Singer/songwriter Lila Forde opens up about her smoldering, seductive debut album ‘VESSEL,’ a breathtakingly beautiful record built on deep, timeless foundations and her own unshakeable, unflinching “Americana soul.” Rooted in honesty and lit by intention, these songs affirm her vision of becoming the kind of enduring artist whose music lingers long after the last note fades.

Stream: “Brick by Brick” – Lila Forde

“I want to be a timeless artist… someone whose songs still mean something 50 years from now.”

And with her debut album, singer/songwriter Lila Forde begins exactly where all timeless music does: In the heat of feeling, the heart of intention, and the honesty of self.

Independently released May 9^th, VESSEL is a soul-soaked introduction – smoldering, grounded, and spiritually alive. Lila Forde doesn’t just sing; she summons. Her voice glows with raw, unfiltered firepower, pulling from the past with reverence and delivering it into the present with striking clarity and warmth. It’s a record of openness and embodiment, of making room for every emotion and honoring every influence. Passionate but poised, bold yet deeply vulnerable, VESSEL captures the feeling of arriving fully – and unapologetically – as yourself.

Some artists find music; for Lila Forde, music found her – and it’s been calling ever since. Raised in a spiritual, music-filled home in Seattle, she grew up without a television and with her feet in the dirt – the daughter of a musician and meditation teachers who encouraged curiosity, presence, and creative freedom. Years of jazz training, choir harmonies, and folk influences helped shape her singular sound – what she now calls “Americana soul”: A rich, genre-blurring blend of jazz, R&B, folk, and groove-forward storytelling. With a voice like honey and a vision all her own, Forde’s songs feel both familiar and fiercely original – classic and enduring in their intent, and grounded in something deeper than trend.

Forde wrote the songs on VESSEL in the years after graduating from jazz school – a “wild, free, and wonderful” time of transition, heartache, and creative freedom. She crowdfunded the album through a grassroots Kickstarter campaign, raising $16,000 from early fans who believed in her long before national acclaim. “I took that into the studio for the first time, and those three days were some of the best of my life. I’m so thrilled that the fruits of that experience are finally out in the world,” she tells Atwood Magazine.

Recorded over three whirlwind days in early 2023, VESSEL came to life with producer Aidan Carroll and a handpicked band of players who knew Forde, understood her vision, and brought the right energy into the room. “It was all vibes – the right players, the right space, and the right emotional dynamic,” she reflects. “Aidan and I did a lot of pre-production – figuring out arrangements, instrumentation, and overall vibe. But like any living, breathing thing, the record evolved. We cut two songs, re-recorded one, and let the process shape itself. That evolution was part of the magic.”

At the heart of the album is the idea of surrender – of showing up for the music and letting it move through you.

“I want to be a vessel for the music,” Forde says. “I’m here to serve it.”

That sentiment became both the foundation and the namesake of her debut. “Vessel encompasses everything I aspire to be as an artist,” she explains. “I want to stay open – open enough for the music to flow through me, like a download from the universe. It’s easier said than done, but the ultimate goal is to get out of my own way so the music can flow through me.”

“This album was my first experience with really tapping in,” she continues. “It felt like these songs arrived for me, not from me. All I could do was try to honor them.”

To that end, VESSEL doesn’t just introduce Lila Forde – it embodies her. She candidly describes the album as catchy, honest, and free. “I feel like there’s a little bit of everything on this record – vulnerability, silliness, reflection, honesty, flirtation, fun,” she says. “That’s all me. So in a way, this record is like saying, ‘Here I am – take it or leave it.’”

If VESSEL is a reflection of Lila Forde’s full artistic self, then its songs are the colors she paints with – rich in texture, tone, and emotional depth.

Highlights abound on the journey from “Temptation” to “The Masquerade Is Over,” each track adding dimension to her story while showcasing a different facet of her voice.

The album kicks off with a smolder: “Temptation” is flirtatious, sultry, and drenched in retro soul. Inspired by Hall & Oates and written about a crush on a restaurant chef, the track sets the mood with slinky grooves and a wink of danger. “One Day Romance” takes that spark and spins it into a full-on yacht rock banger – a whirlwind fling wrapped in warm guitars and carefree abandon. On the other end of the spectrum, “Honesty” offers VESSEL’s rawest moment: A vulnerable, heart-wrenching ballad about letting go of a first love. It’s tender and unguarded – the kind of performance that doesn’t ask for polish, only presence.

Forde leans into a funkier, freer side on “‘Til You Melt,” a soulful R&B jam written in the wake of a disagreement, and inspired by a phrase her parents used when she was a kid. Laced with Hammond organ and rich harmonies, it grooves with warmth and patience – a reminder that forgiveness, like love, can’t be rushed.

Still, no song feels more emblematic of Forde’s long-game artistry than “Brick by Brick.” A standout anthem of resilience and resolve, it’s both a career manifesto and a grounding mantra. “I love ‘Brick by Brick’ because it’s become a personal mantra,” Forde shares. “There’ll be trials and tribulations all along this rugged road. Others behind me, in front and beside me, I’ll just keep the pace I know. In this industry, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparison – we’re constantly being measured by numbers, followers, views. This song helps me tune all that out. It’s about putting on my blinders, trusting my path, and knowing I’ll get to the emerald city – step by step. I’ll build this career, Brick by Brick.”

I’m cruising down the road
A cool breeze running through my hair
The emerald city’s in the distance
I’m on my way to get my share

I’m not concerned with getting there too fast
Starting a fire that’ll burn out in a flash
I’m keen on building something that’ll stick

I’m making it brick by brick
Step by step
Inch by inch
Rep by rep

VESSEL is more than a debut – it’s a declaration. With fire in her voice and grace in her touch, Lila Forde lays a foundation built to last.

These ten tracks shimmer with style and substance, honoring the past while speaking powerfully to the present. As a songwriter, performer, and storyteller, she leaves no doubt: Her artistry is here to stay.

“Recording this album was the first time I stepped into the studio for my project, and I just knew – this is what I was born to do,” Forde shares. “I had that realization mid-session, in the thick of it, and in many ways, this process was an introduction of me… to myself.”

It’s a rare and radiant thing to witness someone stepping fully into their power. On VESSEL, Lila Forde doesn’t hold back – she arrives.

“I hope listeners walk away with a real sense of who I am – all sides of me,” she smiles. “This is just the beginning, so hop on the train now… before it’s speeding too fast to catch.”

Experience the full record via our below stream, and peek inside Lila Forde’s Vessel with Atwood Magazine as she takes us track-by-track through the music and lyrics of her debut album!

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:: stream/purchase Vessel here ::

:: connect with Lila Forde here ::

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Stream: ‘Vessel’ – Lila Forde

:: Inside Vessel ::

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Temptation

Sassy, sexy, and undeniably irresistible—Temptation captures those moments when you crave something you just can’t have. I actually wrote it about a crush I had on the head chef at the restaurant where I worked. I was noodling around with the chords from “She’s Gone” by Hall & Oates when the melody and lyrics started pouring out. It’s got the spirit of an old soul classic with a fresh, modern pulse—and the band on the recording is absolutely on fire.

All I Expected

This one was born from something a friend told me—her dad once asked her, “Is love all you expected it to be?” I was in the depths of a writer’s block, and that question cracked something open. All I Expected tells the story of someone stuck in a loveless relationship, feeling sorry for themselves but not quite ready to let go. It’s wistful, sensual, and a little slinky—perfect for a late-night drive with the windows down.

One Day Romance

The album’s resident yacht rock banger. One Day Romance is about the daylight version of a one-night stand—a whirlwind moment with someone you’ve just met, where for a few hours it feels like you’re the only two people in the world. And then… it’s over. There are guitars galore on this one, and it’s pure, feel-good groove.

Brick by Brick

We recorded this one live in LA, right after the devastating fires. I wrote this song with Misha Adair, as a reminder to myself— if you want to build something that lasts—whether that’s a relationship, a life, or even rebuilding a town, you’ve gotta build it brick by brick.

Vessel

The title track is about being a channel for the universe to work through. This song came to me like a download—sudden and surprising, like it wasn’t mine to begin with. I try to stay tuned into that frequency, though it’s easier said than done. The orchestral arrangement was beautifully crafted by the brilliant Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, a musician who lets the beauty of the universe flow through him into his music. A vessel!

Just A Minute

This “country funk” tune is all about boundaries. People always want your time, your energy, your presence. But sometimes, you just need to say—Just a minute, alright? Maybe I’ll call you back. Maybe I won’t.

The Other Way

A percussive, eclectic groove inspired by my trip to Ireland and all the incredible traditional music I heard there. It’s a future message to my daughter: If you ever meet a man with blue eyes and a guitar on his back, don’t stop to listen, just run the other way.

Honesty

I wrote Honesty after my first major break-up, where nothing bad happened, we were just growing up. It’s about the challenges of staying honest and true to yourself as your life shifts and your world changes.

‘Til You Melt

Funky, melodic, and full of organic R&B vibes, I wrote this one about waiting for someone to forgive you—to finally melt after you’ve messed up. It’s something my mom and dad used to say to each other after a fight. Sometimes it just takes a little time for the other person to melt.

The Masquerade Is Over

A voice memo captured at a gig where we were playing background jazz. I hit record on a whim while singing this classic standard with an upright bassist and guitarist. You can hear bits of conversation and the clinking of silverware—it feels like an old-school jazz club. Jazz was my first musical love, and though I don’t get to showcase it much these days, this felt like the perfect way to close the album.

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:: stream/purchase Vessel here ::

:: connect with Lila Forde here ::

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Vessel

an album by Lila Forde