Lily Moore: 2 breakfasts a day
INTERVIEW by Kyla Rain
SHOT by Phoebe Fox
Amy Winehouse. Aretha Franklin. Etta James. Soulful singers you know from years of hearing their names spoken with praise - singers whose verses fill our hearts with heavy emotion and due remembrance. It’s to the likes of these three women that up-and-coming artist Lily Moore has been compared on more than one occasion. (And she means business when Winehouse is mentioned.)
The 20-year-old Brighton-born stargirl has been performing since she was 14 years old, taking to the streets with a passion larger than life.
“LILY: I would go busking, just to have an audience to sing to and try new songs out with. It was safe because they wouldn’t stick around for too long, so I could just spend the whole time singing the same couple of songs and no one would know. It also gave me a bit of money, though I’d often spend it all before I got home. But the thought was there!
There’s something to be said for that kind of passion - I imagine street-side passersbys aren’t the easiest audience to get through to. But I suppose with a voice as smooth & soulful as Lily’s, you melt any heart fortunate enough to be listening. I know mine pools into a puddle on the floor the moment a first verse rings through my headphones. A melodic illustration of love and self-exploration, songs of hers like “Lying to Yourself,” “Not That Special,” and “I Know I Wanna Be With You” are destined to be chart-toppers - it’s only a matter of time until the rest of the world finds out about this soul sister.
With a sound as sure and confident as Lily’s, we had to ask if she always knew this would be the music she wanted to make.
LILY: I’m still growing and experimenting, so I wouldn’t say I’ll ever have a definite sound; but soul music will always be in there. It's what I grew up listening to.
Lily just released her Latest EP “ I Will Never Be,” on October 1st, containing her single “Do This For Me.” The track starts out slow, a low melody playing out on piano, and I knew I was gone by the ten second mark, Lily’s sultry vocals turning my heart inside out.
“Been an easy ride
Didn't even try
Hold me again, my hopeless friend
Until the morning light”
LILY: ‘Do This For Me’ is about not being brave enough to bring something to an end, and relying on the other person to say the things I couldn’t. I hope anyone listening to it feels how I do as I’m singing it.
As the second verse rolls through (“Deaf to your charm - No ink on my arm - But you’ll always be the first”) Lily explains that the “no ink” line is in reference to his name that was never tattooed on her skin - a mistake that was never made.
On the topic of messages within the music, I inquired about her aspirations as an artist, asking how she’d like to be remembered.
LILY: I want to be known as an honest artist, who says the things that everyone is thinking but is too scared to say. If someone can listen to my song and think, ‘ahhh I’ve felt like that before, I’m glad she thinks that way too,’ then I’m happy.
Lily has played alongside notable names such as James Bay and George Ezra, but on October 1st, she will be kicking off her very first headlining tour. If you reside in the U.K., make sure to check out her upcoming dates here, and enjoy the show for me. I’m looking forward to the inevitable day when she announces a U.S. tour - I know this girl is going to sweep the world.
ME: “What are you most excited for, leaving for your very first headline tour? That’s a big deal! Are there any bucket list items that you want to check off while on the road?”
LILY: “Playing in Brighton will be great as it's my first headline show in my hometown! Most of my family and friends (my biggest fans) live there, so it's going to be a really special evening for me. I don’t have a bucket list, but if you have any suggestions then fire away!? I do have a bit of an obsession with good breakfasts so I think the mission will be to go for brunch everywhere. Maybe even twice a day, if it’s a day off.”
Besides bunking down with a plate of pancakes (a dream I can fully get behind), I finished up by asking Lily about what else she sees in her future - from her career to random accomplishments. She responds saying she hopes to be able to sing and make music she loves for the rest of her live, but learning to drive and holidaying alone top her list of things to accomplish.
I can’t express how much I truly admire Lily - not only as a musician, but as a woman. She knows exactly what she wants her life to look like, and she’s taking every step possible to make that a reality.
(Even if it means traveling all around the U.K. just to find the best breakfast food.)
*Check out Lily’s latest release I Will Never Be*