Get lost into dreamy vocals and captivating harmonies in Lyla DiPaul's new Ep "Something To Lose"

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Lyla DiPaul Something To Lose
Lyla DiPaul (photo by Chloe Bergman)

Lyla DiPaul has only ever had one dream; to sing and play guitar. In 4th grade, when her older brother began to teach her to pick out songs by Taylor Swift and Green Day, Lyla knew she was hooked. Inspired and indulged by the artsy DC suburb of Takoma Park, Maryland where she grew up, Lyla began performing original music at local festivals by the time she was 11 years old.  Although passionate about songwriting, Lyla felt hesitant to pursue a career in music. A mostly self taught musician, Lyla recalls feeling like she wasn’t good enough to make her dream a reality. It wasn’t until entering college at Loyola University New Orleans that she found confidence. "I was scared that I didn’t have enough experience or understanding of music theory to really take the leap. When I arrived at school I was all set to study Environmental science. Very quickly I noticed the number of people around me who were boldly pursuing their dreams". By her second semester, Lyla had switched her major, recruited a band, and released her first single. 

Her new EP "Something To Lose" features stories from the last four years of Lyla’s life, about longing, loss, and growing into your best self. Stories that she hopes people can connect to and perhaps even find themselves in. I rarely listen to such mature lyrics and melodies - this EP definitely proves that she made the right choice by pursuing a music career! Lyla's perfect, dreamy vocals team up with instrumentals in creating an ethereal, out of space dimension where you'll get lost in. Although I can definitely hear how Taylor Swift influenced her early music steps, she has been able to build a presence and a personality on her own. I think the beauty of this EP goes beyond lyrics and music, it has something that touches your heart and your inner senses. Her enchanting voice wonderfully guides your ears into a catarthic journey, at the end of which you will find yourself much more relaxed and peaceful. My favorite part of the EP? Definitely the evocative harmonies in the chorus of "Endlessy": I can't get enough of those!

While we're listening to the whole EP, let's go deep into each song. Track one, "More Than Me" is a hopeless romantic ballad in which DiPaul daydreams about growing old with the person of her desires. She sings "When your hair turns gray/I’ll miss the color but my feelings won't change/and your old pictures will look the same". The song has a cinematic build featuring string arrangements, French Horn, and an enchanting guitar melody before bringing you back to earth as the singer’s fantasies are extinguished by doubt and fear. On track two, "Endlessly", DiPaul’s storytelling shines through as she sings catchy melodies relaying the true story of falling in love while escaping Hurricane Ida. On "Heart In A Box (sad girl version)" DiPaul and collaborator Frankie White prove that less is more. Stripped down to piano and strings, this new arrangement brings deepened emotion to the original version first released in 2022. Closing the EP is the most recent of the four songs, and the title track, "Something To Lose". According to DiPaul "this song is all about appreciating the things that led you to where you are today, healing from the past, and holding on to what is good in life".

Lyla DiPaul has been discovering what it means to survive as an independent musician. She knows that the only way to make it is to form a community of creative and determined people to help you along the way. Her new EP, "Something To Lose", is a perfect example of getting by with a little help from your friends. Recorded entirely at her close friend and collaborator Riley English’s home studio, each song on the record came together like pieces of a puzzle. What started as an idea to make a stripped back acoustic record became a 9 month journey to find the perfect sound. The two musicians slowly began inviting friends to lend their musical talents on everything from drums to violin. One by one the songs began to come to life. By the end of recording, they knew they had created something special, and I'm honoured to have had the chance to introduce it to you today!

Lyla DiPaul Something To Lose
Lyla DiPaul (photo by Sam Mallon)

Instagram: @lyladipaulmusic

Linktree: Lyla DiPaul

Website: lyladipaulmusic.com

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