CULTURE EATERSean: How are you doing today and what’s one thing that made you smile?
Lilito: Haha! This is my first time smiling today. So that would be you who’s made me smile, and the only thing too. Thank you for asking! I’m in peace right now because I remembered who I was the other day. I’ve remembered me. Maybe it isn’t really me, but I’m happy and that’s the only thing “me” really needs to be.
Sean: You just released your debut album Happy Horse Lamp (which I love). With this being your debut were you writing for an album or did you have a collection of songs for an album.
Lilito: Thank you so dearly for loving Happy Horse Lamp. Well, first I was a girl writing songs on the piano. Whenever I was moved enough by life’s wildness, a song happened to me. I always wanted an album, but these songs were written all by accident. Happy Horse Lamp is made up of entirely separate songwriting occurrences, ranging all across the rainbow of feeling. But the answer is, in short, both.
Sean: Piggybacking off that last question: Are there any themes, lyrically, going on through out the album?
Lilito: Happy Horse Lamp is like a time capsule. There are no themes, but its songs live under Happy Horse Lamp, a land with an atmosphere like that of a planet. Happy Horse Lamp has kept me company every night for 6 years, on my nightstand. It’s a real lamp, in my room, who I refer to as a “she”. These days she often remains glowing for the whole night. A lot of the album was written near the dawning of my nightlife with Happy Horse Lamp, so this may create some defining feeling. But though defining, the feeling is whatever you feel, and whatever you want. It’s a type of light that warps and changes from song to song, and from person to person.
Sean: Who and what is the inspiration behind your whimsical song writing?
Lilito: Since I was a kid I knew what I wanted to make people feel. Using that awareness, I sculpted myself exactly how I wanted as my individuality developed. First I was more of a visual artist, so I thought my sound might feel the way that my drawings looked. I always loved elements in nature and the world, and a lot of Lilito’s sound is symbolic and kindred to these elements. But most of all, I am thankful to my parents who surrounded me with the most perfect storm of music that could ever musically sculpt my brain, ever since I was born. There’s also my favorite band of all time called Mew, who I unmistakably have learned everything I know from.
Sean: Do you have a dream collaboration you’d love to be a part of?
Lilito: I would love to collaborate with any of my favorite bands or artists. I don’t usually think about collaborating, but you made me think of this, the most ideal collaboration thinkable would be if Lilito collaborated with 1963 Bob Dylan. So I’ll try to make that happen.
Sean: Will we see a physical release of HHL?
Lilito: See this has got me pretty excited. Oh you’ll see, oh you’ll see. It’s only inside my brain at the moment. But you will see it, for sure.
Sean: Your father, Fred, is in quite well-known parts of the music industry. What have you learned from him and will we ever see a Fred/Lilito duo?
Lilito: My Pops is one of my favorite musical artists. His music shaped me, and he’s taught me everything there is about music, in every aspect. Sometimes my voice sounds like his and then I know it’s a good singing day. He doesn’t hear it, though. You can see me and my dad playing a Color Fred song if you search “The Color Fred hate to see you go Lilito” on YouTube. Amazing yay!
Sean: What song off Happy Horse Lamp would you say best encompasses the album’s sound?
Lilito: Sometimes I think Choo Choo Says Goodbye seems like all of Happy Horse Lamp combined. In color. It doesn’t even sound like the other songs, but maybe none of the songs sound like the other songs. Of course they kind of do because they’re all Lilito, but maybe there isn’t one correct answer to this because they’re all sort of, pretty distinct in sound maybe. If I were giving you your first Happy Horse Lamp song you’ve ever heard…… I’d give you Ding Dong Ditch because it has the most plays!!! MWUAHAHAHAHA! No. I’d give you Waning because it’s the first song. No. Do any song you’re most energetically pulled towards.
Sean: Now the first album is out what is next for Lilito?
Lilito: All I can say, is: More and more and more. There’s just gonna be more and more and more, and there’s nothing anyone can really do about it. Well, you’ll see new Lilito episodes, which, they will introduce every “Lilito Person” on Happy Horse Lamp, and that means every track on the album. Lilito People are Lilito songs, in the form of living beings- they are the songs. At the moment, Waning’s episode is on YouTube if you haven’t seen it. I hope to play shows soon, and I am always working on something new.
Sean: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Lilito: Yes, thank you so much to everyone for listening to Lilito. We embrace you on your visit, under the loving glow of Happy Horse Lamp, to come or to go as you please. You belong.
Sean: Thank you so much for spending your time with us.
Lilito: It has been my absolute pleasure, I’ve had the greatest fun. Thank you for the funnest of questions! All the peace and love from Lilito and Lilito songs, always.