Blending groovy funk and indie-pop, 18-year-old Perth-based artist Sophie Lilah unveils her new single 'Dreamland' on May 10. With her dark, retro twist on indie-pop, Sophie combines authentic and sweet vocals with a distinctive lyrical flow. 'Dreamland' features a steady foundation of dark bass, ethereal vocals, and grounded drums, creating a genre-bending evolution. The track tells a poignant story of fantasy, desperation, and yearning, showcasing Sophie’s deeply personal and meditative style. We caught up with Sophie to find out more.

Can you tell us what this track means to you and what you want people to take away from it?

I wrote Dreamland at a time when I was really struggling with my self-worth. I felt like I wasn’t good enough for a certain person and a glamorous lifestyle I associated with them. From a place of hopelessness, this song captures fantasising about having your dream life and wishing to be enough. I hope that Dreamland can remind people that anything is possible, and that you are always worthy of love and happiness regardless of materialism and success.

Who are some your influences, and why?

My main influence I would say is Clairo, who has been my favourite artist since I was about twelve. I love the vulnerability of her lyrics which make her songs so relatable, I try to be as revealing and vulnerable in my songwriting. I am also inspired by the originality and creativity of Alt-J, who create such beautifully textured and interesting music. The lyrics of Alt-J songs are so strange, yet tell stories effectively, which I hope to incorporate with my music in the future.

What's the creative process for you, from writing through to recording?

My best songs, I find, are created randomly when I have some unexpressed emotions. For example, I started writing Dreamland while I was upset and doing the dishes. The lyrics to songs I write, often come straight from my subconscious mind before I have a chance to understand what they mean. Whenever I try to write a good song without any hefty emotions to fuel it, it never really works out. Once the song is written, I practice it a lot and plan out how I want it to sound, before bringing it to the band or the studio to record it.

What do you think makes a great song?

I think being completely honest and unapologetically saying exactly what you want to say, makes a song convincing and emotional. A great song should evoke emotion and construct a mood!

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

A collaboration with Australian Artist Julia Jacklin would be a dream come true. I’ve always been inspired by Julia Jacklin as an indie artist, and I think we’d make a lovely song.

When not working on music, what other creative outlet/s do you have?

I love to draw and paint! but I rarely do these days because life is busy unfortunately.

Who are some local bands we should check out?

Rocks and Rhubarb are my favourite Perth band at the moment! Their music is so gorgeous and intricate for such young musicians emerging from the Perth scene. The vocals are particularly stunning so check them out for sure. Some other local bands I love include Daisy Park, Teenage Vertigo and HeySoHungry, and Oakabellamae to name a few, there’s so much talent in Perth!

Winter or summer and why?

Definitely Summer! I love the sun and being warm and swimming. Winter is cute for about a week and then it’s too cold in my opinion.

What else do you have planned for 2024?

I have a single launch for my new song Dreamland on the 7th of June! If you’re from, or around Perth at the time, you should definitely come see the show, it’s going to be very fun.\

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A Quick Chat With Sophie Lilah