Hello! My name’s Lila Blue, I’m a 19-year-old musician from the Bay Area, as well as a human learning to exist safely and healthily in this turbulent time.

There’s a few things I’ve been making sure to do every day: be outside (safely), reach out to the friends and family I hold dear and to consume something creative. I’m also a college student, which has led to some hilariously chaotic online classes and learning experiences.

Where I live is thankfully situated by the sea and some beautiful forest hikes, so each day I try to take a socially distanced walk with one of my parents. I am deeply grateful to have the access to nature and family that I do these days, especially as someone who was living in New York for school.

GOD BLESS FACETIME. I am a recently awakened extrovert, so getting to connect with others outside of my home has been essential to making sure the aspect of my mental health that isn’t so great when combined with isolation stays in check.

Recently, I watched the entire first season of “Killing Eve” (which is goddamn stellar!!), and have almost caught up on every film I’d been wanting to see when having a very hectic schedule was still a thing. The two that rocked my goddamn socks off were “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” and “Jojo Rabbit”. A book that I read in one sitting recently was Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin. It is an IMMACULATE piece of work. I’m not sure I would read it as of now, though, as it eerily deals with some of the current themes in this pandemic, so while I loved the writing I might steer clear of it for a bit if I were you!

In the realm of music, I’ve actually found this time quite painful and stagnant. So many humans and collaborators I respect have been uploading and generating beautiful work in this time, and something about the absence of “regular” life has placed me in a bit of a creative drought. However, I’ve found that by not judging the stall, and leaning into the emotions lying around and underneath it, I’m slowly starting to move through to a space of healthy creation. This morning I found a dulcimer I had used in a musical a while back, and working on a new instrument has started to aid me in cooking up some songs I’m quite proud of!

I’ve said this on a few platforms now, but the most important thing I’ve found as of late is to extend out to everyone with love and patience, and to do what I can when I can. Stay safe y’all!