Her debut single15 Again includes the admission that she is now 23, and Lily Linscott promises she was when she wrote it – but had turned 24 a couple months before the song’s release in April this year. That kind of candid honesty ranks high among her songwriting criteria too, well illustrated with Mother’s Day, her sophomore single which was released in May and included on NZ On Air Music‘s NewTracks compilation that month. With another single dropping in June, 2025 is indeed the year that Lily Linscott has become a new artist. 

What is your given name? Where are you from and what instruments do you play?

I’m Lily Linscott, female singer-songwriter based in Wellington, but raised on the Kapiti Coast! I keep it simple and just play piano and sing. I also have a huge love and passion for harmonies and vocal production. 

Any other previous projects that we might know you from?

Probably not! I’m pretty new around here.

What’s the background to Lily Linscott becoming a recording artist?

I’ve written music since I was a little kid, and always wanted to be an artist growing up in school. When I left high school I got caught up in the throes of adulthood and lost a lot of my passion and dedication for writing music.

A pandemic and a few personal life crises later, I found myself at the end of 2023 not really recognising myself anymore. Life had really chipped away at me and I had truly lost my sense of self and purpose. My husband encouraged me to start wearing my Doc Martens again because I used to love wearing them back before so much in my life had changed. It was a small passing comment, but it really unlocked something for me – and also led me to write 15 Again, my debut single.

I started to remember who I was when I used to wear those shoes, with a love for song writing and creativity. I started writing music again, and about six months later decided I wanted to take music seriously again. I made a commitment to start doing at least one thing everyday to pursue my dream of being an artist, which I ended up turning into a social media series. And here we are!

Was there debate before settling on using your own name for the project?

There were a few days of considering if I should just go by ‘Lily’, but we landed on using my full name pretty quickly. I love to share some pretty vulnerable stories from my life through my songs, so using my real and full name felt a part of that. I also feel like I hit the jackpot by marrying into the last name Linscott and couldn’t pass up the double L, ya know? 

How has your music evolved from your earliest songwriting to now?

My first proper song I ever wrote was called Just A Girl, at the ripe age of 9-years old! Honestly, I feel like my current songs are still very much giving “just a girl” but with a bit more life experience and frontal lobe development.
I think the biggest evolution has more-so been my emotional maturity. Learning what parts of my life to share in songs, and what to keep private (especially the parts of those situations that aren’t mine to share), especially since I love to write from real places of experience. 

Aside from this release, what’s been the big highlight to date?

I played the main stage of Festival One (Karapiro) over the summer and that was a real highlight! 

What made Mother’s Day stand out for you as a single choice?

I didn’t want a song like this to get lost in an EP or an album. It’s not necessarily something that everyone will be able to relate to, but for the people that do relate to it and needed to hear it in the lead up to Mother’s Day – it was worth it. I was able to draw a lot of creative and visual inspiration for and from it, which I feel strengthened it as a single as well. 

What is the story behind Mother’s Day? 

I wrote Mother’s Day the week before Mother’s Day last year. I don’t have a relationship with my mum at all, so naturally I find Mother’s Day pretty difficult. Last year I was wrestling with feeling like it was harder than normal, and I was trying to unpack that. For the first while it was just the first verse and chorus, and I thought maybe it would be one of those songs that was “just for me”. 

The more I started to develop the song, I thought of all of the different reasons why Mother’s Day was so difficult for so many people. I realised that maybe it wasn’t a song “just for me” but that it could help others to feel less alone. Dread, envy, frustration, anger, questions, confusion, guilt, grief, pettiness… there are so many emotions that play into this song. I have felt very touched by so many people who have reached out, to share their stories about the ways that Mother’s Day is difficult for them.

What’s your favourite moment, musical or lyrical, of the single?

There’s a lyric, “Guilty at the altar and everything still hurts”, which the production really brings to life – a few seconds of organ and choir gospel glory. Super cool if I do say so myself. 

Who did you record/produce the single with and where?

I wrote the song and tracked the vocals myself. My husband, Noah, produced the song – which has been so much fun to do this with him. Our buddy Thomas Weakley did all of the guitars, otherwise Noah & I did the rest ourselves!

What would you like listeners to take away from this song?

For those who find Mother’s Day difficult – just that they aren’t alone in feeling that way. It doesn’t change the pain or take it away, but sometimes just knowing that you aren’t the only one can help.
For those who don’t – hopefully it can be an educational experience. You don’t need to tell people to just be grateful for what they have. You don’t need to pour fuel on the fire, just be with them as they hurt and as they process, and love them through that journey of whatever they are going through. 

Who else is in your team?

A dream team of two – me and my husband Noah Linscott! Noah produces my music, and is my biggest supporter and big thinker. Everything else is all me really. A shout out to my mixing engineer, John Garcia, who has really brought my songs to life in the mixing process. And another shout out to one of my life long friends, Hope Patterson at Patterson Image, who has done all of my photography for my single artworks.

Are there any other musical endeavours you’re working on that we should keep an eye out for? 

Yes! My third single Daughters is out on June 27th. It’s about growing up with a parent you don’t want to be like when you’re older. It’s one of my most favourite songs I’ve ever written! Heaps of cool stuff to come from me this year. 

Can you please name three other local tunes that would fit well on a playlist alongside your song.

Len Blake: Better Now
Riiki Reid: Indulgent (Fruit) 
Christabel: Last One Standing

Have any of your previous single releases been included on NewTracks, or previously applied for NZOA funding?

This is my first time on NewTracks! I’m still chipping away at the NZ On Air music grant criteria before I can apply. The criteria list has been super helpful for setting tangible goals to work towards. Even if I never get the grant, it’s still been beneficial to have those milestones set out. Much of the criteria is quite difficult to reach, for a new independent artist on the scene – but I think that’s understandable. The grants are super generous, so it’s only fair that it goes to artists that are already on the path of success to support them further! 

Have you got any advice around seeking funding for others starting out? 

I’ve turned the list of criteria into a big To Do list to stick on the wall of our home studio. You need at least 10 to apply, so I picked the 10 that I thought would be the easiest to achieve and then wrote out what I could do to work toward each of them. I also love seeing how other NZ artists have used their grants to draw inspiration for what I could do with mine, if I were to win one in the future. All around I think it’s incredible to live in a country that has access to funding in the arts. 

Are there any musical blogs, Youtube channels or podcasts you’re into?

One day I will have more time!

How can we find you on social media?

instagram.com/ lilylinscott/
tiktok.com/@ lilylinscott

Any last words?

Thank you for having me, NZ Musician! I’d love for you to follow along for the next chapter of my music journey!