Kent-based teen artist Lily Madison releases new single ‘This Is It’ on 14th August, a track steeped in the melancholic warmth of 90s female-fronted soft rock.
Drawing on the influence of The Sundays, The Cranberries and Fleetwood Mac, ‘This Is It’ captures a moment of quiet courage: the decision to take an emotional risk despite not knowing how it might end. The title itself holds two meanings at once, either everything working out exactly as hoped, or the fear of losing something precious in the attempt.
“It means trying to become a risk taker after being scared of the unknown and the uncertain”
Built around guitars, bass, drums and tambourine, the track began life as a way of building up the nerve to be honest with a friend, before the songwriting fell into place around it. Madison studied the chord work of The Sundays closely while shaping the track’s own melodic identity, resulting in something that sits comfortably alongside acts like Bleech 9:3, Smashing Pumpkins and the softer, more melodic side of Hole, think ‘Petals’, ‘Doll Parts’ and ‘Miss World’.
Having grown up immersed in the local gig scene, Madison cites the close-knit community around it as central to her musical development, describing a want to be fully honest and vulnerable in the work so others can connect with it in their own way. ‘This Is It’ marks the latest step in that direction, with further releases planned over the coming months.
Live show: The Ship Inn, Gillingham, on 1st August.
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