Last week’s The Portland Playlist, featured a special playlist and Drop-In Session. We’ll tell you more about that playlist, but first, let’s talk about the Drop-In Session. We first heard Lilla years ago when she would sing with Nahko & Medicine for the People, and the Max Ribner Band, at familiar places like the Goodfoot. In 2014, she performed on the Miller Main Stage at the Waterfront Blues Festival, in a performance that drew the crowd to her like bees to a hive. We were thrilled to see that she would be back at this year’s Blues Fest, performing on the First Tech Blues Stage on Saturday, July 2nd.

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Lilla @ Waterfront Blues Fest, photo by Teri Briggs

We were there behind the lens to witness another captivating performance by Lilla and her band. Given current world affairs, most of the artists at this year’s Blues Fest spoke to the need for more love and unity in our world. Lilla was one such artist delivering this message throughout her set, exuding love in her performance and receiving it back from an appreciative audience. No longer living in Portland, we were fortunate that she stayed in town long enough to stop by the studio to catch up and play a few songs live.

 

Lilla, photo by Teri Briggs

Lilla, photo by Teri Briggs

Lilla, photo by Teri Briggs

Lilla is an artist who has two self-produced albums under her belt with another in the works. At 6, she taught herself to play the piano by ear, by age 12 she was singing in her local gospel choir followed by an East Coast tour with the internationally recognized, Royal Blues . It was at Berklee College of Music that she received more formal training. One week after graduating, she released her second album, “The Awakening.” This album was recorded all over the globe, from Bob Marley’s studio, Tuff Gong in Jamaica, to Portland. It “is a celebration of the power of music and its ability to connect musicians, cultures and people from around the globe.” She has shared the stage with Thievery Corporation, Ciara, Damian & Stephen Marley, Talib Kweli, Trombone Shorty, Esperanza Spalding, the Wu-Tang Clan, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Annie Lennox, Willie Nelson, Carole King, Kenny G, and Boyz II Men.