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By middle school, Lily had landed a weekly show at Café des Amis in Paia where she performed Joni Mitchell and Carole King covers as well as some old jazz standards. Family friend Annie D’Angelo, began coming to see Meola perform, sometimes bringing her husband Willie Nelson. One night Willie sat in with Meola on Patsy Cline’s “Crazy.” “After the show, Willie handed me a napkin with a few song titles written on it and said, ‘Would you like to record any of these?’" Meola recalls. “He asked me if I wanted to be on his duet album. I was like, ‘Hell, yes.’"
Meola duets on “Will You Remember Mine,” on Nelson’s 2013 album To All The Girls… and has performed with him at his annual Farm Aid concert each year. She has also toured with Nelson and his musician sons Lukas and Micah. (Meola's brother, pro surfer Matt Meola, was in a home-schooling program with them, which led to friendship between the two families.) “Willie is the most genuinely nice human on the planet,” Meola says “and he works harder than anyone I know.”
As she continued on her path to becoming an artist, Meola also spent time in the studio with producer Bob Rock, whose daughters she grew up with, and who helped her land a development deal with Verve Records after she wowed then-label head David Foster, though a recording contract didn’t materialize. “I was 17,” Meola says. “I just wasn’t ready.”
Then a few years ago, Meola found herself performing on the same bill as Jackson Browne at a charity event. “It was in Bend, Oregon, and we were both staying at the same house,” Meola says. “Jackson said, ‘Do you write?’ and I was like, ‘No, I don't really know where to start.’" He said, ‘I can teach you everything you need to know about songwriting on the piano in one lesson.’ And I said, ‘I'm taking you up on that!’” The next time Meola was in L.A., she visited Browne. The two sat at his piano and talked for a long time, and he played her songs he was working on. “He taught me to use one legal pad for each song,” she says, “so you don’t get lyrics for different songs confused. Then he gave me my own golden pad.”
Meola had thought about writing songs before meeting Browne, “but I honestly didn’t think it was possible,” she says. “I have dyslexia and a hard time paying attention. School was really hard for me -- writing, math, everything. So writing a song just seemed impossible. How could I do that?”
Fast-forward to today and Meola has been in the studio with various co-writers crafting the bluesy, soulful pop songs that will make up her debut release for later this year. “This past year has been like writer speed-dating!” she says. “It’s meeting new people almost every day.” Still in the early stages, the music matches Meola’s sophisticated sensibilities with a soulful intensity and blend of live instrumentation and gritty, modern-sounding production. Though her rich, supple voice has led to comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Adele, Meola is currently experimenting and finding her own sound through songwriting. “I believe less is more,” she says. “Just stay soulful and try and write about something you’re passionate about.” The songs, some of which are about loss and grief, while others are about living in the moment and enjoying our time here on earth, are infused with Meola’s endearing vulnerability and fierceness of spirit.
“Turning words into music is a huge accomplishment,” Meola says. “I also just like being able to say what’s on my mind.”
Maris
website, instagram, twitter, tiktok
Maris is an LA-based singer/songwriter, digital artist, and performer. She amassed a cult following after her cover of “Fly Me to the Moon” garnered over 6 million views on twitter. She is currently being developed by Best Friends Music (Billie Eilish, FINNEAS, Role Model) and is represented by UTA.
Event Location
Troubadour
9081 Santa Monica blvd, West Hollywood, CA, 90069
Talent
Lily Meola
Maris