I had the pleasure of interviewing Lily back in March during the release of 'Loose Fitting Levi's', a track that features on her EP 'Losing the Illusion'. I caught up with the Florida-based singer-songwriter to discuss the meaning behind each of the songs and Forte's writing process when it came to recording the EP.
Hi, Lily! How have you been since we last spoke?
I’ve been great! Thank you for having me again.
Since interviewing you back in March you have released your debut EP ‘Losing the Illusion’, how does it feel to finally share your EP with the world?
It feels freeing. These songs have been in the works for a while now and I am so happy to say they are now out in the world.
Could you tell us a bit about the writing process behind the EP and the reason why you decided to name it ‘Losing the Illusion’?
The writing process for Losing the Illusion was a journey indeed. When I wrote my song “I Was Wearing Green” that sort of sent me in to this world of writing about infatuation and longing for something that wasn’t really there. From then on, I would write songs from that point of view. In my singles “Loose Fitting Levi’s” and “Rachel”, I feel as though that ache and longing is very present throughout the tracks. Then, the final track I wrote for the EP was “Losing the Illusion.” Inspiration for this song came when I was wearing a white satin dress. Hence the first line “satin dress, satin shoes, I’m saddened by my loss of muse.” While writing it, I started to realize that this feeling of yearning for someone was really just an illusion that played out to be more fantastical in my head than in reality.
The EP consists of six tracks, could you tell us about the meaning behind each of the songs featured on the EP?
I love this question! Like I said in the previous question, “Losing the Illusion” is a track that discusses what it’s like to let go of the things that were holding you back and gaining a better sense of reality. The second track on the EP is “I Was Wearing Green.” This song is very special to me because it’s the song that started it all. This song through and through is about a crush. To me, this song is about all those natural feelings when you first meet someone you like. Will they want to hang out with me? Why am I trying so hard to get their attention? Why am I only ever thinking of this person? And so on and so forth.
The third track “Loose Fitting Levi’s” kind of has a similar theme, you do everything for someone’s attention, but they only ever notice the girl with the loose fitting Levi’s, she’s perfect. The next track is very close to my heart. Writing “Play Pretend” came so quick to me when I wrote the first line, “would you kiss me in front of your friends?” Such a simple question but it’s one that determines a lot about a person and a relationship. Track 5, “Rachel”, is an intense one. It’s about watching someone you want, be happy with someone else. It’s one of my favorites on the EP because of its dramatic flare. And lastly, “Nights I Don’t Remember” speaks for itself. We all have nights that we wish we could get back. This song holds moments of vulnerability that isn’t seen in other tracks and I’m really happy it’s on the EP.
"While writing it, I started to realize that this feeling of yearning for someone was really just an illusion that played out to be more fantastical in my head than in reality."
What is your favourite track from the EP and why?
Play pretend is my favorite track on the EP. it’s very cinematic in my mind. I like to close my eyes and imagine what the “best night” would look like with the muse I’m writing about in the track.
What are your plans for the rest of 2021? Will you be playing the EP live this summer?
The rest of 2021 will consist of major changes that I’m excited for. I’m planning a big move to LA and working on new songs already. And I have no official live venues confirmed, but I would love to play the EP live. However, I have done a live performance video of some of the tracks off the EP that I plan to post soon.
I personally love ‘Play Pretend’, when you write music do you tend to write lyrics first and then develop melodies or is it a combination of both?
Thank you so much, that is my favorite too. My best writing comes when I write both lyrics and melodies at the same time. I tend to lean towards this with every song because it allows me to keep everything well connected. Play pretend actually had a bit of a different case than my normal writing style though. I remember seeing a couple kiss right in front of a group of friends and wondered if anyone would ever kiss me in front of their friends. I then wrote “would you kiss me in front of your friends?” in my notes app, then got home that night and wrote the whole song.
Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?
Lana Del Rey or Lady Gaga is my dream collaboration, I’m forever inspired by them.
What music are you loving at the moment?
Lucy Dacus has been on repeat for me. Her writing is something I admire. So much imagery in her words.
What advice would you give to someone who may be struggling with writer’s block?
If someone is struggling with writers block, I would encourage them to people watch. There are many fascinating conversations and a lot of special moments to oversee if you just pay attention to what’s around you.
And finally, is there anything you would like to say to your fans?
I would like to say thank you. The response to my music from you guys makes me so happy. Thank you for believing in me.
Check out Lily Forte's EP 'Losing the Illusion' in the links above or hear the EP in full on my Spotify featured artists playlist (link in bio). You can also read my previous interview with Lily as part of my ongoing series 'A Conversation With...' (scroll down to the interviews published in March)
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