Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lila Holler. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lila , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I always knew that music was something I wanted to pursue. Music has always been something that I do because I need to. It’s a form of self care and essentially the key to reflection and the way I process my emotions. I have been writing songs pretty much since I could talk but when I was about 15 I started taking songwriting seriously. I wrote about other people’s experiences before I began telling my own stories.  I was scared of the vulnerability that comes with writing deeply personal and honest songs, but it’s something that I grew into. When I started releasing and sharing my music I saw how people could connect to my experiences and I think that is what keeps me going more than anything else.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Lila Holler and I am a singer/songwriter. I’m 18 years old and currently split my time between the US and the UK, where I study songwriting at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. I was raised in California for the majority of my childhood, and was always finding ways to get out and perform. I started performing in musical theater when I was 8 years old and discovered that I had a great love for singing and performance. Then as a young teenager I learned to play a few instruments loosely, as I am self taught. I began writing and playing songs on the ukulele and then learned a bit of guitar and really started gravitating towards that. I landed at a performing arts boarding school for my last two years of high school called Interlochen Arts Academy as a songwriting major. It was there, with the support of my parents, teachers, and peers that I really began to think this is something I could do professionally. After a year at Interlochen I was awarded a few incredible opportunities that helped me grow as a songwriter.  I was able to attend the Grammy Foundation’s Grammy Camp in Los Angeles and New York University’s Songwriters Workshop. I also got to help out with a few dates on the Claud Supermonster Tour and perform on Interlochen Public Radio.  I focused on writing things that felt truthful and honest and ended up releasing my first EP “Worth it Soon” in August of 2023. Now I am working on my second EP with my fantastic producer Jessica Taylor.  My next single “Headache” will be out on all streaming services on May 10th and will have a music video directed by the talented Xander Hemmings.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of being an artist is seeing people connect with my stories. I write and release songs about my personal life, and have found so much comfort and pride in seeing how people connect with my music. I honestly can’t believe it is something that I get to do. It is such a privilege to hear people’s stories and I get so excited when someone tells me they were able to find a part of themselves in my music. Sometimes I write songs because I need to hear the messages, so to know they are also helping other people is really special to me.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn the idea that other people’s success means the absence of my own. I think creative people can often sit in feelings of jealousy for one another and it creates unhealthy comparisons. It is sometimes hard to be truly happy for someone when you see that they have accomplished exactly what you want.  But everyone’s journey is different. There isn’t one road to success so you have to be able to define it for yourself. Momentum feels good momentarily, but there is a lot of beauty and growth in the stillness of life. I think it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters when you start comparing yourself to other creatives. It is certainly something I have struggled with and am working towards healing every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lilaholler.bandzoogle.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilahollermusic/
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/c/LilaHoller
• Other: https://linktr.ee/lilahollermusic

Image Credits
Credits to: Emma Mizewski @emmmiski on Instagram , and @shotbymaw on Instagram