Lilithu‘s debut single “Foolish” has sparked a wave of anticipation in Brooklyn’s music scene, blending genres and storytelling into a compelling narrative. Emerging from a background fueled by her passion for DJ-ing and a deep-seated love for bass music, Lilithu‘s journey into music creation was galvanized by personal struggles and pivotal moments. Inspired by figures like Doja Cat and driven by a desire to confront themes of mental health and self-discovery, her collaboration with djburnout420 on “Foolish” marks a significant step in her artistic evolution. As she prepares to unveil her debut album, The Book of Lilith, Lilithu shares insights into her influences, creative process, and the transformative power of music in her life.
Q: Lilithu, your debut single “Foolish” has just been released. Can you tell us about the journey leading up to this moment?
A: Yes! I started DJing about 3 years ago. I was always the person at the party that wanted the aux, and I always felt like I did a good job. Then a couple of my friends started DJ-ing over the pandemic, and one of them, Justine, encouraged me to start doing it. I really enjoyed it and just wanted to go deeper and deeper with the music creation process. I was always thinking of songs that I really wanted to hear, but those didn’t exist, or lyrically, I couldn’t find anyone talking about the things I was going through. So I just randomly signed up for a class at 343 Labs, and it ended up being taught by Great Dane, who is a bass artist here in Brooklyn. My first year of college was 2014, and that was like THE ERA of trap, Skrillex and bass. My first EDM concert was at Flux Pavillion in Gainesville, Florida. So it was just really lucky that he was my teacher and I was able to click with the music so much.
Q: The lyrics of “Foolish” touch on personal battles with mental health and repeated mistakes. Can you delve into the personal experiences that shaped this song?
A: After my roommate, Lilly, took her own life, I had to be really honest with myself about the path I was going down and whether or not it would ultimately lead me to the same fate. I’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts since college, and they have waxed and waned over the years, depending on my environment. When Lilly passed, I was caught up with a couple toxic friend groups and party environments that were making things worse, so I had to be really honest with myself about cutting those off and taking care of myself and my own mental health.
To be specific, I was repeatedly giving in to the same temptations in the nightlife scene. Also just getting into these weird platonic co-dependent relationships with older men and expecting them to give me purpose in life and then being disappointed when they (obviously) didn’t. My therapist and I worked that out, though. So things are improving on that front.
Q: How did the collaboration with djburnout420 come about, and what was it like working together on this track?
A: So this whole project came about serendipitously. I was actually considering giving up on my musical aspirations. The whole suicide was traumatizing, and Lilly was also a DJ. I was also really buying into this Instagram/TikTok DJ hustle culture, so I needed a break. Anyways, I was trying not to make too many impulsive decisions at that time, so I set an event in my calendar to sell my DJ equipment in 9 months.
Well, a week before that weekend came (end of March), I went to a music festival with two of my musician friends (djburnout420 & Aezon) and we had such an amazing time. I really felt like the timing was so perfect, and the album idea came to me on the car ride home. I told Ryan (djburnout420) about the idea, and he was down to work on it. I have two tracks with both him and Aezon on the album and he co-produced the whole album with me. Working with him on this track (and the album) was amazing. He is a great guitarist, plus a meticulous and detail oriented producer. I’m quite the opposite, very big picture. So we make an amazing team. He is also a great teacher and is always looking for clients!
Q: Are there any artists or songs that influenced “Foolish” that might surprise your fans?
A: I was really in my Doja Cat Era when I started working on this, and I think her recent rebrand really inspired me. I think some of the voice intonations I do in this track (and in different tracks on the album) are inspired by her. Other than that, when we were working on it, we watched Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I think the vibes translate.
Q: How did your friends and family react when they first heard “Foolish”?
A: I think everyone was really happy and surprised when they heard it. Multiple people said, “Oh this is actually … good?”. I’m like, thanks for believing in me!
My dad’s reaction was cute. He was all concerned like, “but you aren’t thinking about killing yourself now … right?”.
Q: What was it like growing up in Orlando, and how did your environment shape your musical tastes and aspirations?
A: I think Florida is such a mixed bag culturally that you get exposed to so many different genres. There’s a lot of EDM, reggaeton, country, and beach music. I think these vibes are all present in the album. Also, Floridians like to have fun. You don’t move to Florida to be sad. So even though this album addresses some pretty dark topics, I didn’t want the whole thing to be depressing. I wanted some tracks that you could play at a house party or a club and dance to.
Q: Besides the mythological figure of Lilith, are there any other mythological or historical figures that inspire your music and artistry?
A: Anything that really communicates stories about female rage. I’m really into Artemisia Gentileschi right now; she’s a 17th century painter. But I also think the stuff that Megan Thee Stallion is putting out is similarly groundbreaking. Her lyrics are just so savage. It’s challenging to rely on mythological / historical characters that are empowering to women just because most of their stories are written by men. Look at the story of Lilith. So she denied Adam, and now all of a sudden she’s a cursed witch who slept with Satan? This just sounds like a rumour to me. Also, apparently, she has 100 babies a day that die, and they are all demons? I mean, this is truly a story that only a man could fabricate. It has NO basis in the factual limitations of female anatomy!
Q: What’s one thing you always have to have with you in the studio?
A: Weed lol. But for real, I would say just 0 expectations. So I took 6 weeks off work to work on this album, and when I started, I put a lot of pressure on myself to have an album by the end of it. Then, about 3 days in, I realised I wasn’t going to finish it if I was just stressed the whole time. So I really had to remind myself that, in the end, if the album didn’t emerge, then it wasn’t really meant to be. This helped tremendously. I don’t think I would have finished without this realisation.
Q: Can you give us a sneak peek into what’s next for you after “Foolish”?
A: So I have two-three more singles coming out this summer. Then the album, The Book of Lilith, is set to release on the first day of fall, September 22nd.
As Lilithu prepares to launch her debut album, The Book of Lilith, her fearless approach to music promises to resonate deeply with listeners. Stay tuned for more of her genre-defying sounds and powerful narratives as she continues to carve her path in the music industry.
