Exclusive Interview: Lily Kincade Discusses Her Debut Album 'Cinematic', Finding Her Path as an Independent Artist, and the Artists Who Inspired Her
- Mikaila Storrs
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Just over a month before the release of her debut album Cinematic, Lily Kincade joined us via Zoom from her Los Angeles home for an intimate conversation. The rising singer-songwriter opened up about the importance of taking her time with her first full-length project, finding a clear artistic direction without giving in to pressure or rushing the process. She reflected on the nostalgia of 2010s pop that helped shape her sound, the lessons she’s learned while carving her own path as an independent artist, and the personal highs and lows that have fueled her music. With Cinematic, Kincade is not only marking a milestone in her career but also inviting listeners into a story that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Before diving into the new album, we took a step back to talk about how Lily’s journey with music began. She describes herself as always having been drawn to creativity and sound. “So I always grew up playing instruments in Kansas City. I started playing piano when I was in kindergarten and was always writing stories in my imagination.” At 14, she relocated to California, enrolled in online school, and set her sights firmly on pursuing music as a career. She jokes that she spent years putting in her “10,000 hours,” writing what felt like thousands of bad songs before finally landing on one that clicked. Along the way, she was not only honing her craft but also growing up, figuring out her sound and discovering where she fit in the ever-changing music world.
As we talked, the conversation turned to the era of music ahead grew up with and how intentional it felt. Everything was cohesive, albums were designed to be experienced from start to finish, a journey you stepped into the moment you pressed play or opened a CD. Lily lit up, reflecting on that. “That's why I love making projects, whether it be an EP or an album, because it's easy to release one song; anybody can release one song, like AI is releasing songs now, which is scary. I love how things felt like a project, like a whole little world. You can experiment and then try a cool sound for this project, and maybe the next one you do something different.”
Her debut album, a true labor of love years in the making, spans from the first single she wrote at 20 to the most recent song she created just last summer, and it’s set to be released on October 24. Every detail—from the songwriting to the visuals we’ve seen so far—reflects the thought and care poured into the project. Lily explains the inspiration behind the album’s title, Cinematic: The title nails the concept, the entire album feels like a coming-of-age movie that anyone can relate to their own experiences. For fans listening to the album, she says, if the album were a movie, the title track "Cinematic" would be the trailer to the entire film.
"I ended up writing 'Cinematic,' the title track, and the day after writing the song, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ It totally all clicked, and I started piecing together songs. I would say it's the story of first love and heartbreak. So it's like the craziest years [of my life]."
"I knew I wanted to call it 'Cinematic' because it just felt like that. You know, it's like your first love. The highs are so high and the lows are so low, but it kind of feels like a whirlwind at the same time."
As for what she hopes listeners feel when they press play on the finished project, Lily says, "This is a cheesy answer, but it makes people feel something, whether that be they can finally cry or like they're laughing with their friends. Like they love this song. They get ready to it while they're doing their makeup or like getting ready for a date. Music has become such a big part of everyone's lives, mine included. I can correlate so many albums and songs to very specific moments; when me and my friends go out we listen to this. I just hope that the album becomes something to everyone listening in their own way, whatever song."
She’s accomplished all of this from the very beginning as a fully independent artist—no big label or team backing her, just herself, her creative vision, and a tight-knit group of supportive friends and collaborators. One of the biggest positives of this independence is the creative control. "I really love the fact that I got to include all the tracks that I wanted to include. I think when you do have other people, it's the music business, sometimes having that pressure, people investing a lot of money or a lot of employees or time into you, there are expectations that have to be met. Not that you're sacrificing your creativity, but I feel so grateful that I got to fully execute what I really wanted to do for my first record because, you know, there's a saying that goes around where it's like you have forever to make your first record and you have a few years to make your second."
But being independent also comes with challenges, as the responsibility falls entirely on her. "I have amazing collaborators in terms of music, like amazing co-writers, but I do a lot of writing myself, and a third of the album is 100% self-written. And I've noticed it's not even that it's like external difficulties, but sometimes it's internal when you're the only one making a decision it's so easy to doubt yourself and be like, 'Well, is this good enough?' I really had to get in the habit of being like, trust your gut." All of this has shaped not only who she is as a person but also the way her debut album came to life, giving it a unique and genuinely personal touch. Her personality shines through every track, making the album feel like an intimate glimpse into her world.
The album drops on October 24, and according to Kincade, she has a few surprises in store for her fans, including homemade lyric books styled like movie scripts, flash drives with teasers and clues on how to help promote the album, a makeup book with a different look for every track, and, hopefully, some live shows. Even with a decade of work behind her, it’s clear that Lily is just getting started—and she already has a loyal following ready to support her every step of the way.
Pre-save Cinematic here.
