Ilianna is 25 and she is showing that it is worth being real. She is a pop singer-songwriter, born in Brentwood and now residing in Nashville and releasing her first EP called For A Reason. This project deals with the theme of love, loss, and development in a personal manner that is easy to relate to. Ilianna is renowned by her expressive voice that is smooth and the manner in which she narrates her songs by telling stories. She uses the real life experiences and makes it into music that listeners will remember.
The EP includes five songs. The sound of Wasting Time is dreamy, Just Might is straightforward and sincere, and How To Forget is philosophical and touching. The last song, A Year From Now, is optimistic but also defenseless and is a good conclusion to the project. The songs demonstrate that Ilianna is able to find meaning in hard times.
Ilianna gained the first fame when she appeared on the TV show The Voice on the team Miley Cyrus. She graduated in Berklee College of music later. Her voice is filled with pop music mixed with sincerity and richness. It was produced by Jonathan Cole and released under Highway music. For A Reason is not only her initial release but demonstrates what type of artist she is. The music is indicative of the fact that there is a purpose and meaning in everything that transpires, including pain.
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What inspired the title of your new EP, For A Reason?
The inspiration of the title, For A Reason, is based off of the idea that in life everything happens for a reason – people you meet, experiences you have, heart breaks, love, they all make you who you are in this exact moment and without them you would be in a different place. You are where you’re supposed to be. Each one of these songs on the EP come from a different stage of my life in the last two years, and without these experiences I wouldn’t have these songs, and I wouldn’t be where I am today or who I am today without them.
Can you share the main themes or messages you wanted to convey through this album?
The main themes and messages I wanted to convey through this EP are the ups and downs of life focusing on heartbreak and falling in love again after experiencing heartbreak. Like I had said in the previous question of what had inspired the title, the main theme of this EP is that everything happens for a reason and every bit of each experience you live through is beautiful and important.
How does For A Reason differ musically and lyrically from your previous work?
I think For A Reason differs from previous work in the way my music has matured and found it’s identity. I feel like since releasing my first single “Close To You”, I have really gotten in the groove of my sound.
Everything kind of clicked musically in the last few years of writing for me – it was like it just came out of me and I don’t even know where it came from or how it came about. It’s a weird feeling – almost like I didn’t even have to think about it too hard sometimes, it just happened.
I also think a big part of that is how intense the emotions I was feeling during this time were – and also how much time I have put into music my whole life. It feels like it all clicked and came together, it was honestly a magical feeling.
Was there a specific life experience or moment that heavily influenced the creation of this album?
It wasn’t just one experience in particular. When I first moved to Nashville, I had lost my producer and a lot of my music tied to them. I had also gotten out of my first long term relationship which was heartbreaking at the time, I was struggling to find myself and my sound without them and that’s when I started writing for this EP without really knowing it was going to be for this EP in particular. I was almost starting over and I was terrified.
There was a lot of in-between moments and people I met in the last few years that have inspired the writing of this EP. I also found myself in the most beautiful, loving, special relationship I have ever experienced and that also heavily influenced some of these songs. The beauty of both exciting and fearful emotions that come with the ups and downs of growing up, all had their hand in heavily influencing this EP.
Are there any particular songs on the Ep that hold special meaning for you? Why?
The first one that sticks out to me the most is For A Reason, the fifth track on the EP. This song came to me in a dream. I remember waking up at 3am and having the melody and words of the song fresh in my head – it was such a beautiful and crazy writing experience.
It was during a very stressful time in my life and this song came through as a light and reminder that I needed to slow down for a moment. I remember wanting to call everyone and tell them I loved them and just sit in the feeling of gratefulness for everyone I have in life and the blessings that I have been given. I finished writing it that night and it is one of my favorite songs I have ever written.
What do you hope your listeners take away from this album?
I hope listeners are able to find a piece of their own lives and experiences through this EP and hear themselves in the music.
How do you balance staying true to your artistic vision while also appealing to your audience?
I believe authenticity is everything. I always stay true to myself and my artistic vision is that exact thing. I feel that as an artist who looks up to other artists, that is one of main factors that appeals to me.
My music is heavily based on my real life experiences and I hope that my audience can relate to a lot of the topics I write about. I think people are naturally drawn to genuineness and I hope that that always comes through in not only my music, but in everything I do.
Which track on For A Reason do you think best represents your growth as an artist?
I think the track that best represents my growth as an artist is “Just Might”. It was a song that just came so naturally to me and every part of the writing experience was so much fun. Sometimes I get too caught up in perfection and overthinking when I’m writing, but this song was the opposite.
I just let whatever was on my mind come out and it felt so freeing. It was also a very fun and exciting time of my life when I was experiencing that “oh god I’m in love” feeling. The bridge is one of my favorite parts of the whole song and honestly this whole EP.
How do you approach songwriting, and did your process change for this album?
My approach to songwriting varies a lot. I write in a journal every day. Not only just music, but also my every day thoughts. I like to look back at journal entries and find things that I can make into music. Sometimes, I sit at my piano or with my guitar and both melodies and words come out together.
I have found that usually I find the words first and then fit them into a melody. Weirdly enough, this EP I wrote a lot of my favorite parts in the car. I like to play the chords on a loop and while I drive I sing over it and improvise until something catches my attention. Sometimes I get the best songs from writing like that. I wrote the whole first track of the EP, Wasting Time, in the car while I was driving.
How involved were you in the production and arrangement of the album?
I was heavily involved in the arrangement and production of this album. My producer, Jonathan Cole, is the absolute best. I sat in on every session and we worked on all of the ideas together. He spent so much time editing and coming up with the tracks on his own time as well. I wrote all of these songs and Jonathan helped me bring them to life. This EP wouldn’t be what it is without him!
Looking ahead, how do you see your sound evolving after For A Reason?
It’s hard to say, because I think naturally my music is always evolving without me even realizing it or meaning to in the same way I am always changing and evolving. I think they’re intertwined in a lot of ways. I am always practicing and writing and in the same way that this EP came about, I didn’t realize I was writing it at the time I started. I have a lot of music I am sitting on now, and I can’t wait to see where it ends up existing in the future.
