Lily Kelso Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Lily Kelso is an incredible singer whose recent single "The Car" is one you won't want to miss. I was flattered that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, future goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll enjoy everything she has to say.

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

Your recent single “The Car” is simply outstanding. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you, it was a fun one to make. I had much help from my amazing producer/engineer John Velasquez and The Gromble's Spencer Askin in Los Angeles. They are both fantastic at what they do, and are two of the people who inspire me to pursue music as a career. I wrote the lyrics of "The Car" to commemorate the time my little brother and I spent in our family's old mini van during high school. Being the first to drive out of three siblings, I was the school pickup committee.The inside jokes, deep conversations, and overall sibling bonding that came out of our daily commutes is foundational in my relationships with my brothers, especially my younger one Peter who is a long time athlete (hence "jersey three sizes too big"). I deeply enjoy writing songs as though I'm leaving time capsules for my future self, and "The Car" is exactly that. 

Do you have more music on the horizon?

Yes! "The Car" is the first single from a six song EP to be released mid June. The other two singles "Six Seasons," and "SIRENS" will be coming down the hatch shortly and more information about them will be on my Instagram in the coming weeks. 

You are currently attending Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing Berklee has done for your career?

The biggest thing Berklee has done in my career is allow me to use world-class Music Production and Engineering facilities with other members of the up-and-coming music industry. Getting to learn alongside my peers and being forced to rely on each other's skills in collaborative projects is an experience I am continually thankful for. It has made me a much better and stronger musician. As someone who is delving into many different areas of music (songwriting, producing, engineering, etc.) it is so exciting to build connections with my future colleagues and draw on their unique, high-level understandings of what goes into making great records. 

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

Ah, this is a difficult one. Some of my longtime favorites include Joni Mitchell, The Cranberries, Hozier, Elliott Smith, Taylor John Williams, and Bon Iver. Other more recent highlights are Phoebe Bridgers, Flyte, Dawes, and Andy Shauf (whose new album "Norm" has been on repeat in my kitchen for weeks!). 

What would you say is your biggest career challenge?

At the moment my biggest career challenge is multitasking. I love music school but it often makes me feel like a kid in a candy store, and making the time for original releases, school projects, as well as a burgeoning freelance engineering and production career can be all consuming. This variety is a deep-seated value of mine, but there is definitely a balance to strike between "the spice of life" and having clear priorities. 

What are your immediate career goals?

My immediate goals are to continue making and performing my own music, and to get as much experience as I can producing and engineering for others. Having experienced the process of my own music going from idea to reality, I look forward to helping others do the same, and the thrill of performing will never get old. 

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Hard to argue with that!

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

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow along with her to see what she's up to. I would definitely follow her on Instagram, and/or Spotify. In fact, go do both right now!

Thanks again Lily, and good luck reaching your goals!