Music normally captivates me in three ways:

1) The sound: the melody and ambience of simple tones or intricate chords dancing together in a magical arrangement

2) The lyrics: the words, specific or all-encompassing, that articulate, commiserate and motivate

3) The voice: The unquantifiable features of a singer’s tone and expression that speak to me irrationally and profoundly

Lily C captivates me in all three categories on Reaching For Sunlight.  This is Lily C’s debut English album and it is described as, “a collection of songs that reflect her journey to stay hopeful despite challenging circumstances.”

Reaching For Sunlight is joyful and beguiling pop music woven from sonic layers that lull and enliven.  It has rousing pep, addictive rhythms and penetrating depth.

The lyrics are enlightening, empowering and everlasting.  It may not be fair to extract lyrics from their song bed, but many of these are so powerful on their own that I had to list some of my favourites.

“…in my hurricane of grief can you show me how to breathe…”

“…just when you think that you’re gonna die, that’s when you realize you’re made to fly…”

“…I’m reaching for sunlight like city flowers do…”

Lily’s voice is like hard candy: sweet and solid.  It’s like whiskey licorice.

While listening to I Am A Bee, I swore I was soaring on the breeze with butterflies until someone walked in the room and I realized it was just me bouncing in my office chair.

Come Back To My Love affects me most intensely.  My heart is struck in all three categories– sound, lyric and voice.  The lilting piano notes lure me in off the top, and Lily’s supple and raw vocalizing clinches the enchantment.  Every time.  I could listen to her vocalization after the bridge on repeat forever.  It’s like she’s singing in my ear, whispering, speaking directly to me while I lay on a couch crumpled in defeat.  She’s the wee Fairy of Trust lulling me to the belief that everything will be ok; her metaphoric arms first cradling and comforting me before picking me up, dusting me off, and guiding me to stand again on my own with more strength than I had before.  If I were to do a cover of a Lily C song, it would be this one!

Listening to Lily C’s music is like starting your day off with a good breakfast: being nourished with your favourite cereal fortified with familiarity and optimism and sweet wee Lily bits that beam up at you through the milk, coaxing you to have a glorious day no matter what comes your way.  I think Reaching For Sunlight is a masterwork and I recommend you check it out! www.lilyc.com.  Lily also has a pretty inspiring blog: Take A Deep Breath.

I look up to Lily and look forward to more music from her.
I also look forward to sharing the lineup with her at the upcoming Wonder Women V event August 8, 2012 at 7:30 at Celebration Square in Mississauga.  But more about that later…

…until then, may the music always play!

Love Kat
www.KatLeonard.com