In Conversation With #259 - Tilly Louise
Rising indie talent Tilly Louise shared her debut EP ‘Join the Club’ last month - packed to the brim with punchy guitar licks and passionate, personal observations of the world.
‘Join the Club’ was created in collaboration with a tight-knit community of people. From the EP cover artwork being designed by her mum to having help with production and recording from close friends, it is a project driven by Tilly and her team's trust and love for her artistry.
The four track EP features previously released singles “Join the Club”, “Make Me a Robot” and “Baggy T-shirt”, along with a fresh new track “Own Worst Critic”- a fun pop-leaning song, influenced by her self deprecating mentality but bouncing on an upbeat, elastic bass line.
Tilly took a moment to talk to us about how the EP came together.
Hey there Tilly - how are you? So your EP is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
Hey I’m good thank you! It feels like a massive sense of relief? For years I’ve been working on this with my friends so it’s kind of crazy that it’s all done.. I guess I’ve got to crack on with the next one now!
It is called ‘Join the Club’ - what is the meaning behind that?
The club in a sense is like my direct community? I have my ‘label’, the beautiful people club, which I release my own, my friends and songs I’ve produced/mixed on. I wrote the song prior to starting the label and I felt that the idea of this club of lovely people just sounded like a great time… so the label followed.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
The EP was recorded in various locations! My university, my friends' university, my house, my band mates' kitchen, my wardrobe in my bedroom… On one of the recording days, my friend Alicia helped me record the backing vocals for ‘Join The Club’. I told her I wanted it to sound like a big crowd so we were gonna do quite a lot of shouting. We were stood on the landing of my house, I was half way down the stairs and she was stood facing the microphone but she couldn’t quite get the timing right… I think we got it right on like take 15 or something and then my dog started barking while we were recording. So I kept it all in. My dog is a featured artist on my song.
What are the key themes and influences on the EP?
I feel a sense of community. The EP features all of my close friends on the tracks so immediately I get a warmth and comfort from the tracks. The influences range from the likes of Paramore right through to Caroline Polachek. I’ve incorporated a lo-fi ambient style to some tracks and then leaned into a more alternative pop-rock influence.
If the EP could be the soundtrack to any film - which one would it be and why?
I think it could be the soundtrack for the likes of The Breakfast Club. Not only does it have the word club in, but the story of complete strangers coming together and becoming friends throughout the movie, kind of encapsulates my EP or how I’d imagine things to go down during one of my shows. Each character has their own story and personality, which you learn about during the film. I think my songs would fit in quite well and help aid the story line.
Do you have a favourite lyric on the EP - if so, which one and why?
I think it would have to be “I’ll be alright, just not tonight, cause you had my heart held so tight. Why would anyone choose to love a girl who will never be enough?” When I first wrote the song the lyrics came from a really low place and as time has passed on, I’ve grown so much since writing it. It still hits my feelings super hard, but I kind of hear it from a 3rd person perspective now.
Now the EP is out there - what next?
The plan is to get in the studio with the gang and work on the next one now! With a few more singles in the mix. I really want to make some fun music videos for this next one as well.
