An emerging singer-songwriter from Boorloo/ Perth, today marks the release of Sophie Lilah's debut album, 'Busy Being In Love'.
Across 10 songs, the talented 20 year old (who won the Folk Award at this year's WAM Song Of The Year) explores all the facets of love-attached heartache; the emotional messiness, self-doubts born from feelings of inadequacies, the fear of not being seen, of fading to background noise (or worse).
Heartfelt, achingly honest indie rock-folk with smatterings of dark pop that purrs with an intensity that engulfs the senses, 'Busy Being In Love' is a vibrant, fragile, fierce, genuine album – a remarkable collection of songs whose emotion weight is heightened when you factor it's Sophie's debut record.
The songwriting is akin to a security blanket or a hot-water bottle – comforting you as you process a myriad of emotions from a relationship fallout (love and/ or platonic); that loneliness is often better than companionship.
Sophie's lyrics will resonate long after the sonic tones fade to nothing, your brain whirring with sliding door moments, the ache of questioning one's decisions/ reactions dulled with the realisation that heartache is but a normal aspect of life and love, as sh.tty as it feels.
"'Busy Being In Love' is an album about heartbreak," shares Sophie, "not just the kind that shatters, but the kind that lingers and reshapes you. Each song became a place to set down the weight of that pain, to make sense of the different shades of loss."
Here, Sophie walks us through each song; how they can to be, the lyrical influences, the emotions felt.
DHMA
I wrote this song when I felt as though someone I loved in the past, hated my guts and I didn't understand why. I was frustrated because all I ever wanted was to show my love for them. It's about surrendering to a conflict, saying 'you win! just stop hurting me please!'
Conversation
'Conversation' is about the importance of awkward conversations and honesty in sustaining relationships. I wrote it when I sensed a relationship falling apart due to unspoken secrets, intentions and competitions. If we had just had an open and honest conversation before any damage was done, we would've been able to work stuff out. I was sad to realise we were too late to do that, so I wrote this song.
Bleach
I wrote 'Bleach' during a co-write session with songwriter Bri Clark in the studio with Calvin Bennett way back in 2023. At this time, I was extremely drained and heartbroken from a confusing connection. Bri and I bounced lyric and melody ideas back and forth. The song quickly echoed the dishevelled, messy and anxious state I was in.
Leave It Alone
This song is about the pain of accepting a relationship is officially done and you will likely never speak to someone again. I wrote 'Leave It Alone' in my tent during my Year 12 leavers trip. Safe to say I didn't have the best time, haha.
What We've Lost
About six months later I wrote 'What We've Lost', a song about seeing someone you no longer speak to and realising it's no longer your place to help them, even if they're struggling. It's about the mutual distance that grows – you have no idea what's going on in their life, and they don't know what's happening in yours. It also explores the guilt that can come with moving on and letting new people into your life.
Cold Water's Warm
With a new crush, 'Cold Water's Warm' admits that the person I liked didn't like me back. Fed up with trying to change their mind, change myself or understand why, this song expresses that they just don't. It's also about deep loneliness and craving the happy companionship that everyone else seems to be experiencing.
Pretend
I wrote 'Pretend' towards the end of my first year at university, a time where I was extremely insecure and validation hungry. I was seeing someone for the feeling of being wanted or adored while knowing this person and I barely knew each other, and he didn't care about me or respect me at all.
I Mean It
As a constant daydreamer, this song is about daydreaming and fantasising. The opening lyric is 'in the kitchen, at the sink, it's like you're here, staring back at me'. When writing this song, I was doing exactly that, I was in the kitchen at the sink daydreaming.
Busy Being In Love
I wrote this song roughly one year after graduating high school; since then, I had experienced so much, been in love and drifted from so many people who were once in my life. The lyrics reflect this reminiscent state: 'Everything is changing, we're getting older, but I stay with everything that's over.' This song is essentially about change.
Boy
I wrote this when I thought that maybe if I was a boy, I would have been able to date someone I wanted to date and that maybe that was the reason I couldn't. It explores insecurities I had surrounding my bisexuality. Initially track 10 was a song called 'Doesn't Matter'. However, I decided to replace it with 'Boy' last minute! I thought it was more personal and emotional and tied the album together well.
