Seattle-born singer-songwriter Lila Forde arrives on the music scene with her debut album VESSEL, a rich and deeply personal collection that gracefully weaves together strands of Americana, jazz, folk, and soul. With a voice as smooth and warm as honey, Forde channels a timeless lineage of musical greats while forging her own distinct sound, something she affectionately calls “Americana soul.”
Growing up in a spiritual, TV-free household, Forde was immersed in music from a young age. Influences like Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nancy Wilson formed the bedrock of her early musical experiences, instilling a sense of reverence for storytelling and emotional truth. This grounding is unmistakable throughout VESSEL, an album that feels both grounded and expansive, reflective and confident.
The album’s creation was as authentic as its sound. After years of navigating a patchwork of gigs—from intimate jazz sets in Los Angeles restaurants to impromptu performances in malls; Forde’s breakout moment came on The Voice Season 24, where she reached the Top 5 under John Legend’s mentorship. Rather than letting the show define her, she used it as affirmation to take control of her artistry. With the support of over 16,000 dollars raised through a Kickstarter campaign, she recorded VESSEL in just three days with producer Aidan Carroll and a carefully selected group of musicians, capturing the raw emotional energy she envisioned.
Opening with the lead single “Temptation,” VESSEL immediately sets a tone of retro-soaked soul and playful confidence. The track exudes a ’70s pop-soul swagger, inviting listeners into Forde’s world with flirtatious grooves and warm melodies. The album then moves fluidly through diverse moods and styles: the smoky jazz hues of “All I Expected,” the steady Americana backbone of “Brick by Brick,” and the spiritually resonant title track “Vessel,” which is elevated by a stunning orchestral arrangement from viola virtuoso Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. This cosmic layering turns what began as a simple mantra into a transcendent meditation on presence and creative flow.
Forde’s versatility shines on songs like the tender ballad “Honesty,” the Bill Withers-inspired warmth of “‘Til You Melt,” and the uniquely intimate closing track “The Masquerade Is Over,” recorded live during a background jazz gig and filled with the ambient sounds of clinking glasses and audience murmurs. This rawness emphasizes the album’s commitment to capturing authentic moments rather than polished perfection.
More than just a collection of songs, VESSEL is a musical autobiography; unpolished, genre-fluid, and rich with emotional nuance. It explores themes of self-discovery, spiritual openness, and the courage it takes to trust the creative process. Lila Forde’s artistry is a beautiful balancing act between light and shadow, groove and stillness, vulnerability and strength.
Forde’s aspiration to be a “timeless artist” feels well within reach with this captivating debut, marking her as a powerful new voice in contemporary Americana and soul.
