I recently did an interview with 94Five for their Tastemakers segment…
A tastemaker is someone whose opinion we trust, so much so that we let them set the bar for popular trends and fashions. So if you’re paying any attention to Hip-Hop right now, Lily Mercer is the tastemaker you should be watching. When it comes to Hip-Hop she’s the girl to put you on, whether you’re listening to her on Beats1 radio or scrolling through her blog (www.lilymercer.co.uk) trust and believe that she’ll provide you with the newest talents in the game, searching through the underground to give us that raw Hip-Hop we as music lovers truly appreciate. We got a chance to speak to Lily to find out what drives her hunt for new music, her passions and future plans.
What attracted you to music so much that you’ve decided to make it your career?
“I’ve always been drawn to music and started collecting The Source magazine at 12 so journalism attracted me early. I originally wanted to be an A&R once I found out what it was but didn’t see a future career in the US rap market as a white girl from the UK. I think I’ve always been into music discovery since a teenager so it makes sense that I do this now rather than only being able to play music to my friends. I’ve always had a good ear for music and most people I meet are surprised by my knowledge and passion for music so it was definitely a natural path for me to follow. I very nearly ended up in fashion but I’m glad I didn’t as music is far more interesting to me.”
It seems labels are missing out because the role of A&R would be fitting, Lily has an ear for spotting the ones worth listening to which goes in hand with her passion for pushing the culture. Luckily for us, she chose to bring the music directly to the fans through her multiple platforms instead of pursuing that career choice. If you didn’t know, she hosts her own weekly radio show on Rinse FM titled “The Lily Mercer Show” – it’s the place to be put on so make sure you’re tuning in.
Read the full interview here.
Photography by Christian Cassiel.
