With a captivating vocal range and unwavering confidence in her own songwriting abilities, Brooklyn-raised Chloe Lilac is an indie-pop sensation in the making with her musical talents capturing the attention of some of the biggest names across the industry.
Known for her DIY approach to music brimming with a hopeful future, Chloe Lilac released her debut project Manic Pixie Dream in 2019. Met with praise from fans alike, it holstered some of her strongest records to date including “Summer” and “Jesus Couldn’t Love Me” amongst others. Fast forward to 2021, she released her when i feel better EP hot on the heels of widely acclaimed records like “19” and “10 things,” which have since then collectively amassed millions of global streams. Over the course of her career, Chloe has become a beacon of strength and a model for young women and her fellow peers.
Now, Chloe Lilac returns with her new mixtape aptly titled you were good to me. Comprised of four songs, the eagerly-awaited project glides seamlessly among pop-punk stylings, bedroom pop instrumentals, and razor-sharp lyricism. It contains pre-release singles and fan favorites such as “last week” and “how does your girlfriend feel about it” alongside two never-heard-before cuts like “lily’s backyard.” Speaking on the release, Lilac tells us, “This mixtape is all about losing the people you love most. Whether that’s losing a best friend, losing a romantic partner, or losing yourself.”
In our latest interview installment, we spoke with the songstress about her latest project, being on tour with Pom Pom Squad, and exploring her sound. Read on for our full conversation.
Hi Chloe! How’s this year been treating you thus far?
This year’s been amazing!! I’ve been putting out a lot of new music and I’m actually on tour with Pom Pom Squad right now!
What was the development process like for the you were good to me mixtape coming off the heels of when i feel better? What are some things you learned about yourself as an artist along the way?
I think the difference between When I Feel Better versus You Were Good To Me is I’ve really found my sound. I’m trying to lean into rock music, I did the album art myself which is something I’ve always really loved doing. I feel really connected to all the songs, I’ve made most of them in the last 7 months. I just feel like generally it’s a more cohesive project and feels a lot more like me. I learned that it’s so important to me as an artist to be as involved as possible in not only the sonic side of things but also the visual side.
“lily’s backyard,” the opening cut for the project, almost instantly sets the tone for this listening experience. Take us back to the moment that inspired the record and your approach to turning emotions and encounters into songs?
“Lily’s Backyard” is probably my favorite song I’ve made so far. I made it in my first session since lockdown with Martin Wave, who produces a lot of my music, and Dani Poppitt. We started the session listening to “The Sweater Song” by Weezer and “Violet” by Hole. Two of my favorite songs of all time. I’ve always wanted to make music like that.
It was about a situation that I’d been wanting to write about for a while, but couldn’t find the words. Dani helped so much with that. I feel like the song says so much in very few words. Martin started playing the riff as a joke, but we all really loved it and just went with it. It came together super fast. I had laryngitis that day too which was perfect for the song.
Beyond that, what was your most gratifying feeling with the you were good to me mixtape so far?
I think the most gratifying feeling about this mixtape is being able to listen to it all the way through and really feel proud of the work I’m putting out. Not to say I’m not proud of my other projects, but I didn’t really know what I wanted my music to sound like before. My ultimate goal is to make music I would listen to if someone else had made it. I really feel like I’ve accomplished that with this project. All the songs are very personal, so I made the mixtape art in my personal journal and scanned it.
Out of curiosity, if the project were to serve as the soundtrack for a movie or television series, where do you think it’d fit best and why?
I think all of the tracks in You Were Good To Me would be good in Euphoria, especially how does your girlfriend feel about it.
For many artists, including yourself, this is actually the first time people have truly been able to hit the road and go on tours across the world. What do you love most about performing and are there any songs you’re excited to perform?
It feels so great to be back on the road. The song I love to perform is Lily’s Backyard. There’s a lot of room for me to dance around during the chorus, it’s such a fun song and it really grabs people’s attention.
As you are exploring yourself, your sound, and your persona through this mixtape and chapter in your career—who is Chloe Lilac in this current moment, and who do you hope to grow into in the future?
I feel like I’m really growing into myself as an artist. For the first time, I feel proud and confident in all my songs. Feeling proud of myself and my work hasn’t been easy for me, so the fact that I am now is a huge step forward, it just makes the music better and my live show. I hope I continue to grow into a more confident, passionate individual and get to a point where I can just fully express myself without worrying about anything else.
In other music news, Kaash Paige is back with her first official single since her 2020 debut album Teenage Fever.
Published by Malcolm Trapp
