Artist: Lillimure: singer-songwriter; Musicians: Henry Mermer: drums; Sam Caldwell: keys; Jason Robbins: bass; Dawson Abdurahman and Carter Pankow: guitar; Michael Gorlin, Changhun Park and Cameron Carrella: saxophone; Carey Ozmun: trumpet; Conor Powers: trombone; Choir: Charlotte Athinasidy, Samantha Miley, Abby Menocal, Amanda Montgomery, Greg Calidonna, Matthew Harmon and Donavan Austin
Album: Self-Titled; Producer: Jake Lasz
A seemingly hapless, spontaneous moment can ultimately change the direction of a person’s entire life, much to their initial dismay. However, that original instance of despair can eventually lead people to reexamine their life journey, and inspire them to head down a different passage. That’s certainly the case for versatile singer, Lillimure.
The New York City-based musician never considered songwriting as a career path until a life-altering gymnastics injury left her with a torn ligament in her wrist. After the injury, Lillimure eventually decided to turn to music on a more regular basis, particularly in an effort to creatively express her emotions and thoughts. That’s what she’s expertly doing with the recent release of her self-titled debut album.
The nine-track alternative-folk-soul-pop-R&B record highlights how making music was the only thing that emotionally satisfied Lillimure after she decided to pursue making music full-time. After releasing two singles from ‘Lillimure’ earlier this year, including ‘WDYTM’ and ‘Something,’ the singer’s excited to finally be able to share her full collection of work. She’s also happy to have live musicians play on every tune, and to be able to work with the same musicians she plays with live at her shows also in the recording studio.
Lillimure’s new album begins with the jovial entry, ‘Wallflower,’ on which she proclaims that she grew up with the grace of the title introverted personality. The singer croons that at times, being a wallflower has led her to not be able to completely connect with the people in her life, particularly with the man she’s romantically involved with. While they have a casual vibe in their relationship, they both know that it’s not meant to last. Backed by jazz-infused instrumentation, particularly on the drums and saxophone, Lillimure croons in a voice that’s reminiscent of Norah Jones that she’ll miss him when he’s gone.
The sentimental ‘Wallflower’ then transitions into the sophomore track on ‘Lillimure,’ which is titled ‘Oh, California.’ More upbeat than its predecessor, the pop-folk song chronicles how the musician has too much on her mind, and her feelings have gotten a hold of her. Set against soulful guitar strumming, the singer also powerfully emotes how sometimes her dreams stare back at her, so she hope that she can find happiness in her journey to where she wants to go. While the tune is still emotionally reflective, she also proclaims that she feels like waves have figuratively been washing over her, which has allowed her to move past her struggles.
Another noteworthy entry on Lillimure’s record is its fourth song, ‘WDYTM,’ which shows her sophisticated side. Driven by soulful vocals, the musician freely contemplates the uncertainty of an erratic relationship. ‘WDYTM,’ which is short for why do you tease me?, highlights how the singer is disappointed in the man she used to love and idealize. The singer’s free revelation of her own experiences in love easily allows her listeners to understand her struggle of not being sure if she had a place with the person she loved. Her serious lyrics about the confusing connection she still has with the man she used to be involved with are powerfully driven by a pulsating, jazz-pop-driven rhythm. The determination she has to learn from her current heartbreak proves that she has a timeless nature in her style of singing, much like Jones.
One of the best tracks on ‘Lillimure’ is the penultimate entry, ‘Dreams.’ The pop-jazz-inspired tune, which is driven by a soulful piano, notes that the musician is determined to move on with her life, even though she sees his face in her dreams, as well as in the clouds. She admits that while he still seems close to her, he’s really drifted so far away, much like the clouds. On the soulful and reflective song, which has the potential to become a hit in jazz bars and cafés, the singer also discloses that it’s her own fault for loving the man she was with too quickly. She feels like she was foolish for thinking they’d last, so he’s now in her past. The relatable track contemplates how she’ll always feel attached to what they had, but she’s no longer bitter about the fact that it ended.
Lillimure’s newly released self-titled debut album concludes with its ninth entry, ‘Something,’ which is another stunning single. She proves one last time what an emerging talent she is, and that she deserves to be heard and taken seriously. The tune effortlessly gives off vibes of vibrant musicianship and excellent artistic quality. Driven by a playful arrangement and contemplative lyrical content, the record’s second single proves how mature the musician is, as both a singer and songwriter.
Throughout the song, Lillimure admits that while she has tried to stay untouched by the world, she still seems to be losing herself. She also admits that she’s sorry there wasn’t more that she could do to continue loving the man she was with. She also declares that if either one of them finds the answers to how to successfully live, they’ll share what they found with everyone else.
Lillimure’s self-titled debut album powerfully represents different parts of her life, and is a reflective, relatable and timeless continuation of her musical and romantic journeys. The singer’s magnificent vocal range, which rivals such powerhouses as Jones, Corinne Rae Bailey and Amy Winehouse, and stunning lyrics openly follows her through her experiences, and creates an intimate vibe with her listeners. Combining hip-hop music’s fast-paced lyricism, folk music’s storytelling and soul music’s intimate vocals, Lillimure offers a new, personal sound, which will surely make her listeners laugh, cry and feel everything in between.
For more information on Lillimure, visit her official website, as well as her Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube pages.
