Out today, ‘Monster’ marks the start of a triumphant year for Liverpool-based songstress Lila Holler. Drenched in gritty pop-rock, the record signals a striking change of pace for the US-born creative, as she leaves behind the tender dream-pop character she’s been known for so far. In its place, we find the sort of quaint guitar-coded matter that’s been taking over the mainstream landscape recently. In ‘Monster’, the carpet matches the drapes, with reflective and meaningful lyricism pairing well with all the melancholic melodies and the raw, gripping production, here courtesy of Sam Durkin.
A student at Paul McCartney’s LIPA Institute, Holler has taken her artistic journey rather seriously, boasting roots in musical theatre and a past academic stint at Michigan’s prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy, famous for having hosted Chappel Roan and Sufjan Stevens, among others. The results of such intensive training are now on full display in ‘Monster’, where we can appreciate both its songwriting depth and its vocal allure. Lila Holler’s powerful yet malleable tone is truly hypnotic and evocative, the perfect match for such a quietly rebellious piece.
Taking an honest look at Freud’s well-known Madonna-Whore Complex and the modern dating culture, the talented American artist uncovers the ever-present pressure society places on women to be perfect, while challenging those very same assumptions with refreshing vulnerability. As Holler explains: “‘Monster’ confronts the suffocating pressure placed on women to be perfect, palatable, and perpetually ‘not too much’.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Monster’ now: