by lilith jaime
photo by mars washington
As a London-based singer and songwriter, Lola Wild creates narrative landscapes that reflect her personal experiences and emotions. Her music is described as "otherworldly nostalgia" that conjures cinematic scenarios and intimate moments. In addition, her surreal storytelling mixed with influences ranging from Roy Orbison and The Beatles to Billie Holiday, make her both contemporary and a standout act in the music industry.
With “Get Up,” Lola established herself as a rising talent in the indie music scene, and her recent releases and upcoming projects make her career even more enigmatic, as most of her works revolve around finding a place in the world. In this interview, we dove into her single “Girls in Hollywood,” her identity and aesthetic inspirations, and her music aims and aspirations.
What inspired “Girls in Hollywood?”
Lola: “‘Girls in Hollywood’ came from this idea of chasing the dream and what that really costs you. I was thinking about the people who go to Hollywood wanting to be seen, to make it, and how that can be both intoxicating and a bit tragic. It’s about that push and pull — the glamor and the loneliness that sits just underneath it. The same can be said for the the music industry too.”
Is this single, plus the others released this year, part of some new upcoming material?
Lola: “Yeah, definitely. The singles I’ve put out this year all exist in the same little world — this sort of static, lost in frequency kind of space. Each one tells a different part of the story. ‘Girls in Hollywood’ ties a few of those threads together. I’ve been really drawn to themes of escapism, identity, and that mix of hope and tragedy that comes with trying to figure out who you are and where you belong.”
You draw musical inspiration from the 60s and 80s. Have these decades always meant a lot to you?
Lola: “I'd say for most of my adult life it has been influenced by those eras. I used to work in a vintage shop, so I was constantly surrounded by those worlds — the clothes, the colors, the sounds playing through the speakers all day. It definitely seeped into the way I see and hear things now. The interesting thing about the ’80s is how it took such a clear nod to the ’60s — not just in the fashion, but in the sound too. Both eras share this obsession with melody and harmony, that sense of something lush and cinematic.”
Considering you navigate in your lyrics a narrative landscape, what do you enjoy most of your songwriting process?
Lola: “I think what I enjoy most is building a little world around a feeling. Usually it starts with an image or a moment in my head, like a scene from a film and then I just start to fill in the details. I love figuring out who the character is, what they’re thinking, what they’re running from. It isn't always about being literal. I like hiding bits of truth in metaphor, or saying something real in a slightly surreal way. It keeps it interesting, like you’re telling a story, but through a dream lens.”
In general terms, what do you want people to take away from your music?
Lola: “My music tends to live in that space between nostalgia and daydream, so if it gives someone a bit of comfort or escape for a few minutes, that’s enough for me. I think it’s just really special when people find their own stories in the songs. Once it’s out in the world, it doesn’t really belong to the artist anymore... it becomes whatever someone needs it to be, and I love that.”
In terms of music production, what are you always aiming to achieve?
Lola: “In production, I’m always trying to create tension between control and chaos. I want every sound to feel deliberate, but I also want it to have life, not be too polished or stale, little unpredictabilities that keep it from feeling static. I’m fascinated by texture and space, how silence and noise can interact, and how a song can exist somewhere between intimacy and spectacle.”
How does your music reflect your personality?
Lola: “I think my music reflects the way I process the world. It's a mix of observation, chaos and unpredictability. I like contrasts — beauty and discomfort, intimacy and spectacle. In a way, the songs are an extension of how I see and react to things, filtered through a lens that’s performative.”
What’s the emotion that most prevail when you are making music?
Lola: “It’s this strange mix of vulnerability and exhilaration.”
What was your path finding your own community in music?
Lola: “By carving a space for myself where I could be unapologetically strange. I gravitate towards other creatives that push boundaries instead of shying away from them.”
FUN QUESTION: What’s your dream collab?
Lola: “Dolly Parton always and forever xo.”