Rising Star Lillie King Talks The Inspiration Behind Her Debut Single ‘Red!’

(Last Updated On: February 14, 2021)

Photos Courtesy of Rick Caballo

WAEN had the pleasure of interviewing the incredibly talented Lillie King! This 17-year-old songstress just dropped her debut single “Red” and is looking forward to the release of her self-titled EP on November 20! Check out our chat below:

For more than half her life, Lillie was heavily involved in the theatre world. She got the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall and graduated from New York Film Academy’s Musical Theatre Intensive Program. In 2019, she won the Talent West Virginia competition and was awarded an EP recording deal. A move that she says has changed her career path forever. Putting her focus solely on the music industry, she has begun recording her own music and worked with some incredible people and organizations within the industry.

Who has been some of your biggest musical influences? 

L: Lyrically, I’ve always found great inspiration in the music of Adele, Chris Stapleton, Carole King, and Van Morrison. These icons know how to write a song. The stories they tell are deeper than most of the music I hear nowadays and the fact that they can fit them into 3-4 minute songs blows my mind. Musically, I’ve recently been inspired by some new-age R&B artists as well as the old retro style of the ‘60s and ‘70s, because I like having music that you can move to and a melody that you can sing along with.

Your single “Red” is incredible! What was the inspiration behind that track? 

L: Most people hear ‘Red’ as a breakup song – which it definitely is. But, contrary to popular belief, I didn’t write this song about a relationship with a boyfriend, I wrote it about a girl (my best friend at the time) that spread terrible rumors about me in middle school, but I was never able to confront her about it. Years later, this is my way of telling her what she did wasn’t okay, and I hope she realizes who the song is about when she listens. 

Do you have a favorite song from your upcoming EP? If so, what is it and why?

L: My personal favorite song from my upcoming EP is ‘Home By Ten,’ because it’s basically an autobiography. All of the lyrics reflect a part of my personality, so you can learn a lot about me just by listening to that song. It also has a super chill vibe that’s very laid back (like me). So, it’s an easy listen for any setting or mood you might be in. 

What message do you hope listeners take away from your music? 

L: When someone listens to my music, I want them to genuinely enjoy what they’re listening to. I want them to feel good about the music, enjoy the story, relax to the lyrics, or dance to the beat. I hope they feel the same connection when listening that I do when writing because none of my music is written solely to be ‘trendy.’ It’s written to bring people joy through narratives that are very personal and powerful.

As a fan of musical theater, I’m curious…what is your dream musical role? 

L: Believe it or not, I’ve actually been able to play my dream musical role as Cinderella in “Into The Woods!” Last year, when I was 16, I got cast as Cinderella in a huge production of “Into The Woods” and it was a dream come true for the soprano princess in me. My new dream role is Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes,” so I better start working on my tap-dancing skills ASAP!

If you could pass on a nugget of wisdom to the next musical generation, what would it be?

L: If I could pass one piece of wisdom on to the next musical generation, it would be to carry yourself with grace, but fight like a bear when it comes to making decisions for yourself. Don’t ever let anyone walk over you or try to push you to do something you don’t want to. Stand up for yourself, advocate for yourself, and be the nicest person in the room with the firmest hand.

As someone who has grown up in the age of social media, how do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business? 

L: Social Media is everything nowadays. When it comes to the music business, social media has become the home base for everything – branding, image, follower interaction, sharing music, and more. Because of its accessibility, I believe it’s allowing smaller artists to be heard and discovered more than ever. I’ll often stumble across someone’s small Instagram page with only a few thousand followers and fall in love with their music. And, just like that, they have a new follower and I’ll tell my friends to go listen to their music; all because they popped up on my social media. 

What’s next? What is a goal that you have for the future – personal or professional?

L: My next goal for my music career is to produce a full-length album by the time I turn 20. It’s not going to be easy and it’s going to take a lot of willpower and manpower to achieve, but I will make this happen; just watch. 

Lillie King’s Playlist Recommendations:

Still Woozy

Chris Stapleton

Mac Miller

Tyler Childers

Lillie’s Socials:

Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

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