Small talk can help fill conversations, and can be a great way to chat with people you don’t really know too well. However, it turns sour when small talk becomes the only thing one knows how to confidently talk about. It feels like the truth about your mental health and anxiety will come pouring out if you talk about anything other than your rehearsed script. If you stray from talking about the weather or what you ate for breakfast, the rest will follow. Hana Lili’s recent release “Small Talk” explains this very feat, as the title might suggest. Despite her insecurities, Lili’s soundscape is anything but self-assured. Her strong drum beats and electric guitar strumming demonstrates the cacophony of what is going on in her head, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, all overlapping each other vying to be heard. Her thoughts aren’t pretty, but this song is most certainly a gorgeous work of art.
The contrast between what Lili talks about and the way she actually feels is prevalent, and it leaks through in her lyrics. She feels like she is a disappointment, like she has embarrassed herself, like she bores everyone. Her chorus details this, as she opens with “You’ll find me hiding in the small talk until I’ve bored everybody in the whole room”. She hides in the little topics she knows how to discuss, and she never lets herself break free from this safety net. She continues and sings “Its easier to stay in the shallows ‘cause I’d drown in the ocean / And I lie awake in bed regretting every word that I’ve spoken”. This lyric hits hard to all those who have struggled with social anxiety (which, despite how isolating the feeling is, is 99% of the world). She knows she stuck to her script of what is supposed to be talked about, but still feels like she did something wrong. This back and forth is exhausting, and she knows it would be so much worse if she talked about what was actually swimming around in her head.
Hana Lili is an artist from South Wales, and recently finished supporting Coldplay on a leg of their recent tour. She has amassed over 24,000 monthly listeners, and for good reason. She is known for her authenticity in her music, and she is not afraid to talk about the bad parts of life. Lili sings about breakups, overthinking, and mental health, and her audience truly can connect with her ability to put these horrible parts of life into words. Her soundscape is a mix between indie and pop, with hints of 90s grunge. A similar vibe to boygenius, Billie Eilish, and Suki Waterhouse, Lili is certainly not an artist to miss. Make sure to follow the social medias below to stay tuned for more music from this rising star.
Written By Tessa Maddaloni
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