After its first appearance at last year’s Dayton Music Fest, Lilito will soon return to Dayton. The performance is April 25 at Blind Bob’s and will feature Aaron Magical, TV Queens, and Paige Beller.
In an email interview with Lily Mascherino, aka Lilito, we cover musical inspiration, filmmaking, the band’s future, and the ambiguous nature of the “red lightbulbs.”
So the first song I ever heard from Lilito was “Tally.” I watched the video and was just completely enamored by the music and the strong visual aesthetics. Tell me about your creative process behind the videos. Are they all self-produced?
LILY: I make everything by myself. Most details are pieced together accidentally, in coordination with my story playing out in real life. My real life and the story of Lilito are very closely symbiotic and interactive. They are both metaphors for each other. This is possible because both of them are real. When I listen to a Lilito song, I observe aesthetics in the music for my visuals, creating grounds for colors, textures, etc. Everything is already existing exactly in its place. All I do is find everything and allow for you to see it.
Where did you get your knack for filmmaking? Because it seems you’re as much a visual artist as a musician.
LILY: I only watch cartoons. I don’t even look at live action film, even though that is technically what I make. Animated or cartoon influence is the only form of film that could possibly seep through to my art. I’ve been an illustrator since I was a kid, and my films kind of look like my drawings. I stopped drawing as much because depicting characters through filmmaking replaced my itch for creating characters through drawing them.
The combination of the vocals and the keys is so unique and recognizable. I feel like even if a Lilito song pops up randomly on a playlist, I could probably tell that it’s a Lilito song. What inspired that whimsical sound you landed on?
LILY: I do what I feel. I always acknowledged a force hidden deep, which begged to be exerted. It was long before I made a sound. My sound is me. As I pour from myself, you can hear me too. It’s not to say there were no things which shaped what I call me. Forever I am thankful for my parents. The music they played in the car and in the house were my gifts, and my Dad’s music is among my favorite of those.
What’s the significance of the “red lightbulbs”? The “pianoship?” And who are “Lilito People”?
LILY: I don’t usually explain the meaning behind my imagery in Lilito videos, because it doesn’t matter to me whether you understand it or not, or when. It’s like a ballet. You don’t have to understand what’s going on in a ballet story in order to enjoy the dance. No matter what it means, it can still offer something meaningful to you, that is completely independent of its intended meaning. You can enjoy the music, the imagery, the meaning, all three, something in between, or something else. As for Lilito People, I can explain what these are because they’re an entire concept aside from cinematographic poetry. Lilito People are Lilito songs “personified,” basically. They aren’t human though.
Credit: Sarah Partridge
Credit: Sarah Partridge
Usually I can get a sense of where artists get their inspiration, but Lilito feels like such a singular force, as if you’re on the ground floor of something completely new. What is Lilito most inspired by?
LILY: Lilito is inspired by myself and my favorite observations. Some of these include light, animals, mountains, and pain. Fine I’ll say it, my favorite band is Mew. My prediction is that will never change. If you hear them you might go “Ohhhhhh.” Two of my other huge influences were the band Eisley, and Say Anything. Those girls in Eisley taught me how to sing. Max taught me how to write. Lastly, my dad. He made some of my most favorite music and was hugely impactful on my brain musically, since I was born.
Is Lilito still a brother/sister duo, considering you perform with a full band now?
LILY: I chose to describe Lilito that way almost fully because I thought it had a cool vibe to it. It was never even a brother/sister duo at all honestly. I lied to be honest. Me and Scout made maybe one thing together for Lilito. He’s doing other stuff now, but he knows he’s always welcome back in the band if he chooses. It would still be amazingly cool in all the same ways. He’s still canon.
Was your dad [and Taking Back Sunday guitarist Fred Mascherino] a part of Lilito’s creative process?
LILY: Yes, I got some help from my dad on my first songs, the ones from “Happy Horse Lamp.” I was still a kid at first and I had no idea how to record. Gradually as the album progressed I did more stuff by myself. That’s how I work best. But my dad made a few creative choices on that album that still define Lilito and probably always will. Our little secret.
If there’s one thing that you believe defines your music — whether that be a theme or a philosophy — what would it be?
LILY: I’ve thought it might be light and how it bends. When I make sound I feel light vibrating and moving and sighing in an irreplicable way that can never happen again. Light can do anything. Light can say anything. We are light, that’s what they say. And you can finally know what it means to be a light, only when you hear a song.
What’s your favorite song you’ve written, and what makes it special to you?
LILY: My favorite one used to be “Choo Choo Says Goodbye.” It might sound the most like how it is to be me. My favorite Lilito song is now probably a new one that no one’s heard. Whichever song is my favorite, it is my favorite because it’s made me feel the most happy. My songs contain my own happiness. Whichever one makes me act the most freakishly happily, this one will be my favorite. Some signs include jumping, creating monkey noises, or sharing. I hate sharing.
What was playing Dayton Music Fest like for you, and what makes you excited to come back?
LILY: I never played Dayton ‘til that day. I love all the concerts, but I remember thinking the previous show I’d performed better. It was very sweet and kind, in the air I suppose. Honestly I have no idea what shows I’m doing until my drummer Yann tells me. But I’m excited for us to come back to Dayton because I have a crush on everyone in the world. But let’s get serious. I remember being happy that night.
Your debut album “Happy Horse Lamp” came out in 2022, and you’ve since released a few more singles — which are great. What’s next for Lilito?
LILY: Thank you so much. Next is a lot. For starters, there’s a single coming extremely soon. There is way more than I usually feel like explaining. It’s my entire life, this is all I do. Sometimes I disappear, and people start to think I might stop, or that I might have given up. I’m asking you to please trust that I won’t.
Brandon Berry writes about the Dayton and Southwest Ohio music and art scene. Have a story idea for him? Email branberry100@gmail.com.
HOW TO GO
What: Aaron Magical / TV Queens / Lilito / Paige Beller
When: 9 p.m. April 25
Where: Blind Bob’s, 430 E. 5th St., Dayton
Cost: $10
More info: Lilito’s latest single “Tally” is available on all streaming platforms.
About the Author