The phrase “mature beyond their years” is somewhat overused for young songwriters who explore deep or heavy issues, yet this underestimates that this group of artists also have their own experiences to draw from at a very formative time in their lives. This is best demonstrated by up-and-coming talent Lilia Asha, who at 14-years-old has an uncanny ability to directly transform her emotions into remarkably compelling songs. Her newest single ‘My Morbid Reverie’ (produced with Starcle Music) reflects a particularly challenging time for Lilia when she felt trapped inside her own mind, and so she sought out solace in music.

For many of us, music is a form of therapy; it’s a way to understand ourselves better, to look at a situation from a new angle or just let out all that negativity. For this Shanghai-based British musician, it appears that this song functions as all three. At the start of ‘My Morbid Reverie’, those melancholic piano melodies and Lilia’s bruised, sensitive vocals perform like the opening pages of a diary in which the writer had poured out all their emotions. As the song progresses, Lilia’s voice soars and the production becomes more cinematic. She powerfully sings, “I don’t feel anymore, I don’t hear the slam of the door, I don’t hear the rain hitting the streets, I miss my will to breathe.” It’s a striking exposition of emotional struggle that’s bound to resonate with listeners.

“I write songs to express what I cannot express in conversations.”

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