Helena Deland‘s new single “Lylz” is an ode to eternal friendship inspired by the relationship between the French composer Lili Boulanger and her sister Nadia. Lili was the first woman to win the Prix de Rome composition prize in 1913, a feat she accomplished at just 19 years of age. Born to a musical family, Lili’s considerable talents were evident at just two years old when a family friend discovered she had perfect pitch; and by the age of five, she was attending classes at the Paris Conservatoire with her older sister.
Lili’s untimely death at 24 would lead Nadia to dedicate her life to promoting her sister’s work. Helena Deland would come to know of the Boulangers when her friend Lylz arranged a concert performance of Lili’s compositions. Inspired by the “eternal bond” of friendship, “Lylz” burns with the promise of youthful dreams. Recorded and co-written by Jake Portrait at his Greenpoint studio, the song’s wistful nostalgia and dream-like melody is buoyed by rich and warm production.
Comprised of one extended take, the video for the track shows a candle of the Boulanger sisters slowly burning as flashes of colored light shift across the scene. Helena Deland’s “Lylz” is currently available for purchase via Luminelle Recordings.
