Life is filled with many adversities, but the person facing them often determines how they get affected. Others get overwhelmed and fall into pits of self-destruction and harmful cycles that go on for the rest of their lives while some people muster the courage to break free and start anew. Lilly Phiri is among the exceptional to fall into the latter category, creating a new career under the stage name Autumnlilly.
Growing up, Autumnlilly had faced many trials and tribulations that would have left anyone else with a permanent bad day. But for the rising artist, music had been one of the safest outlets that allowed her to escape the harshness of reality. As a child, she would sing along with her favorite tunes that came on the radio, setting up the foundations for her passion for performing. Despite life bombarding her with one challenge after another, Autumnlilly never wavered, and she realized she was special. “I never allowed my reality to get the better of me,” the artist shared proudly.
Although she had a deep love for music, Autumnlilly’s career started in the most unexpected position. She held a stable job as a flight attendant, soaring the skies for seven years before deciding it was time to pursue her greatest love. Since shifting her career, Autumnlilly has been brewing on the backdrop of vocal art performance training in music.
As an artist, Autumnlilly is trained in the vocal arts of opera. She strives to tell stories through her music, shedding light on social issues and global situations that the world is dealing with. The artist on the rise draws inspiration from musicians like the late Brenda Fassie, Wizkid, and Black Coffee. Autumnlilly utilizes the Afro-Soul and Jazz genres to help push her stories forward. She is always open to making collaborations because she believes in the diversity and beauty of good music.
Autumnlilly’s approach to music can be traced back to the trials and tribulations she’s had to overcome through the years, using the life lessons she learned as catalysts to launch her music career forward. With nearly a decade of flight attendant experience under her belt, the artist was also able to absorb many stories, using her platform to shed light on the injustice and struggles that thousands endure daily. “I like to tell stories through my music,” said Autumnlilly.
“For instance, South Africa is currently at the epicenter of gender-based violence,” the artist elaborated. “My song ‘Hamba Juba’ highlights those issues but also speaks about the inherent strength that women and men in abusive relationships have and that it’s also better to walk away. Hence the South African proverb ‘Hamba Juba,’ meaning ‘Go/fly bird.’
SA is currently commemorating 16days of activism, an annual awareness campaign about gender-based violence and abuse against children.
With her career still full of promise Autumnlilly is optimistic about how her brand will grow through the years and is, in fact, currently working on a skincare range of products and hopes to expand into a clothing and cologne brand. Some have suggested she also gives a go at being an author; after all, hers is a story worth telling.” I’m also just trying to figure it out, “she said jokingly.
Additionally, Autumnlilly hopes to involve herself with the United Nations with the goal of making a difference to the youth in the world.Get the latest updates on Autumnlilly’s music by following her on Instagram and Facebook and subscribing to her YouTube channel.
