W: Erin Daly
Meet independent music artist Lydia May, one of the latest figures to arise from the “alt pop girlies” boom of the 2020s. She describes her music as ‘odd and wonderful’; its sound is reminiscent of her days in musical theatre - rich with meaning and unwaveringly produced.
I: Daniel kelly
Whilst Lydia is still on her journey to becoming a full-time musician, and she feels her current venture only kickstarted in 2023, don’t be fooled, she’s a character who has decades worth of music and artistic experience, which she gives me the rundown of during our chat. With her Mum being an opera singer and Dad a guitar player, creativity is in her blood. Therefore, it was no surprise that she fell into the music, theatre and dance side of life. From the early days of her childhood, she’s indulged in all things music: starting off in the Young Voices of Melbourne choir (which taught her everything she needed to know), playing instruments, writing songs as young as nine years old, playing on Garage Band and learning the art of song through Disney and Glee soundtracks. It was this which led her to attend the only music school in all of Australia, and eventually The Brit School, which Lydia explains was her ‘second chapter’. For Lydia, music felt like a void at one point, and while it’s all-consuming, it’s equally fulfilling. It’s a hobby and a hopeful career that helps her process emotions and has connected her with some of the most dedicated of fans.
Last year, she started on a clean slate, removing some of her older tracks from Spotify to make way for fresh, new tunes. Lydia explains she was incredibly proud of those songs, but that there’s a big difference between how she wrote in her teens to how she writes now, in her early 20s. For now, she’s prioritising coherence and building a strong brand and feels those earlier tracks don’t fit that puzzle. They may rise back to the surface one day, but for now, they sit in the Lydia May archives, and that’s more than okay. One of the first songs she released under her new beginning was ‘You’ve Got This Kid’ - a wonderful, uplifting tune about following your dreams no matter what and one of Lydia’s favourites for a very long time. It was the last song she ever wrote as a teenager, and later, the first time she worked with a producer and in the studio. From adding simple additions to transform the track to making an emotional fan-led music video, she describes how her world opened up with the release of the song. ‘Prom’ and ‘Confessions of an Insomniac’ followed, the latter’s sing-back sequence being inspired by Sam Fender’s 2023 Glastonbury performance. Overall, it’s a season of songs she’s incredibly proud of - for their realness, emotion and how they symbolise her first big step into the music space.
I: Ana Pinto
Lydia is inspired by the likes of Gaga, Adele, Taylor Swift, Janice Joplin, Barbara Streisand and Aretha Franklin - all very different, but all iconic women in music nonetheless. Her latest song ‘Stargirl’ - which talks about duplicity and people pleasing - definitely lifts inspiration from the glitz and glamour of these stars. We also talk about smaller artists in our chat - Lydia shares how grateful she is to exist in a space alongside other rising female musicians such as Eileen Alister, Chloe Charlotte and Mira Taylor. She also speaks fondly of The Beatles, who redefined the rules of the pop genre - their flexibility in the space is something she applies to her own music making: some days she feels alt-rock, others alt-pop. She feels the challenges that come with being a female musician in the pop genre and is determined not to be stuck in that box.
Another challenge we discuss is processing inspiration. Lydia describes herself as a ‘ball of eclectic influence’, and how some days she struggles with flicking through this imagery. There’s also battling getting out of your own way during songwriting. But while this could be detrimental to many songwriters, Lydia takes it in her stride and describes how she doesn’t write with the intention of sharing it with the world, but rather to explore, play and cope with emotions. For Lydia, even mixing sad feelings with upbeat tunes is fun; an experience that she likens to the feeling of watching a movie play out.
Lydia’s sound is unique and unlike anything I’ve heard before in music. It’s what’s earned her many ‘pinch me moments’, such as selling out her recent Manchester show and putting on some incredible performances in last summer’s Life Saver Tour. One memory she also talks of fondly is the ‘picnic get-togethers' she has hosted since sharing her music online. The first time she held one, she couldn’t quite believe how many people showed up and how devoted people were to her music.
With her determined mindset and hardworking approach, there’ll be many more of these moments to come for Lydia. She kindly shared her dreams and goals with me, her number one being to play a headline show with a band in tow, and in the long run, play world-famous festivals, write globally enjoyed songs and produce music for movies and musicals. And if the opportunity ever arose, she’d jump at the chance to collaborate with industry giants like Mark Ronson and Finneas. She’s well on her way there as she ‘plants the seeds’ of her music career, as well as working tirelessly on an EP that details being kinder to yourself and healing - written from her experience of a turbulent period. She is utterly proud of what it’s becoming and is super excited to be supported through this EP. But above all, whatever is next for Lydia May, she is so glad to have her current fanbase as she works towards her childhood dream of music stardom.