Lila Forde is without doubt one of the entrants to NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. She explains the story behind her music, “Brick by Brick,” which took on extra significance after the LA wildfires this yr.
(SOUNDBITE OF LILA FORDE SONG, “BRICK BY BRICK”)
LILA FORDE: If you wish to construct one thing that stands the check of time, you bought to construct it brick by brick. You simply obtained to go step-by-step, you understand, just a little bit at a time.
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
That is the philosophy of singer-songwriter Lila Forde. Every year, we showcase among the finest entries to NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. And after listening to Forde’s “Brick By Brick” and the story behind it, we knew we needed to share it with you.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BRICK BY BRICK”)
FORDE: (Singing) I am cruising down the street.
RASCOE: Forde is a believer within the worth of working sluggish and regular.
FORDE: This music, particularly at the present time when, you understand, you are speculated to go viral and that is the way you get publicity – however in truth, I believe I’ve all the time identified that I do not wish to be a flash within the pan. I wish to be one thing that lasts. I wish to be a timeless artist. And with timeless artists come, you understand, years and years of dedication, brick by brick, constructing it up, you understand, constructing the inspiration so to have a profession that’ll final.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BRICK BY BRICK”)
FORDE: (Singing) I am eager on constructing one thing that’ll stick. I am making it brick by brick.
RASCOE: However it’s larger than constructing a profession that lasts. Lila Forde lives in Los Angeles. She was engaged on this music when the wildfires broke out at first of the yr. The fires tore by the Palisades and Altadena communities and affected the entire LA space. Her bandmate’s home and recording studio burned down.
FORDE: I keep in mind within the days after the fireplace, we went as much as Altadena and noticed what was once our good friend’s home and the studio the place we might write and file and rehearse and snort and cry and every little thing in between. And the one factor that remained of his home was the brick chimney place. And it simply hit me. I am like, oh, my God. What lasted by the fireplace, by the flame? It is the bricks. So I knew then that I needed to end this music concerning the fireplace and the way, you understand, not solely if you wish to construct one thing that lasts, you construct it brick by brick, however by climate and fireplace and doubt and ache and every little thing, it’s going to final for you.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BRICK BY BRICK”)
FORDE: (Singing) I am making it brick by brick. Oh, yeah. Oh, we’re going step-by-step. We’re transferring inch by inch.
Me and my band – we spent so many nights there. It was actually small. It obtained actually sizzling in the summertime. However it had plenty of actually superb devices, and all of that is gone. All of that is misplaced within the fireplace.
RASCOE: However regardless of the losses, Forde says she’s already seen these LA communities rebound in a giant approach.
FORDE: There may be resilience. Human beings are resilient. So inevitably, when one thing like this occurs, it is actually devastating. However actually, I’ve seen the neighborhood actually stand up and actually come collectively in a wonderful, stunning approach.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BRICK BY BRICK”)
FORDE: (Singing) By way of smoke, by flame, we’ll construct it again once more. In time, we’ll know from ashes we will develop. And we’ll be driving excessive, our troubles far beneath.
Ever since I wrote this music, I shut each single present that I do with it. Folks actually resonate with it, clearly, as a result of we’re nonetheless within the aftermath. We’re nonetheless within the trauma of the fireplace. And it is a actually stunning expertise as a result of it is highly effective to listen to a room stuffed with these individuals singing my music with me. It seems like we’re all highly effective. We might do something collectively.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BRICK BY BRICK”)
FORDE: (Singing) We’re making it brick by brick. Oh, yeah.
RASCOE: That is Lila Forde on her music, “Brick By Brick,” one in all NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest entries. Her new album, “Vessel,” is out now.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BRICK BY BRICK”)
FORDE: (Singing) Whoa. We’re going brick by brick.
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