Following the release of her new single “Forgiveness”, we caught up with the French-American singer and producer Lyli J to learn more about her artistry and influences over the years.
– Can you tell us a bit about your musical background and how you got started in music?
I started classical piano lessons at age 5, because my parents noticed I had a musical ear. After also learning cello and guitar, I discovered trip hop and electronica, and started writing my own songs in high school. At university in Montreal I discovered the techno scene and started learning how to produce on Ableton and mixing tracks, back in 2010. I decided to sharpen my skills by enrolling in a sound engineering school in Paris, which is where I eventually found a sound design internship at Arturia – that’s where I currently work as head of sound design.
– Who are some of your biggest musical influences, both past and present?
When I was young (teens) I had a big nu-metal and then metal phase, Opeth was and still is my favorite metal band. Folk music and ancient music in general (Native American, Northern European) have a strong influence on the atmosphere and mood in my sound today. Electronica artists like Tycho and Lusine had a profound impact on my production style in the last years, and I’ve been a huge fan of Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin’s ambient works for a long time. Lately I’ve been listening to ‘Deep Breakfast Series’ on Soundcloud, an Italian series that features long mixes by ambient / downtempo artists. It’s really inspiring and I hope I can make a mix for them sometime. I also re-listened to Carbon Based Lifeforms’ classic album “Interloper” recently and would love to go more into this direction.
– What’s the story behind your latest track “Forgiveness”? Especially its unique structure?
This is a fully cathartic piece for me – every time I re-listen to it it’s like I’m experiencing some form of emotional release from past events in my life. The break and change in BPM in the middle, accompanied by a breath and exhale, symbolizes this process of grief and letting go, in order to move forward with a new-found energy and freedom.
– Could you share any memorable moments or experiences that have shaped your musical journey so far?
I had a lot of anger when I was younger due to frequent moves that my family went through, due to my father’s job at the time. The energy from this rage really fueled my need for making music. Now that I’ve gone through significant healing and am at peace with where I am in life, music is just my deepest way of expressing myself, and is fueled by things like falling in love, meeting someone new, going on a beautiful hike.. appreciating and truly seeing the beauty everywhere. That’s what it’s about for me now.
– Have you faced any challenges or obstacles as a female musician, and if so, how have you overcome them?
I’ve had some negative experiences working in live sound as an intern in my 20’s, sometimes the vibe was pretty rough and unwelcoming to women. I have heard many stories as part of the “Soundgirls.org” community (which is incredible, by the way!) but I feel very fortunate to be in a niche in the industry – sound design at Arturia – where so far, I have experienced nothing but respect, support, and recognition from my peers. The only negative experiences come from haters online who don’t even know me! There are some pretty creepy comments on YouTube videos sometimes.
– How do you hope your music will resonate with your audience, especially with other aspiring female musicians?
I want my music to inspire others to be bold in their authenticity! Being yourself and not worrying about codes and conventions, expressing yourself without limits. I hope that I can serve as an example to aspiring female artists and sound designers that they absolutely can achieve what they desire, if it’s their passion, and that imposter syndrome is only temporary, if they were to suffer from it for a while (which I did). With years of experience and grit comes true confidence!