Budding popstar and Boston-native Lily Halpern’s single “Wishlist” swept us away this summer, and now the 18-year-old singer is back with a new single, “Colors”, and is ready to take audiences by storm all over again, but she still had time to stop and chat with us. Find out more in her Kidzworld Q&A!
KW: What first made you interested in singing?
- Lily: Music is something that's always been in my life. I grew up listening to glamor girls like Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, their voices spoke to me and it's something I've always wanted to be able to do for others.
KW: How would you describe your sound?
- Lily: I always say my sound is the soundtrack to the teenage life because it is a culmination of all the experiences I had as a teenager and there is a little something for everyone to relate to. It's pop-y and fun, but it gets bluesy and honest, and can be hip hop and rebellious at times too.
KW: What is your new single “Colors” about?
- Lily: My new single is about finding that one boy, or that one thing (like for me it would be singing) or that one friend who can turn your world from black and white to technicolor.The one that is always there for you that makes you love and feel on a whole new level. It's about the first real love and passion you feel that puts you on a whole new plane of feeling. I've never understood what people meant when they talked about knowing what they were meant to do in life until I started touring and having a real music career, just like you don't really understand love until you feel it. That "Aha! I get it" moment is what this song is about.
KW: Who are some artists you look up to?
- Lily: I look up to a lot of artists for different reasons. I look up to Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera for their incredible powerful voices and vocal ranges. I look up to Katy Perry for the fun she has with her look and her image and her performances and how creative and silly she is. I look up to Joss Stone for the bluesy raspy funky edge she has and I look up to Alicia Keys for the way she carries herself in the public eye with class and philanthropically.
KW: You got to perform on the same bill as Big Time Rush, are you fans of theirs?
- Lily: I am. I'm even bigger fans of theirs after being on tour with them. Watching them give it their all each night and have so much fun doing it really inspired me. Now I considered them both role models and friends.They're wonderful guys.
KW: What inspired your web series “Life with Lily”?
- Lily: I like to be as honest and real with my fans (or Halpernators) as possible and this just seemed like a great way to let them into my life and say Thank You for all they've done and show them all the opportunities they've helped me have.
KW: What are some of your hobbies outside of music?
- Lily: I love watching basketball and playing basketball. I'm a huge Celtics fan. I love food, whether it's cooking at home with my friends or checking out a cool new restaurant, if food is involved I'm pretty much on board. I like going to the movies, I just recently saw Lion King in 3D with one of my best friends and we sang along the whole time (sorry to whoever else was at the theatre, I couldn't help it.)
KW: Do you ever get stage fright?
- Lily: Maybe for a minute before the lights come up and I'm standing on the stage looking out at the crowd and I see them but they can't see me. But the second I start to sing (thankfully) I'm never scared.
KW: What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
- Lily: When my brothers and I would go away to New Hampshire in the summers and there were storms and the tv wouldn't work and we had nothing to do we would rap battle and I would always win. It was AWESOME.
KW: Halloween is coming up, do you like dressing up/costumes? What are you planning to go as this year?
- Lily: I love dressing up! I think my guy friends and I are going to go as the Channel Four News Team from the movie Anchorman one night and another night for a Halloween party my girlfriends and I are going to dress up as the female leads in all the Austin Powers movies.
Your Fave...
Book: I loved reading Shakespeare plays like A Midsummer Nights Dream and The Tragedy of Macbeth but if I had to choose an actual book, I'd say either the book series "Private" "Privilege" or "Pretty Little Liars" they're all about teen girl problems but they also have murder mysteries in each one which makes them more interesting than just the typical girly books.
Band: The Jackson 5
Movie: The Lion King 3D (it was THAT good). (on a more serious note though, Coach Carter was an AMAZING movie, I just rewatched it the other day and remembered how good it was)
Food: Belgian Waffles!
Check out Lily's romantic summertime hit "Wishlist":
Have Your Say!
What do you think of Wishlist? Let us know in the comments below!
