MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us.

What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?

• Lily Grace: I grew up loving singing, dancing and making music. When I was 10, I joined a singing group for fun, and when I was 12, I got a guitar for Christmas and fell in love with it. I spent my weekends busking to save enough money to buy an amplifier and microphone, so I could go and busk at the Tamworth Country Music Festival where Keith Urban started out. It was there that I fell in love with the country people, everyone was so supportive and kind, which made me fall in love with country music. When the first wave of covid hit, there was nothing to do but write music, and I began writing songs daily. I’d write about things that happened in my own life as well as the lives of friends and family. Soon after, I was playing gigs of all my own originals, and began releasing music and performing ticketed shows and festivals. I’d balance school and music, and get home from school and write more songs. Songwriting has become one of my favourite things to do, and I’ve now written over 250 songs. My Dad says I’m a part-time student and full-time musician. Ha Ha!

MuzicNotez: Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?

• Lily Grace: I draw my inspiration from artists who’ve paved the way for others, such as Keith Urban, coming from Australia to the USA. I am inspired by artists who have worked hard to earn their place in the music industry. My first ever CD was a Taylor Swift CD and she has been one of my biggest musical influences, and a strong motivator in my song writing. She was my age when she made her first trip to Nashville, so it’s cool to be following a similar journey to hers 15-20 years ago. I also admire artists that are really innovative with their performances, such as Beyonce and Michael Jackson who have worked really hard on perfecting their craft. I love watching other artists perform and learning from them.

MuzicNotez: What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?

• Lily Grace: My dream is to be a country artist, and to connect with people through my songs. I love writing music with a strong message in it and being able to touch people with songs that they can relate to. Right now I’m focusing on sharing my music around the world, and building my fanbase, but eventually, I’d love to tour different parts of the world and to be able to sell out my own ticketed shows. For me, if there are people who care about my music enough to buy a ticket, that is a dream come true.

MuzicNotez: What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?

• Lily Grace: That’s a tough one. On one hand I’d say, opening for Vance Joy at his Brisbane Riverstage show in Australia. It was an amazing night, and I was over the moon to be there. Vance Joy has been one of my biggest inspirations since I was a little kid and I was welcomed with warm, open arms by Vance himself and his entire crew. On the other hand, I’d say performing at Barefoot Country Music Festival at Wildwoods in New Jersey last year to a crowd of 40,000 people. I have never seen so many people in the one place and the vibe was amazing. I still pinch myself that that was me up on that big stage.

MuzicNotez: Your latest release is the single ‘Follow My Road’, what inspired this track? What’s it mean to you?

• Lily Grace: ‘Follow My Road’ is all about empowering people to follow their dreams and set out on their own path. It’s about being ambitious and fearlessly going for it no matter what anyone else says. It’s special to me because it tells my story as on my journey from Australia to Nashville to chase down my dreams of being a country artist.

MuzicNotez: You’re from Australia, but been spending a lot of time in Nashville. What do you think of Nashville?

• Lily Grace: I love Nashville. I first visited for 7 weeks last year and am so happy to be back again this year. I love being immersed in music and with musical people, and am surprised how big the country music genre is in America. I love speaking with other artists who share such interesting stories, and love talking about all the things that go on in the music world such as festivals, tours, music video shoots, songwriting and just about everything that contributes to being an artist. I feel like I have so much in common with the people in Nashville, and I’ve definitely found my people.

MuzicNotez: What’s the country music scene like in Australia?

• Lily Grace: We have lots of country music festivals across Australia, and I’ve been fortunate to have played many of them now including Tamworth Country Music Festival, Gympie Muster, and Groundwater Country Music Festival. For 10 days every year there is a big festival in Tamworth, which is similar to the Nashville of Australia, but just for that time of the year. All the artists and country fans converge on this town for the 10 day festival, and there are stages in the streets and big concerts in the parks and all the hotels and clubs. They have a big awards night called the Golden Guitar Awards, which is similar to America’s CMA Awards. Country music as a genre is not as popular in Australia as it is in the United States, but it’s definitely growing. WOOHOO!

MuzicNotez: What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?

• Lily Grace: There are lots of exciting things happening at the moment. I have just released my music video for ‘Follow My Road’, and have a new song launching next month. Over the last few months, I have been busy songwriting, sometimes twice a day, and working in the studio to record new music which I plan to release over the rest of the year. I’ve been busy filming and doing photoshoots for my upcoming release. I’m looking forward to be back performing at The Bluebird Café at the end of June with some of my songwriter friends.

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