-
- April 29, 2022
Chloe Lilac Releases New Mixtape, “you were good to me,” a Personal Exploration of Heartbreak
Artist and songwriter Chloe Lilac has a brand new mixtape out and it gives listeners a glimpse into her personal and nuanced experience with loss. you were good to me glides seamlessly among pop-punk stylings, bedroom pop instrumentals, and razor-sharp lyricism that has come to define Chloe’s writing from day 1. With three previously released singles and a brand-new single, “lily’s backyard,” this mixtape takes listeners on a journey through the delicate layers of what it means to face loss and its lasting, formative effects.
Chloe’s humble roots of sneaking out to perform on the streets of NYC by age 13 continue to inspire her artistry. Building her skills as a self-produced songwriter, Chloe began releasing songs in 2017 with her first-ever release, “Reckless,” breaking the top 5 on the US Spotify Viral Chart. Her early songs and live shows saw critical nods from outlets like DIY Magazine, who note Lilac’s “knack for an emotional gut-punch.”
Chloe has toured extensively including direct support runs with mxmtoon and Tessa Violet as well as headline dates in NYC and L.A. for Neon Gold Records’ ‘Popshop’ showcases. Chloe has also performed at SXSW and has toured with other rising artists including Charlotte Lawrence, Sasha Sloan, and Rejjie Snow.
Chloe has already enjoyed 20 million+ Spotify streams, a feat first kicked off by the 2018 release of “Stolen Liquor” which hit #1 on Hype Machine and sparked NYLON to claim the track “will have you reminiscing about those summer nights in high school.” Single “Summer” has attained 14 million+ Spotify streams alone and saw critical support from Ladygunn.
This new mixtape is the follow-up to Chloe’s widely acclaimed December 2021 mixtape, when i feel better, an exposé defining Chloe Lilac’s growth over the past year. The mixtape featured standout singles such as “10 things,” a play on the classic ’90s rom-com which left outlets like MTV News and EUPHORIA. hungry for more. Single “19” gave listeners a powerful examination of the state of the world as Chloe navigates her own self-examination as a teenager in turbulent times, which was lauded by NPR ‘All Songs Considered.’ “sick” completed the mixtape, a deep-dive into relational toxicity showcasing Chloe’s prowess for sharp lyricism.
Through the uncertainty that shadowed much of 2020/21, Chloe Lilac tapped into her DIY roots to self-direct and self-shoot two official videos in her Brooklyn home while in quarantine and has also asserted herself a strong activist for social causes. From taking a stand for LGBTQ rights during Pride Month to joining the fight for racial justice, Chloe has become a beacon of strength and a model for young women and artists.
Read below for our interview with Chloe Lilac on you were good to me.
Congratulations on the release of your brand new mixtape, you were good to me. How do you feel now that this project is out in the universe for listeners around the world to hear?
It feels so good to put new music out!! This is my favorite project so far. I feel like it’s really cohesive. I’ve really found my sound.
The project packs quite a punch in 4 emotionally-driven songs and covers some extremely relatable themes. Can you tell us the inspiration behind each song?
“lily’s backyard” is about a betrayal of a friendship I had. It’s about this moment that happened in Lily’s backyard where I knew the friendship was over. “how does your girlfriend” feel about it is about a situation I had where this person I was involved with was dishonest. “last week” is about watching a close friend grieve. It’s hard to know what to do when someone you love is struggling like that. “only love song” is a love letter to my younger self. It’s about losing myself in adolescence, and how damaging that was.
How did you decide on the tracklist order of how to tell your story through these tracks?
The mixtape starts off pretty angry. Lashing out and blaming other people. Then it ends with self-love in “only love song.” The arc of realizing the root of my issues was that I wasn’t showing up for myself the way I should’ve.
What do you want people to walk away with after listening to you were good to me?
I hope listeners walk away after listening to you were good to me and examine their relationships not only with other people but themselves.
You’re joining Pom Pom Squad on a North American tour that extends through the end of May and then performing at So What?! Music Festival and Wonderbus Music + Arts Fest in May and August. What are you most excited about in terms of playing live in 2022?
I’m just so excited to be playing live music again. It’s so fun. We got a music director who really pulled the live set together as well as an amazing drummer. My manager and her partner really helped me pull together some DIY stage designs too. I finally feel like my live set does my music justice!!
Is there anything exciting that can be expected in the celebration of your mixtape release, or beyond, in 2022?
There are so many exciting things coming!! Nothing I can speak on yet, though. I’m gonna be putting out a lot of new music. I’m so excited!!
Do you have anything else you’d like to share with us today?
I really hope you all enjoyed the mixtape and stay tuned for everything coming!!
With four songs each exploring a different facet of loss and heartbreak, the lyrics of you were good to me are expressively written and easily relatable. Screamed vocals and energetic instrumentals fill the room with the first two tracks, “lily’s backyard” and “how does your girlfriend feel,” which are almost anthemic and make listeners want to scream along while evoking anger and frustration. The tone shifts in “last week” to one that is more sentimental, which makes perfect sense given the subject matter of the song. Softer instrumentals and vocals take over with another shift in “only love song.” Even though pop-punk leanings can be heard in the instrumental, the soundscape is notably gentler – an apology letter and a more loving embrace of oneself. This mixtape, while short in duration, leaves a memorable impression on listeners as it is an often traveled journey from hurt and betrayal to acceptance and reliance on self.
You can listen to the entirety of you were good to me below and watch the music video for “lily’s backyard.”
