Today we’d like to introduce you to Willa Lucille.

Hi Willa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

My name is Willa Lucille. I am a 21 year old singer-songwriter originally from Nebraska. Right now, I live on the road with my partner, Colin. I’m traveling in a converted short school bus, playing my songs wherever I can. Music solidified its importance to me early in my life. It is a way to convey and communicate my emotions when I truly would have no other way to grasp them. I started dreaming up lyrics and melodies when I was a child. Always introspective, always creating, always with her head somewhere else. I’m sure there are some entertaining – albeit embarrassing – videos of 8 year old Willa’s original songs somewhere on the Cloud.

My dad is a public school string orchestra and guitar teacher, and before my mom was a business owner, she was a classically trained opera singer, so I grew up around music. Unfortunately, for most of my life I was far too stubborn to let them help me improve at all. Still, I have many fond memories of late night jams with my dad and musical theatre sing-a-longs with my mom.

I started really taking music seriously in high school. I was able to work out a deal with my parents to afford some voice lessons, and I spent countless hours learning classical and music theatre repertoire. Now, I have shifted my focus to my main love, songwriting. I attempt to weave my classical training into my songs, always challenging myself to create more interesting melodies. I write lyrics about the sublime, the intimacy of everyday life, my relationships, sometimes just a story a friend tells me. My sound has a heavy folk influence intermixed with some jazz characteristics. I am inspired by artists such as John Prine, Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlile, Adrienne Lenker, and Rebecca Sugar.

Now, with the rapid advancement of AI, the monopoly of huge record labels, and constant overproduction, I can’t help but think music has lost its humanity. I love performing live, and I truly believe it is the best way to really HEAR an artist. I am always committed to a personal performance, I love to connect with the listener whether I am in a coffeeshop, at a bar, in a listening room, or on a stage. Right now, I am in the process of learning to record and produce my music in hopes to upload more of my work, but my main love will always be a live show.

I am currently incredibly inspired by the road. Each new place I travel hosts a world of stories and tales to be told. Not only that, but the nomadic community is full of incredibly talented artists that I am privileged to be able to observe.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Of course yes, there has been a long list of struggles along the way. Motivation, dedication, self-worth, perseverance, rejection after rejection. Those are a few challenges that come to mind.

Most recently I am struggling with burn-out over social media. It is now easier and simultaneously harder than ever to build a following online, yet it seems quintessential to a successful music career. I personally do not have a large social media following, but I have definitely tried! There is a lot of frustration and self doubt that comes with that for sure.

My passions for music lay in the writing, playing, and performing. Not trying to cut my songs down into digestible 15 second clips. It can be discouraging to look through your analytics and not get the results you want, to wonder why people don’t want to listen, to ask “am I just not good enough?”.

So, next time you see an artist with just a couple hundred views on your TikTok, I challenge you to stick around and watch the video. You might find a hidden gem!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I am a fulltime nomadic singer-songwriter! That means I travel across the country, playing music wherever I can. Galleries, coffee shops, bars, wineries, performance spaces, houses, events, whatever you can think of! I accompany myself on the guitar, playing indie-folk inspired songs that I have written as well as some beloved covers.

I specialize in my original work, and I have an affinity for songwriting. It’s like a journal to me, especially in these last few months on the road. I have found it a perfect way to process the experiences I’m having. Each new place, new person, new conversation serves as a burst of inspiration for me. There are many nights when we return to the bus and I rush to grab my guitar.

I would say I am known for my voice and ethereal sound. I spent years receiving classical training, and I think that offers a fresh, interesting sound to my music. I try to bring as much of that training into my performances as possible, and I always have a fun time honing in on my melismas, tone, or dynamics. I think the voice is (obviously) such an important musical tool, but not always in the way that others think. It can offer so much more than a melody. The voice is texture, it is emotion, it is story, it is a gateway to the soul.

I am most proud of my songwriting ability, and the amount that I have grown in the past few years. It is incredibly rewarding to listen back to your own work from a year or two ago and hear massive improvements. I hope to never stop challenging myself to write better music, and to be a better musician.

I am extremely fortunate to be able to say this, but I believe my drive sets me apart from others. I am always learning something new in order to improve and grow. That could be production, social media, mastering, a new instrument. I am driven to make music work for me.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?

You can work with, collaborate with, or support me by following along with my journey online! If I’m in your area, come out and listen! I am lucky to not be restricted to one area of the country, and chances are, I’d be happy to drive a while to work with you. One of my goals for 2025 is to write with other musicians. I have been missing that collaboration these past years.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out about collaborating, booking, or any questions!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://willarauch.my.canva.site/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/willa.lucille?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willalucillemusic?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@willalucille
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1b40inRNE1yYkwSCf1gini?si=JzVI9Qq1TeyRHZnaUKwh4w

Image Credits

J W Cooper Photography

Third Eye Feelings Photography