PREMIERE: Kira Metcalf – “Lily”

Photo Credit: Sarah Simone

Maybe you’ve experienced this feeling, if not in a relationship, with something going well enough in your life that it almost seems too good to be true. Past hurt informs that skepticism, but ultimately there is a grace that comes with settling into and accepting that the good thing you have going isn’t going to disappear.

Brooklyn-based artist Kira Metcalf understands this complex emotion all too well as beautifully brought to life in her single “Lily.” GroundSounds is happy to be premiering its accompanying music video today. With “Lily,” Metcalf pensively examines her relationship with all of the rose-colored memories soundtracked by a delicately strummed acoustic guitar and her stunning vocals.

To celebrate the release of “Lily,” we sent Metcalf some interview questions to get to know her better. Watch Kira Metcalf in “Lily” below and be sure to follow her here for more.

Hi, Kira! Congrats on your new video for “Lily”. Can you tell us a little more on who you are and how you first got into making music?

Thank you so much! I’m excited to finally get it out there. Also wow that’s a tricky question. My mother was a classical cellist and my dad is a psychologist/guitarist so I think I was destined to process emotions through music.

It’s hard for me to say who I am but here are some things that I love and value: Kindness, poetry, unexpected melodies, epiphanies, and analyzing human behavior and emotions 🙃.

What’s your songwriting process like? Who are some of your biggest influences?

I tend to start with lyrics, usually based on some emotional turmoil I need to suss out or a random thought that blossoms into something broader. Then I just sit with my guitar ’til I find something that fits.

Influence-wise I’m really drawn to music that pushes me to think or feel something. As a kid I couldn’t access anger very well, everything just turned into tears. I became obsessed with the articulated rage of Kurt Cobain and Alanis Morisette. The energy of the music and their vocal delivery had me completely captivated. These days, I really admire Adrianne Lenker and Mitski for their incredible lyricism and unique sound. Their music encourages me to be both introspective and candid and to express those feelings that could otherwise feel too painful to talk about.

How did you approach the video for “Lily”? How do you feel it connects with the themes of the song?

I wrote “Lily” at the beginning of a new relationship. At the time I thought in order to be lovable I would have to be perfect, which to me meant careful, soft, agreeable, and delicate. I was so afraid of my own feelings that measuring and stifling myself felt like the only way I could be accepted or loved. “Lily” is a song about the encroaching fear of being alone, about losing what you’ve always wanted. That is something I really wanted to come across in the video, something I think director Dior Rodriguez expertly captures. The video itself is very dreamy and soft while also exposing those fears and the jarring and unexpected loneliness that can creep up on you while falling in love.

Any new Brooklyn-based artists/venues/purveyors of the arts you could turn our readers onto?

Ugh, so many! One of my biggest goals this year has been to meet as many incredible local artists as possible, especially the women and femmes that are simply killing it. There are so many thriving scenes in Brooklyn and it’s really magical to experience all the talent that’s out there. A great resource for new discoveries is the NYC- based Cooties Zine.
In recording some new material I’ve been working with Eva Lawitts (of Stimmerman) who is not only an exceptional producer but whose level of musicianship is just off the charts. There’s also some of my favorite bands like Combo Chimbita and Pom Pom Squad whose members are both wonderful people and thoroughly badass artists.

Any parting thoughts? Open platform!

For better or worse I live on Instagram (@kirametcalf) so that’s definitely the best place to stay up to date with me. And yes! I’ll be playing at Elsewhere on Wed. July 24th with Siobhan Wilson and Francesca Blanchard. As far as parting thoughts go, more than anything I really appreciate feedback on what or how my music makes you feel. I know I write a lot of sadrock but that’s because for me it’s been a great tool for real reflection and growth. That’s what I hope people take away from anything I do.