Bio
Influenced by melodies of her multicultural upbringing, the New York-based artist draws from introspective lyricism and pulsing grooves for when you want to run away and find yourself at the same time. Lillimure’s genre-bending sound can be described as pop with a heavy sensibility to musicianship influenced by sounds from R&B, jazz, and folk to the likes of John Mayer, Tom Misch, and Emily King. Starting as a crowdfunding campaign in February 2022, Lillimure’s latest single and video “Selfish” is a contemporary reimagining of Old Hollywood, drawing inspiration from actors like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Following her August release “So Far,” “Selfish” continues in that groovy R&b vein, with silky flutes glazing the rhythmic arrangement. She hopes “Selfish” gives her listeners the courage to go for what they want, and is very excited to continue sharing her work debuting as a producer
“They say everything happens for a reason, I don’t know if I believe it, but at least it’s something to hold on to,” sings the audience at the end of every Lillimure show. Upon further thought, this catchy little phrase has become a testament of resilience, and adaptability throughout the young artists’ life. Lillimure began songwriting at the age of 8, but it wasn’t until a gymnastics-induced wrist injury at 14 that began her journey as a songwriter with her first single “Summer Blues.”(2017) She went on to study at a college-prep conservatory during high school, and then onto Berklee College of Music, SUNY Purchase Conservatory, and ultimately earning her degree from New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Many of the songs in her upcoming body of work surround the emotions of knowing people and places for a brief period of time, and keeping those memories close as the pages turn.
In 2019 Lillimure released her self-titled album with co-producer Jake Lasz. The lush arrangements, pop melodies, and soulful vocals have made their way to many stages including the New York Botanical Garden’s Spring Uncorked Festival and the Pleasantville Music Festival. The 9 song album spans across a wide range of sounds from bossa nova, folk, and funk wrapped in old-school pop aesthetics. The album has been reviewed by For Folk’s Sake as “soul’s answer to Joni Mitchell.”
Coming from a background of musical theatre, she has a keen sensibility to arrangements and connecting sound to performance. In November 2020, she released a music video of her song “Something” including the collaborative work of peers she grew up performing with. Toggling with the emotions around the current social climate, her and director Manuela Muniz created a story telling of the personal tribulations coming of age entails with choreography by Charlotte Athanasidy. In April of 2021 the film received an award for Best Music Video at the NYU Tisch School of the Art’s Fusion Film Festival.
Recently, Lillimure has been performing with her band consisting of JJ Allen, Sam Everett, and Clemens Grassmann. They recently recorded and submitted for NPR's 2023 Tiny Desk Contest, with guest vocalists Jackson Craig, and Wayne Wilson. Be sure to sign up for the email list to know when the group is playing next!
