Best described by the duo themselves, Black Lilys latest single, “New Era”, acts as a “warlike call” where they beckon in the tough times and dare them to try and break them. Defeating their demons with an angsty soundscape that prickles every goose bump, the rise and fall of the single signifies Black Lilys’ adventure towards a “New Era” — where new beginnings wait for them alongside pounding taikos and adoring fans. Equipped with an all-consuming power, “New Era” shakes its listeners to the very core, leaving them with a taste of epic self-assurance.
Serving as another offering for the brother-sister duo’s forthcoming album, Black Lilys impart, “Our first album Boxes taught us to reveal our own flaws and I think this album, New Era, lets the light shine through. The last few years were very challenging in many ways. The more we learn about the world we live in, the angrier we get, and on the other hand, the more fascinated and amazed we are. Every crisis carries with it a chance for creative forces to build new paths and to reinvent the world. It may be your own personal crisis or a global crisis. Where despair grows, hope grows. Like fresh spring after an endless winter, a new era is upon us whether we like it or not. This is what our album is about. New Era is not aiming for the best of worlds.”
Slated for release on October 14th, it is safe to say that all of us at Wonderland are counting down the days for the duo’s “New Era”. Until then, however, you can stream the single now and read our exclusive interview with them by heading below…
Hey Black Lilys! How are you feeling today?
Feeling wonderful, we’re excited to be back on tour again. The first gig of our tour was yesterday, in Budapest. It was great.
Where are we speaking to you from?
Right now, we are on our way to Bratislava on a train. There’s something very soothing and inspiring about travelling by train. We actually wrote many of our lyrics during train journeys.
First of all, can you speak to us about the origins of your band’s name?
We wanted a name that would reflect both aspects of our music, both the dark and bright side of it. ‘Lilys’ is a dedication to our mum. Her favourite flower was the lily. We started to write songs a few months after she passed away. Unconsciously, we wanted to carry her along in our music. From a dark period of our life, this project was born, which then later became our work, giving us the opportunity to live our dream every day. It’s pretty cool.
Congratulations on “New Era”, both the single and the album of the same name! Aptly titled, as with your sophomore release you are indeed entering a new era! What does the title mean to you?
Thank you. The last few years were challenging for the world, there was a lot to talk about. The single and also the album is about being sensitive human souls, dealing with our own struggles in a world constantly shaken by its own battles. Every crisis, whether it’s personal or global, is a chance to transit toward something better. Where despair grows, hope grows.
Speaking of eras, if you could pick a musical era to get stuck in forever more, what would it be?
Good question! Well, we wouldn’t mind getting stuck between the 60s and 70s, especially in the UK. Just imagine going to see many live concerts of Cat Stevens, The Beatles, Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel… These and many other artists of this area influenced our taste in music, thanks to our parents.
You show your ethereal, unique vocal abilities on “New Era”. Can you tell us about your journey as vocalists and artists and how you learned to use your talents so well?
Indeed it’s important to follow a very strict diet. As French musicians, we eat at least one snail a day. Just kidding, Cam is vegetarian. More seriously, the voice is a magical and very intimate instrument. Touring forced me to take care of myself, as my voice is connected to my emotions and lifestyle. My tricks are herbal teas, warm-ups and sleep. I feel like an old spirit trapped in a young body, I like it. The song “New Era” is very satisfying to sing, and the arrangement is very powerful. I become a warrior, ready to lead to battle when I am on stage.
How do you find entering the music industry as siblings? Is it ever challenging navigating things like creative differences, as brother and sister?
Being siblings has been a real strength. We can rely on each other, which creates a healthy balance that is very needed when your passion also becomes your work. On top of being brother and sister, we’re also best friends, we learnt a lot about each other through music. In terms of creativity, it’s very interesting, because our differences are very complementary. However, the vision we have for BLACK LILYS, is surprisingly the same, even after many years of working together. As well as the visual artwork or video clips, which we now direct together.
You grew up in Lyon. How do you think your roots have informed your artistry?
Actually, we were born in the south of France, grew up in Brittany by the ocean and moved to Lyon as teenagers. Lyon is the city of our first gigs, it’s where Black Lilys was born, in our dad’s basement. Being close to the Alps influenced our songwriting a lot. I don’t know if you’ve been there before, but the mountains are very imposing, they make you feel tiny and silence your mind. In this environment, it’s easy to listen to our own echoes and songs can come to life.
You’re performing in London in November at The Grace, for your first headline show. Tell us how you’re feeling about that gig!
It’s a dream come true. Come on, our first HEADLINE show in London! That sounds unreal. We’re very grateful for that. We’ve been influenced a lot by British music, we really wish to play more in the UK.
If there was one thing you think listeners might not expect from your new album, what would it be?
There are two things, first, one of our songs is half french while the whole album is in English. It’s the first time we sing in our mother tongue. The song is called “Féroce” (Fierce in English). And second, it is truly a European album as it was written by us in Scotland, recorded in the French Alps, and mixed in Norway by Odd Martin, also known for his work with Aurora and Sigrid. An album born between different mountains.
What would you ultimately love people to take away from the project?
The world is spinning faster and faster nowadays, it’s not easy to be a sensitive human at this infernal rate. We would like people to feel more hopeful after listening to our album and we wish it can become their safe space.