Meet Lilie Collins of Nashville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lilie Collins

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I fell in love with music at a young age and never looked back. I got my first guitar at seven, played my first open mic at ten, and started booking my own paid gigs at fourteen. These milestones helped me realize that music would be my life—and there was no ‘back-up plan.’ With that knowledge, I dedicated countless hours to booking shows to financially support my art. By fourteen, I was playing two shows a month, and by the summer before I moved to Nashville, I was performing four to five times a week in Wisconsin.

Managing my art as a business was a steep learning curve, but it taught me valuable skills like maintaining an organized schedule, negotiating with venue owners, advocating for myself, and understanding the importance of advertising. Since moving to Nashville, I’ve performed at iconic venues like The Bluebird, The End, and The Commodore Grille.

I started writing music much later than I began performing. At sixteen, I began writing as a way to process complex emotions, with the intention to continue performing only cover songs. But as my confidence grew, I began performing my own music and released my debut album at nineteen. The project required extensive time and planning, and taught me how to execute an artistic vision while managing a budget for studio time and other expenses. Today, I’m writing more than ever, diving more complex themes and exploring cowriting, with plans to release new music this summer.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being both young and female has presented challenges in establishing my place within the music industry. Venue owners have often dismissed me, doubting that a young woman could be serious about a music career. However, I’ve also found venues that believed in me and supported my journey, even though I wasn’t yet an adult.

Additionally, while it’s an uncomfortable subject, I’ve faced harassment both at shows and online. People, often older men, have rudely offered unsolicited advice, made sexual comments, or disrespected my personal space. Having friends and family accompany me at shows has been an important way to navigate and avoid these unfortunate situations.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My original music blends the soulful storytelling of folk, the rhythmic pulse of pop, and the smooth melodies of R&B, to craft songs that are both heartfelt and undeniably catchy. My songs explore themes including anxiety, love, homesickness, broken relationships, and loss. These messages help me connect with others both at performances and online. My social media presence is my proudest piece of my art. On Instagram and Tik Tok, I post the stories behind my writing followed by a short clip of a song.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
From a young age, I was inspired by Brandi Carlile, drawn to her incredible songwriting, honest personality, and, above all, her success story. It motivated me to pursue a music career with my entire heart, despite my doubts and fears, simply out of love for music. I cannot talk about my youth without mentioning my guitar teacher, Jason Lipsky, who played a pivotal role in my career path. I vividly remember when I was just learning to play Taylor Swift songs, and he instilled in me the belief that I could make a career out of music. His confidence in me gave me the courage to see music as more than just a hobby, but a lifelong pursuit.

Outside of music, I’ve always been passionate about running, and now I compete in cross-country and track and field at the collegiate level in Nashville. Running has helped me develop a deep internal grit, one that began when I was ten, running loops around the block. It became my way to decompress before I learned to channel my emotions into writing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://liliecollins.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liliecollinsmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liliemusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ZSs11Z1qOml2Ul8wCp9VL?si=LHpXeDrLRI66zLFNYFF0MA&nd=1&dlsi=0cae51970f9b472a