“That’s where I found my feet,” Lily Moore stated of our very own Brighton in our exclusive interview with the up-and-coming starlet. “I think you need to do it. It’s a really safe place to experiment, and try songs out. No one is going to watch you for too long. Brighton is great like that, you can experiment, and you can try and find your sound,” she continued. Funnily enough, all eyes in Komedia’s Studio Bar were glued on the Brightonian as she mesmerised her devoted audience with her incredible voice and laid-back on-stage antics. Lily Moore is already a bonafide talent and, hyperbole aside, could go on to be Brighton’s biggest ever star.

Support on the night came from singer-songwriter Plested, who described himself as, “Just another acoustic singer”. He soothed the audience into proceedings nicely, though, and with songs such as latest single ‘Ribcage’ and ‘Habits’ he’s proved himself to be an impressive lyricist. It’s his cover of Little Mix’s ‘Touch’ – the song he co-wrote which “changed his life” – however, where the audience really started to agree with the artist. It’s clear that Plested is a great performer – and incredibly likeable – and it won’t be long before his own songs reach the heights of the songs he’s written for others.

Whether it’s just because she’s in her hometown, surrounded by her friends, or there’s a newfound confidence to Moore, but she seems even more adept up onstage than when we last saw her at The Great Escape. Perhaps coming from her busking roots, she wasn’t afraid to chat to the crowd at all times, and throw out jokes, and it’s clear that she’s got all the attributes to be playing venues far bigger than this, which will certainly come. There’s a personability to Moore that makes her seem more like a friend than a singing sensation.

Musically, however, it’s clear that she does her best to unwrap the sentimentality in each and every member of the audience. Opening with a brand-new song, ‘Showed Up’, which kicked off a string of brilliant new songs, it was a barrage of emotion all night. The follow-up of ‘All Day’ and ‘Lying to Yourself’ – which appeared on Love Island a few months ago – immersed the crowd expertly, though, and the singalong never stopped from there. With a voice that evokes early Paloma Faith, and songs with exciting hooks and emotional weight, this felt like witnessing the early signs of a musical career that is just about to erupt into the mainstream. With already diehard fans, and two EP’s worth of music under her belt, it won’t be long before she’s making a lot more people teary.

With influences ranging from the likes of Sam Cooke, Lauryn Hill, Adele, and Amy Winehouse, there’s no surprise that her audience vary from teens to middle aged. There’s a timeless feel to her voice that evokes troublesome times in America yet her lyrical content, usually about failed relationships, seems to be striking a chord with the younger generation. So while the likes of breakout hit ‘17’ and the heart wrenching ‘Walking Away’ are sung back emotionally by teenagers, a beautiful cover of Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ truly resonates with the older members of the audience. Nevertheless, with an audience span this far ranging, Moore has all the qualities to reach a Radio 1, 2, and even the 6 Music audience with her music.

This was a beautiful night of music, plain and simple, and a night that proves the power of well-written, narrative-led music. From pop numbers, to soul and r’n’b, Lily Moore is a diverse artist with a candidly brilliant voice, but it’s her work as a lyricist that is most impressive. Frank, honest, and remarkably relatable, it won’t be long until Moore has a chart hit on her hands.

Liam McMillen

Website: lilymoore.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/lilymooremusic
Twitter: twitter.com/LilyMooreMusic