Interview with Lillian Todd Jones @ City Showcase

‘I’m a day dreamer after hours’

 If you have never heard of Lillian before – shame on you! Let me introduce you to the soulful sound of the radiant Lillian Todd Jones.

It was Thursday night at The Borderline, London Soho. Many acts performed for City Showcase (Alternative at The Borderline) including We are Lost Boys, Ocasan and Filthy Boy. But the highlight of the show had to be the free spirited Lillian Todd Jones (We are Lost Boys weren't bad either, very popular with the ladies!)

Lillian’s delicate voice grabs the whole audiences attention. She stands on stage with bare feet complimenting her down to earth personality. She sings a variety of songs including her most well-known song (which is currently circulating around YouTube) ‘Butter Soul.’  

The crowd is captivated by her alluring energy (she was especially appreciated by a highly intoxicated man who wasn't shy about shouting compliments at the magnifying singer). Her rustic husky voice echoes around the room like an electric current. Pure magic!

Not only does Lillian have a unique voice, but she's currently working with THE Gordon Mills Jr; a credited song writer who helped with her successful song Butter Soul and who has also worked alongside top artists such as Ed Sheeran and Newton Faulkner.

After her flawless set I managed to hang out with Lil for a bit and ask the upcoming artist questions about her music and journey so far. So here it is the witty, intriguing, laid back and surprisingly really articulate - Miss Lillian Todd Jones….

Firstly how do you find your confidence when you’re on stage, you didn’t seem nervous at all up there?

Once you’re up there that’s it you can’t prepare anymore! It doesn't matter if there’s even just one guy in the audience you’re there to enjoy it, your presence is justified. When the audience is there enjoying it too, it’s really easy to relax.

Your song ‘Butter Soul’ what does it mean to you and what is the message of the song?

I wrote that after an argument with someone very special to me. It was less of a contrivance it was about trying to be honest.  I mean when it hits the fan you kind of get a window into what you actually feel, so I was just trying to say how I was – a daydreamer.

And the video it’s fair to say it’s pretty quirky, what was your inspiration behind that?

It is, your gunna have to talk to our drummer about that he was a significant help in that respect. It’s really along the same theme so when you hit rock bottom you get this window into how you feel.  The video is sort of in the aspect of if your mind is a house then the different areas are rooms and you’re just wondering through. The Lil that’s there in the beginning -  the wet and bedraggled one – we called her tortured Lil  because that’s  your conscious mind, that’s the bit of you going through reality and then just delving into all these different aspects of how you are and finding scary mice.

What artists would you compare yourself to and what artists inspire you?

I find it very difficult to compare the music that we do with other artists, obviously because we are trying to write new songs and you don’t want to pouch too much from other people. I've been compared to Patti Smith, Fiona Apple and that’s fine with me! A bit of Feist in there too but I think the inspiration in there is from Patti Smith and David Bowie in a big way and Bob Dylan. A lot of them are from people who tell stories instead of people who are fantastic singers. It’s nice to be taken on a journey and when you’re singing your song it’s much nicer to live that instead of just regurgitating stuff.

What was the last album you bought?

Caravan Palace, I think that might be the album name as well. It’s just too funky to avoid!

So your originally from Dartmoor, how have things changed for you since your singing career really kicked off?

Well I did a science biology degree, so it’s gone a lot more sideways than it did before! Yeah it’s great because when I was doing science at school and all that stuff, it’s very much ‘here’s a deadline, you need to work up to it and that’s that’ if it’s doesn't hit the calibre then bugger you. But with music it’s become a lot more I would say chilled, but it’s kinda more frantic. But it’s great because I can do something which people will enjoy and that’s fine!

That’s a massive change, Scientist to Singer. How did you go from doing a science degree to a professional singer? How did you know that singing was your true passion – as corny as that sounds?

I never really categorized it like that, whilst I was doing my degree I would always write songs and sing them and my poor flat mates would come in. So it was more of a chance thing when I met Gordon, he had the studio, was a song writer. I met him through his sister who was local to where I was based. He came over one day and we were both dragging our feet as his sister said ‘I got this brother and you've got to meet him and he’s a song writer, you two should do the open mic night together.’ So I was up in London at a party dragging my feet on the way home thinking I just want to sit in my pyjamas and Gordon was like ‘Oh another singer that my sister wants me to meet.’ But then we met and we started playing some of our stuff to each other and it was great! He really liked what I was doing; I was bouncing off of him as well. So basically that’s how it started so it was always there and because of him and Barney as well (my manager) kind of picked up on it and said ‘go forth and write and sing things’ – which is great!

As an upcoming artist yourself, what advice would you give aspiring artists?

Sounds so corny but honestly just be yourself. You've got Beyoncé, she’s already there. Aretha Franklin, she’s already done her thing. So if you’re trying to be that some people might like it but no-one is going to love it. You have to love what you’re doing and then when people respond to that, that’s what means something.

And lastly what does the future hold for Lillian Todd Jones?

I'm releasing an EP pretty soon, a few more gigs; we are always writing more songs can’t wait to get them out there! Hopefully the album coming out and we can do even more gigs.

Lillian was a pleasure to watch on stage and a pleasure to talk to. I'm sure we will hear plenty more from her in the near future!

Be sure to check out Lillian’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LillianToddJones?ref=ts&fref=ts

To finish with I shall leave you with Lillian’s enchanting song Butter Soul. You can also listen to some more of her tracks on her soundcloud. So check it out NOW! http://soundcloud.com/lilliantoddjones