JILIAAN – Lonely (2025)
Haunting and intimate, singer-songwriter JILIAAN draws on the sincerity of classical piano woven with modern-day pop sensibilities. Offering not necessarily a ground-breaking stance to pop music, but certainly an insightful verge of Adele-esque pop, JILIAAN is the singer-songwriter who breaks your heart while holding your hand. Hailing from Germany, and currently residing in Berlin, but with influences from her time in the UK, JILIAAN’s music embraces cultural diversity, personal experiences, and intimate moments with charming flair. The latest addition to her discography is the single, ‘Lonely’.
Following her well-received single ‘Love Like A Movie’, ‘Lonely’ is one of those vibrant songs that capture you, hold your hand, and need to be experienced instead of just heard. In an acoustic-inspired single, JILIAAN leads you through a wistful sonic forest. Yet, as the forest seems calm and serene, it is more tumultuous and sinister than one might imagine. For me, her classical piano weaves about you in charming elegance, but dark figures peek from behind the trees as haunting strings linger in the melody.
All in all, the melody is a heart-breaking, heart-aching, soul-stirring tug of moving music leaving you gasping for breath. I find it intriguing that the structured symphony teeters along tumultuous obscurity presenting confident precision in whimsical haziness. For me, however, it is JILIAAN’s vocals that add weightiness and depth to a sparse, barebones soundscape.
Almost like a siren, JILIAAN’s voice oozes serene sincerity but also brings vulnerable tragedy in its bold tone. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the delicate theme locked in a fragile yet confident sonic wrapper. Exploring the complexities of relationships, ‘Lonely’ “…stems from a pivotal moment in JILIAAN’s life when her brother, once her closest confidante, abruptly severed times… ‘Lonely’ serves as a poignant debut…encapsulating the emotional depth and introspection that define her artistry.”
Above I mentioned that JILIAAN’s sound is not necessarily ground-breaking but a meander of modern-day pop. Can I retrack? Reminiscences of Adele and Sam Smith exist, but there is more emotional depth in JILIAAN’s weaving of classical and contemporary, delicate but confident, intricate but obscure – a sound that is intoxicating and makes JILIAAN an intriguing emerging talent.
In addition to the single, JILIAAN released a lyric video for ‘Lonely’. You can view the video below or on her YouTube channel.
Find out more about JILIAAN on her Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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