LALA LALA with Mother Soki

Lillie West’s new album as Lala Lala, Heaven 2, is shaped by the tension between her long-held restlessness and a growing desire to settle, a realization that steadiness can actually fuel creativity. After years in Chicago’s indie scene releasing guitar-pop records about sobriety, escape, and upheaval, West left in search of something more, living off the grid in Taos, spending time in Iceland and London, and releasing an instrumental record before finally settling in Los Angeles. That journey—physical, emotional, and spiritual—infuses Heaven 2, an album about slowing down, acceptance, and presence, produced with Jay Som’s Melina Duterte and featuring moments of catharsis, joy, and lush intensity. Across its songs, West confronts the limits of control and embraces a simple truth she returns to again and again: wherever you go, there you are.

Mother Soki is part of a new wave of artists creating emotionally resonant music, a path that led her to sign with independent label Mom+Pop in early 2025. Based in Minneapolis, she discovered her true calling while attending college in Chicago, realizing music was more fulfilling than any other art form she explored. Drawing from dream pop, ’90s nostalgia, and influences like The Sundays, Imogen Heap, and Cocteau Twins, her sound blends vintage synths, heavy guitars, and airy vocals into something unexpectedly seamless. That approach sparked her breakout hit “Rivet Gun,” which went viral earlier this year with millions of streams, widespread TikTok use, and praise from artists like Ellie Goulding. Known for lyrics that embrace vagueness and layered metaphors, Mother Soki trusts her subconscious to guide her songwriting as she continues her rise, with more music and an EP planned for later in 2025.