’m feeling, ask questions, and figure out how to navigate the world. Music also allows me to connect with other people, which is one of my favorite parts.
What are some sources of inspiration for your lyrics and storytelling?
I get inspiration for my lyrics primarily from whatever is going on in my own life. I write a lotttttt about my feelings, whether they are feelings towards myself or other people. I also get inspiration from other artists. Oftentimes I’ll be listening to a good song and I’ll find elements either in the lyrics or music itself that spark new ideas for me.
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
Probably Billie Eilish. Even though she is younger than me, she has been a big inspiration both musically and personally ever since I heard Ocean Eyes back in early 2017. I just appreciate how authentic she is and how she doesn’t shy away from hard topics. She’s also one of the first really successful artists I heard that I had a kind of similar voice to. I used to think in order to be a good singer you had to have a really strong powerful belt but she made me realize that softer vocals are beautiful too.
All-time favorite record?
Fly by The Chicks
You seem to be fusing several musical genres. What inspires your sound?
Other artists inspire my sound. Everytime I hear a really good song I’m like oooooh that’s what I want to sound like, regardless of genre. I have that reaction almost every day when I find new music or a new artist that I vibe with so my inspiration for sound changes often (hence the reason I fuse so many genres).
What are some things you do to deal with anxiety and creative blocks?
When I’m anxious I usually write, clean, or watch a happy show. When I have creative blocks I try to step away for a little bit and give my mind a break. When I try to push through creative blocks I usually just end up with some really bad lyrics but sometimes you have to write a lot of bad songs to get a good one.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I hope that music is my full time career at that point and I have several other bodies of work out!
Your style is very original and elaborate. How do you take care of your aesthetics?
I feel like my aesthetics are always evolving. For the EP, I tried to keep the aesthetics similar through font and coloring. I gravitate towards stuff that looks vintagey or nostalgic and try to base my aesthetics around that. I also really love modern art and graphic design though so I feel like I am often trying to balance a few different styles at once.
What was the most daunting moment in your career so far?
I think the most daunting moment in my career so far has just been deciding to go for it. I spent a long time trying to talk myself out of pursuing a career in music because of how difficult it is to break into the industry and be successful but I’m really happy I decided to take the leap and go for what I want.
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
You never know until you try
Where do you think the next game-changer will be in the music industry and entertainment scene?
Hmm that’s a hard question! Probably on a new app that we haven’t even heard of yet – I mean look at Tik Tok. It totally redefined how musicians release and promote their music. I’ve had friends blow up on Tik Tok and I’ve also found some really amazing artists from there. It’s become such a powerful tool and I’m intrigued to see whatever the next big thing will be.
