Lila Holler – Not Mad (2024)
In an ever-growing community of folk-pop artists, Lila Holler is a welcome addition. Joining the ranks of Phoebe Bridges and her boy genius band mates, Lucy Dracus and Julien Baker, is no mean feat but one the US-based songstress seems destined to achieve with her punchy vocals layered over her wonderfully structured guitar. In her new single ‘Not Mad’, Holler showcases this sound perfectly.
In an intriguing style, ‘Not Mad’ seems like it has been lifted straight from the mind of someone daydreaming on a warm summer’s day trying to make sense of all the incredible feelings a new relationship can bring. The lyrics, “He makes fun of me for all the little cute things that I love and try to bite back twice as hard/ We laugh and talk in circles until we turn the big light on” really resonates with me. I think it encapsulates the beautiful whimsy a new relationship holds and something we should all keep hold of. This poetic lyricism is a great example of how Holler’s songwriting uses storytelling to deliver meaning in such an intentional way.
Being a massive fan of folk and Americana, spending the last 20 years listening to everything from Bright Eyes to Kimya Dawson, I cannot stress how impressed I am with Lila Holler’s work so far. After hearing ‘Not Mad’ I did my usual due diligence and travelled back through her previous work, which I can attest is worth the time. For me this is the kind of music I must see live, sadly upon investigation I can’t find any upcoming shows. With Holler splitting her time between her hometown Liverpool and the family in the US, I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any UK shows. Until then, I wait with great anticipation for her upcoming album from which this blissful indie-pop track was taken.
Find out more about Lila Holler on her official website, Instagram and Spotify.
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