Lily Rose's Exclusive Interview and The Premiere of “Whatcha Know About That”
By: Rachel Silverman
At All Country News we like to pay special attention to the voices that are shaping a New Age of Country music. That is why it was a delight for us to sit down with Lily Rose. Our very own Bobbi Dixon interviewed Lily on her new song, “Whatcha Know About That”.
“Whatcha Know About That” is a welcomed deviation from the tracks off of Lily Rose’s freshman album, Stronger Than I Am. While Stronger Than I Am came from a more soulful side of country, “Whatcha Know About That” is a stadium stomper.
Lily described the song as a “sleeper”. “Whatcha Know About That” surprised her when it came back from production, changing from a song that she liked, to a song that she loved. “It can bring the house down!” she proclaimed in our interview. After listening to it, we can’t help but agree.
“Whatcha Know About That” has solid verses that showcase Lily’s angsty and soulful vocals, giving nostalgia for her last album, but where the song really shines is in the chorus. The energy of it comes from this 4x4 chorus. It’s an amalgamation of crashing drums, electric guitar, and fiddle, all held together by Rose’s distinctly southern vocals. The lyrics are catchy and playful while avoiding superficiality and love song clichés.
The song actually ends with a return to the chorus, yet this time with the backing instrumentals of a breakdown. Rose has returned to a softer soulfulness, almost laying the audience down after an exciting ride. Her vocals guide the listener through the energy of the song quite flawlessly. It’s evidence of a skilled and talented performer.
Lily has been on the road for more than ten years and at this point in her career her focus is evolving. "I'm a sponge for knowledge and mentorship." she mentions. As she opens for bigger and bigger artists she is faced with new challenges and opportunities.
"Y'know if somebody is buying a ticket for a headlining show you hope that you have already won them over and you just need to keep them coming back. When you're opening for Sam Hunter, Dylan Scott, you're kinda like 'I have a chance to make 9,000 new friends and fans tonight."
Lily talked about her influences, too. While the era of the women of pop heavily influence her songwriting, her core memories are of her and her father listening to Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles.
"I remember, I was in the car with my Dad when I was like five or six years old, one day new radicals... came on. And I said 'I like this song'. My dad turned and he said, 'I like this song too.'... It was one of those first moments, one of those core memories, y'know? It wasn't my music. It wasn't his music. It was our music."
Lily Rose's talent is impressive and her charm is unequivocal. "Whatcha Know About That" is evidence that she's blossoming as an artist who is multi-dimensional. Lily is premiering the song live on October 7th during the Dylan Scott tour in Springfield Missouri. The song is sure to get people dancing and we wouldn't be surprised if it becomes one of the next big hits in country music. We're excited to see where her music goes next.