Introducing #149 - Lila Tristram
Let us introduce you to East London’s Lila Tristram, who has just released her new single ‘Our Friends’. Ticking all the right boxes with an alternative folk sound, while also putting her own unique delicate spin on it to create something beautiful every time with each new song. She took a moment to talk to us about her music.
Hey Lila, how are you?
Hey! I’m doing pretty well thanks. Of course things have been really up and down recently, but I’m focusing on some new exciting collaborations so I’m feeling positive.
So your track ‘Our Friends’ is out now, can you tell us what the track is about?
For me this song kind of expresses how we can never be what others want us to be. I was trying to expand on the idea that people are too complex to ever meet the needs of others, no matter how much love we have or how much we try. I guess it’s kind of devastating, but there’s also relief in having expectations lifted. Also it’s comforting to think that in spite of this we still manage to have really close and harmonious relationships. I don’t know, haha. These are the kinds of things my mind ends up mulling over while I’m writing..
This is the first track since your EP came out in March, are we hearing the start of EP number two?
Yes! Our Friends is the title track of the project, and marks the beginning of the second EP release!!
Where are you based? What do you like to do for fun there?
I’m based in East London. I was born here and then we moved out to the countryside when I was a kid. I think I always knew that I’d return to the city one day, and it’s such an amazing and vibrant place. Plus the music scene here is insane. Normally I go to some kind of gig or music event pretty much every day of the week. I work at the Green Note in Camden so I’m lucky to get to see a lot of live music there. That’s one thing I’ve really been missing over lockdown. Hopefully things can get back to normal in the nearish future.
How would you describe your music?
If I had to genre the music I’ve released so far, I’d probably go with contemporary singer-songwriter. I draw influence from loads of different artists though, from the classic folk revival artists like Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, to modern songwriters like Sufjan Stevens and Aldous Harding, to bands like Radiohead, Sun Kil Moon and Big Thief.
What next?
The stuff I’ve been writing recently has much more of a band feel to it, dipping into different genres and generally experimenting and developing my sound. As soon as lockdown’s over I’ll be looking to get a band together to get some of this material down! Also I’m hoping to be able to gig the releases I’ve put out as soon as venues are back open..!