Local/Live: October 10th – Lili K
POSTED:: October 4, 2017
FILED UNDER:: In-Studio Performances, Interviews, Local/Live, Special Programming
“This jazz aristocrat has the kind of chops that stop you in your tracks.” – VIBE Magazine
Originally from Milwaukee, Lili began performing in her early years through church and elementary school choirs. By the time she turned ten, she began writing her own original lyrics. Following her completion at Milwaukee High School of the Arts where she was trained in classical, opera, and jazz, Lili graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management from her alma mater, Columbia College Chicago. It was during her time at Columbia that she made her entrance into the Chicago music scene.
Initially known for her stand-out guest features with Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa, Lili K established herself as a knockout solo star with the April 2015 release of her self-produced, full-length debut album RUBY. Originally from Milwaukee, Lili established herself as a staple in the Chicago music scene in 2012. She’s done numerous TV appearances on ABC and FOX, has performed at major festivals including Made In America, North Coast Music Festival, and Pitchfork, and has garnered glowing praise from VIBE, Huffington Post, EW, Consequence of Sound, Complex, and many more top-tier music tastemakers. Jay Z’s entertainment streaming service Tidal dubbed Lili as their very first “Tidal Rising” artist, and the Chicago Reader named her “Best Jazz Musician” in their annual “Best of Chicago” reader’s choice poll in 2015.
After taking a step out of the spotlight to record her new album Planet of Flowers with The Lili K Band, Lili has returned with exciting new visuals and projects. In November 2016, Lili released the single “Magic.” A song that combats sexism and misogyny, “Magic” has since been shared and promoted by rape crisis centers, domestic violence centers, and universities. As of February 2017, Lili has a weekly residency with Soho House Chicago, and has landed a recurring role as a background vocalist on Season 3 of Fox’s hit show Empire.
Lili and the Lili K Band are currently working on their second studio album, entitled Planet of Flowers. It is slated to release in 2018.
Tune into WMSE on Tuesday, October 10th to listen to a live set from Lili K— WMSE.org to stream live or in the archives, or simply tune your radio to 91.7 FM at the 6 o’clock hour.
Local/Live on WMSE is sponsored by Club Garibaldi’s.