Could you share the story behind your latest song and what inspired its creation?
The track ‘J&Js’ off of my latest album, AMPHORA (Lily Taylor Music) debuted at The Week In Pop, and is now on all streaming platforms for any playlist shares, and is also available on collectors’ vinyl and cassette format on bandcamp.
Using a looping pedal, keyboard and my voice, I created a sonic bed that I could draw out a melody. Improvising can capture something powerful, something that seems beyond my being, intertwined with internal music knowledge and experience. I can only hope for those moments when I can capture the idea into a physical song through this dream-realm process. Inspiration can be a tricky thing. I was interested in using my voice as a texture in the song as well as the lead vocal track, and thinking about my voice in extended ways, as storyteller and instrument. The lyrics refer to artists I find great inspiration from, people who are not afraid to be themselves and express their inner ideas. By doing this, they help others find ways to express themselves. The music video is directed by Sean Miller.
The album, AMPHORA, takes its name from the ancient vessel, the amphora, which served as a container for precious liquids. In this case, I, the artist, is the vessel, delivering a musical experience that is both powerful and delicate. The themes of duality, time, and introspection run throughout the album, creating a deeply personal and introspective atmosphere.
How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
Creating music can take many different forms for me, from experimenting with chord progressions, to utilizing soundscapes created from improvisations and ‘pedal pushing’. Themes in my music originate from the dream world, from conversing with muses, from inspirations from life experiences in general, and from listening to a vast spectrum of genres. Throughout my life, the exploration of genres, instruments, physical music mediums, and live performances have influenced me as a creative. I attended and graduated from the Contemporary Music Program at College of Santa Fe in New Mexico, which changed the trajectory of how I consume and create music. I started to think about music as art, sound as art, rather than just entertainment. I feel this is why the music that I create, which I think is more mainstream, is received as experimental music.
As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
To be an independent artist means I have full creative and administrative control over my work. As an artist, this has great value to me, though it’s a lot of responsibility to keep my projects viable. Depending on the live performance or recording project, I get to explore how conventionally commercial I need to be per situation. I have the freedom to be the one to make that call, rather than being told what to do by a music executive. I love a good pop song, but does all music need to have commercial appeal to be interesting, worth listening to, hold your attention? I think it’s a good thing to get a little weird sometimes.
What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
The most challenging thing about being an independent artist in 2024 is navigating a landscape created, and then later self-sabotaged, by the big record companies in the name of profit over culture. I’ve been told I don’t have the right sound or look or whatever, yet I still continue to perform, be recognized by awards, and get extremely positive feedback from people who take the time to listen to my music. I am happy to be celebrated as an unconventional artist, even if it means the audience is smaller.
Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
My latest full-length release, AMPHORA (Lily Taylor Music) had several songs that were written or arranged in collaboration with musician and producer, Black Taffy (Leaving Records), most notably the singles EVER NEW and KEPLER WELLS. Working in collaboration on this project allowed me to make the songs more full, more dynamic, more produced to capture the sonic world I was hoping to build when I first wrote some of the songs. I also collaborate with Sean Miller who is a video artist and educator, on an audio / visual project called LOCATIONS. Collaborating in LOCATIONS is a different aspect of my creative work, as it is steeped in free improvisation and different technical equipment used to generate soundscapes and sonic exploration. In addition, I perform with the Dennis Gonzalez Legacy Band with Stefan and Aaron Gonzalez and others, as well as Gerard Bendick’s ensemble. In these two ensembles, I utilize a completely different skill set of musicianship. All through college, I was encouraged to pick a genre and stick with it; I refused. Because of this, I’ve been able to work with a wide range of talent and experience music in truly spiritual ways.
What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
Technology and social media play a huge role in creating and promoting my music. The technology of being able to write out a music chart to communicate with others, the technology of the music equipment, the technology of digital recording practices and being able to send out a file to a publicist via email, rather than a reel to reel tape. Also, the technology of living life through the Internet rather than physical reality, opens up the possibility of reaching people outside of the cities I regularly perform in.
Are there any particular artists or genres that have had a significant impact on your musical style?
This is a challenging question to answer, as I host a radio show and have hosted small concerts for many years, always listening to something new and hopefully being inspired! The vocal coaches I have worked with over the years have made a huge impact on me, live shows from underground artists in California and Texas, New Mexico, and beyond, and albums from Kate Bush, Laurie Anderson, Joni Mitchell, The Breeders, The Pixies, Tricky, Brian Eno, Television, T-Rex, Bob Dylan, Pete Segar, Erykah Badu, HIQC and Skullcaster, Smokey Emery, Raquel Bell, Lisa Cameron, Diamanda Galas, DROMEZ, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, King Crimson, Paul Simon, Digable Planets, De La Soul, Joan LaBarbara, Jay Clayton, Steve Reich, Kitka, Portishead, Massive Attack, Dido, early Police, Madonna, Enya, Billy Joel, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Ravi Shankar, Tina Turner, David Bowie, Nico, Bjork, Fairuz, Stevie Wonder, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Samuel Barber, The Beatles, and others.
Indie musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
One show at a time! But it’s not just getting out there and performing, it’s also been about hosting shows to bring people together, hosting promotional workshops, teaching voice lessons, working in different genres, having music ready to perform, and having recordings ready to share. It’s about focusing on the art, letting the music speak for itself, and trying to be as authentic and genuine as possible in my work. This is how I attract like-minded people, rather than those who are looking for a step in their own ladder, so to speak.
Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
Absolutely nothing gives you more confidence than working through a tough moment. In Oakland, I had a power outage happen in the middle of a song, and the audience started singing the drone-note to keep the show going – that was magical. The show must go on, and in an adrenalized state, absolute magic can take place if you believe in yourself. That’s the takeaway: anything can happen, how do you want to respond?
In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
Streaming music is a great way for people to learn about new-to-them music and artists, but the premise of the business model is to collect and sell data, not celebrate culture and the possibilities that can bring to the human condition, and definitely not to pay artists fairly. I love to see that people all over the world have access to my music via streaming sites, but my main focus is live shows where I can sell my physical media. Each streaming platform and each social media platform are different audiences. I will always center my email-list as the most direct and effective way to get the word out about my work, so I do not have to rely on one website in particular to reach people.
Thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions! I hope it was an interesting read, LT