Lily Gelman Visits Section 36!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Lily Gelman is a talented singer, and I was so glad she was willing to visit with us and discuss her recent EP, her goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Lily Gelman visits Section 36!

I enjoyed your EP “Hold My Hand”. What was it like to put that together?

Thank you so much for listening to Hold My Hand. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! The whole process was very exploratory. I co-produced the EP with my friend Kat Lucas, and we had a lot of fun experimenting and playing around with different sounds and instruments. We layered a ridiculous amount of tracks onto each other, tried crazy effects, and just allowed ourselves to be very free with the creative process. From the start, the creation of Hold My Hand was fairly spontaneous. I didn’t actually set out to make an EP, it just sort of happened. A lot of changes were happening in my life, and I was definitely in a self-discovery kind of moment. I was writing constantly and it snowballed into a body of work I really wanted to share. 

Do you have a favorite song from the EP?

I go through fazes with each song, but right now I think Tell Me

is my favorite. Whether it was a return to form, or just personal growth with age, I felt like I was becoming more myself during the summer I wrote Tell Me. So, when I listen to it now, I’m brought back to this place of exciting change - - something I’ve really been lacking over the last six months in quarantine. 

Who/what do you consider your biggest musical influence?

My biggest influences are definitely Maggie Rogers, Julia Michaels, and King Princess. I’m also really inspired by HAIM, their most recent album has been the soundtrack to my quarantine. A common thread between a lot of my favorite songs is storytelling. I love artists who’s work is autobiographical and songs where you can tell the person singing it has written the lyrics because they’re so personal and emotionally charged. I’ve also recently discovered The Runaways, and have a slight obsession with Joan Jett. She is just so badass, and I definitely have a bit of a rebel within me that wants to be like her, haha. I love living vicariously through artists like Joan Jett and King Princess who have the ability to be totally unabashed. 

You’re a student at Berklee College of Music. What’s the most important thing that experience is doing for your career?

My musicianship and skills in all areas of music have already improved so much in the one year I’ve been there. I can’t wait to see where my abilities will be by the time I graduate. Obviously a huge aspect of attending a school like Berklee is the experiences and resources that come with it. I think the most important thing Berklee is doing for my career is providing me with access to a community of insanely talented and successful musicians, and all around incredible people. The friends I have made through Berklee are the most kind, hard working and passionate people I have ever met. There is something very special and inspiring about being in a place where every single person is a musician, and everyone is as enamored with music as you are. I grew up playing classical piano and writing songs alone in my bedroom, so music was a very solo activity for me. Being able to now collaborate with my friends, create music together and learn from one another is amazing. Especially for me as a songwriter, collaboration and connection with others is what it’s all about. 

Right now, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?

It is such a weird time to be in entertainment. Everything is up

in the air and no one really knows when concerts and performances will be happening again. School is now online, so that is also a big adjustment. We no longer have live performance opportunities which was a big part of the training. Currently I’d say my biggest career challenge is the fact that coronavirus has changed what I thought life right now would be like for me. Luckily I’m still in school and very fortunate to not have to worry about being out of work.

What are your immediate career goals?

I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself, because I want to take this time while at Berklee to learn as much as I can and become the best artist/songwriter/performer/producer I can be. That being said, I have a few songs and collaborations in the works, and will hopefully be putting out some music in the upcoming months. A lot has happened in my life since I released Hold My Hand a year ago, and I’m excited to bring all the experiences I have had into the new music I make. 

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Excited to hear that upcoming music!

As always, I want to thank Lily for visiting, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview.

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Lily to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her online on Instagram. You should also be sure to listen to her music on Spotify or Soundcloud as often as you can. It’s the perfect way to make sure you don't miss anything.

You can also visit her Section 36 Music page. There you'll find more links, pictures, and samples of her music. It's a great way to enjoy everything Lily has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Lily, and good luck in reaching your goals!