How America’s Got Talent Helped Lily Meola Grow Artistically and Heal Spiritually

Newsweek Called Her Audition “Jaw-dropping” Singer/Songwriter Hits the Road This Month

Breakout Original Songs “Daydream”
And “Butterfly” Now Available on iTunes
And all DSP

 

(LOS ANGELES) When singer/songwriter Lily Meola stepped on to the America’s Got Talent stage and shared the story of her original song, “Daydream,” you could hear a pin drop. Jaws were already ajar. And then she started singing and there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience as a standing ovation began before she was even done singing.

That’s the power of Lily. She sings what she feels. And she feels deeply. It’s impossible for people to not see, feel, and connect to her heart whether it’s her highest joys or her deepest sorrows as she sang in “Daydream.” And that’s the point of music, isn’t it?

“My whole mission is to connect with people on a deeper level, sharing my ups and downs so others feel comforted or not alone. It helps everyone heal, or to be uplifted. I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I got from fans, many reaching out because they suffered a similar loss,” says Meola, 27, who was born and raised on the island of Maui, Hawaii. At the time of the audition, she was embarking on a resurgence of her music career after taking time off to care for her mother who was battling terminal cancer.

This moving performance earned her judge Heidi Klum’s coveted Golden Buzzer, in which each judge gets one opportunity to send a favorite act from the auditions straight to the live shows. Heidi set out NOT to give the Golden Buzzer to a singer but couldn’t resist when she heard Lily spill out her heart on “Daydream.” “After hearing Lily’s story about her mom passing and her struggle with it, my heart was already melted. And then she sang, and my gut told me, ‘She is yours’,” Heidi told People magazine.

Adds Lily, “It’s funny, when people ask me about Heidi, they say she’s so hot or so beautiful a yes that’s true. But she is also so heartfelt, sincere, kind, and just beautiful inside. You know it’s not about the praise or accolades; I felt that Heidi really got it, which was such an honor for me.”

What followed was an outpouring of messages DMs from people worldwide touched by Lily’s song that she wrote to inspire other people to never ‘quit your daydream’ and listen to their hearts (some even got tattoos of lyrics from “Daydream”), along with celebrity supporters such as legend Willie Nelson, superstar Michael Buble, supermodel Bella Hadid, and surfing star Kelly Slater. Major media took notice as well with Newsweek calling her performance “jaw dropping,” and People praising her “emotional performance.” Billboard applauding her “soaring original,” and named “Daydream” as one of the “Best Original Songs Performed on ‘America’s Got Talent’.”

And something even more magical happened. Between her Golden Buzzer performance on June 28 and her live performance on Aug. 30, she was inspired to do something she really hasn’t done in earnest for a while — write new music. Thus, “Butterfly,” the song she performed for her second performance during semi-finals, was born.

“The messages and support from fans inspired me to write ‘Butterfly,’ which is about finding peace within the process of grief. It all came out in ‘Butterfly.’ That’s why I got choked up a little singing it — it was a fresh song and that was the first time I ever performed it. But that’s okay. It’s supposed to be emotional. I’ll take emotion over perfection any day,” says Lily.

But, while winning America’s Got Talent does mean a whopping million-dollar paycheck, for Lily, being supported by the audience and fans and having the inspiration to write and perform “Butterfly” was… priceless. “I’m okay that I didn’t make it all the way because this experience brought me to a place where I really know myself better and it’s fueled me to do more, keeping going and keep sharing more stories,” she says.

Lily’s AGT standing ovation was certainly not her first. Lily, who was a protege of Willie Nelson and mentored by famed music producer Bob Rock, also received a “standing o” at her triumphant performance on the VIP stage of Napa Valley’s BottleRock festival in 2021 while on tour in support of her self-released Daydream EP. Rolling Stone describes Lily, who began performing in local bars a cafes in Maui at age 11, as “somewhere in the intersection between dreampop and soulful folk” a compared her to other emotive artists such as Lana Del Rey, Joni Mitchell, Mazzy Star, and Amy Winehouse.

Along her musical journey, Lily has toured with Willie Nelson, was featured on his album of duets To All the Girls, learned to write songs with Jackson Browne, and shared the stage with Steven Tyler, Kris Kristofferson, Sammy Hagar, Alice Cooper, and others. She also co-wrote a single for Andra Day titled “Amen.”

“I really enjoyed my time on America’s Got Talent, and I learned a lot. But what it really has done for me is light a fire to write more, to keep going, and to continue to make people really feel something from my music – whether it’s inspiration, sorrow, or pure joy,” she says.  

Lily Meola solo dates and supporting Goth Babe:
Sept. 23, Honolulu, HI, supporting Goth Babe, The Republik
Sept. 24, Wailuku, HI, supporting Goth Babe, Da Playground
Oct. 2, Ocean City, MD, Oceans Calling Festival
Oct. 8, Sonoma, CA, Sonoma Harvest Festival
 

Lily Meola with Ray Lamontagne tour dates: Oct. 12, Jacksonville, FL, Florida Theatre
Oct. 14, Clearwater, FL, Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 15, Orlando, FL, Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center
Oct. 16, Savannah, GA, Johnny Mercer Theatre
Oct. 18, Mobile, AL, Saenger Theatre
Oct. 19, Agua, GA, Bell Auditorium
Oct. 21, Knoxville, TN, Tennessee Theatre
Oct. 22, Charlotte, NC, Belk Theater
Oct. 23, Greenville, SC, Peace Center Concert Hall
Oct. 25, North Bethesda, MD, Strathmore
Oct. 27, Boon, MA, MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Oct. 28-29, New York, NY, Beacon Theatre
Oct. 31, Red Bank, NJ, Count Basie Theatre
Nov. 1, Providence, RI, Providence Performing Arts Center
Nov. 2, Albany, NY, Palace Theatre
Nov. 4, Toronto, ON, Massey Hall
Nov. 5, Buffalo, NY, Shea’s Performing Arts Center
Nov. 6, Syracuse, NY, Crouse His Theatre

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  https://youtu.be/pamgs-9cxQ0