Lila Tristram – A Year in Music – 2025
by Killian Laher

How has your year been?

2025 has been a really phenomenal year for me. Full of blossoming and transition. I’ve been on tour 4 times and played more shows this year than in all the other years of my life combined, and I’m really starting to feel like the stage is my true home. This year also saw the release of my album, America. I truly have poured everything into this record, and it’s been such a beautiful process to see it released into the world and taking on a life of its own.

Are you happy with how your album has been received?

I have been truly blown away by the response. As an independent artist, it can really feel like you’re creating work and throwing it into a vacuum. So to find my songs being consistently played on Radio 6, for the vinyls to have almost sold out on preorder, and just emails and notes from fans all over the world telling me how much America means to them – I mean, for an artist, to have your work celebrated in this way is just breathtaking.

What albums have you enjoyed most this year?

Matthew Halsall – An Everchanging View

Hand Habits – Blue Reminder

Ada Lea – one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden

Oklou – choke enough

Jorge Ben Jor – Força Bruta

What’s the most promising new act you’ve heard this year?

Oh, very good question! I also mentor other independent artists, so this is a tricky one for me. I know so many fantastic musicians who are just emerging and love each of them equally and in different ways… so a lot of people come to mind!

My favourite new act has to be Madra Salach. We both played at Left of the Dial Festival in Rotterdam back in October, and their show took my breath away. I was literally in pieces by the end of it.

Any gig highlights?

I don’t know if this is a highlight exactly, but it’s a good story. When we arrived in Rotterdam for Left of the Dial, I pretty immediately proceeded to come down with a horrible virus and completely lost my voice. This has never happened to me before, and when we got to sound check, I realised that I literally couldn’t sing a single note. So I had a cry, spoke to my band, and we decided (with about 15 minutes before showtime) that we’d completely change up the set, and instead of playing the songs from America, we’d give the people a completely improvised experimental drone set. We even managed to rope in a fantastic jazz harpist, Ranie Ribiero, who joined us on stage. On reflection, it was actually quite legendary. Probably a better show than the one we had planned!

Can you recommend an album that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves?

I’m going to say Ambulette, by Daniel Glenn Padgett. Who is an incredible artist, in all senses of the word. He is not only an amazing musician but also a stunning photographer. He took the cover art and all the press shots for America.

What inspires you these days?

Oh gosh. I’m inspired by stories of human healing. A lot of my recent work seems to take on that theme. Reflecting not just the spiritual / miracle / joyful aspect, but also the gnarly, swampy depths of what it really looks like to go through a deep healing process.

What’s next for Lila Tristram?

Well, I’ve got plans to get back on the road in January for a UK tour. I’ve got a lot of work written, which I’d like to record. And I’ve got plans in the works to run a festival in August 2026, the premise of which is to celebrate women in music and the arts. It’s an all-female line-up of both performers and crew (which to my knowledge has never been done before..!). Very excited for all of the above, let’s see what 2026 has in store …!