Irish folk-pop sensation Lilla Vargen had a busy year lined up – but, like the rest of us, she’s now trapped at home. So, we caught up with Lilla to see how she’s coping with life in lockdown, heading off on tour with Dermot Kennedy, and the state of the post-pandemic music industry.
Lilla Vargen! How are you coping with the current madness?
‘I’m okay – every day is just another day in this strange world that we live in now. At the start, maybe it was okay to be stopped from doing what I usually do and take some time to slow down, but it just doesn’t feel like real life anymore! I’m sure that loads of people are feeling like that – like you’re waking up in a weird dream. It could be a lot worse though.
So, you grew up in Ballymena, Ireland – what was it like being young there and what were your early memories of music?
‘There were various “Battle of the Bands” competitions that went on in the town centre and bowling club. I didn’t take part in them myself but I loved going to them. For me, music was something I just did for myself. I didn’t do it for an audience, I just wrote songs for myself; but I was a massive music fan so went to all those sorts of things. I think the first gig that I went to was the Goo Goo Dolls in the Ambassador Theatre in Dublin.
Do you think that growing up in Northern Ireland impacted your musical development?
‘I think going to gigs was seen as very dodgy ground! I’m not even sure if my parents know I went to that Goo Goo Dolls concert. I’m not sure about my development, but I think that reputation was something that maybe did stunt our growth as a place, as Northern Ireland was perceived as being a place that people were told not to go.
Then, you moved from there to London. Was that to get a start in music or had you been playing before you moved?
‘Initially, I moved to Belfast and was working there but doing gigs on the side – but music is not an easy thing to put your focus on if it is on the side of a job. I just knew I needed to do my best to get a record deal so I could have the money to move somewhere where things were happening. I myself set that goal and moved to London the next week.
How did you find that transition?
‘It was scary. For the first few months I would do a lot of writing sessions, but I had no social life and I was too scared to go out after 8pm because I had convinced myself something bad was going to happen! I was fine after a while, though.
You spent the end of last year on tour around Europe with Dermot Kennedy – how did that come about?
‘It was kind of a weird one – I never expected it! I work a lot with a songwriter called Carey Willets who Dermot has worked with loads in the past. I also supported Luca Fogale in the London and Dermot’s cousin (and extremely talented photographer) Lucy was there. She messaged me afterwards saying she really liked my music; and, honestly, I was just happy that she messaged me.
‘I think they must have both talked to Dermot, and it was up to him who he had on his tour – and he chose me! I had five days between being asked to go on tour and the tour starting – obviously, my band didn’t know that it was happening either, so they spent those days running around and cancelling all the gigs they had booked for that period. It was all a bit manic, but it ended up being an amazing experience.
The last shows of the tour were two massive homecoming gigs at the 3Arena in Dublin – how did it feel to play shows of that size?
‘It was so exciting. It was the end of the tour and the homecoming gig. Nothing can prepare you for walking out to 12,000 people screaming, though. As much as I thought I was prepared, I wasn’t – but, by the time I really realised what was happening, I was in the moment and enjoying it.
‘The smallest venue on the tour was probably Milan (at about 700 people) but other than that it was all over 1000-capacity venues, which is mad enough – but, still, it isn’t 12,000 people in your hometown! That second night at the 3Arena… I don’t know what happened, but I started to cry because the crowd put their torches up during my set. It was all just too much for me.
There’s been a rise in live-streaming since the lockdown began – have you been enjoying still being able to perform in that format?
‘I was kind of afraid of live-streaming before this all happened; people would ask you to do them and I thought it was just scary and weird, but now I’m kind of just used to it! It is nice as people will send messages afterwards saying how much they enjoyed them. If you share a countdown people seem to get excited and really look forward to them! I think it’s a good thing for fans – and, it really helps me too, as sometimes I forget I can sing…
Do you think that the current situation will change the music industry and allow people to do more from home?
‘I think it will change because artists have already had to adapt to this – and, if they can see they have similar levels of engagement without having all the travel and associated expenses, it may change things in the longer-term. It’s difficult, because we really don’t know if things are ever going to go back to “normal”.
‘I think it’ll also change some parts of the creative process as artists have no choice but to produce stuff themselves. I had never produced before; but now, going forward, I may be able to produce my own music.
