A long-time musician and writer, Los Angeles based Lily Donat started composing songs with her acoustic guitar back when she was a kid, finding solace in her art as a way to heal and process her life. Today, she’s continuing to write with her radical honesty, vulnerability, and insight, sharing stories on love and heartbreak, pain and growth. Her new single, “Most Important Man”, which PopWrapped are delighted to premiere, is a perfect example of Donat’s ability to blend together infectious pop hooks and highly relatable lyrics.

The single, a soaring, shimmering piece of pop perfection, chronicles the addictive kind of dark love — the kind that finds you sucked in, wholly obsessed, and a part of a chaotic and dysfunctional romance. While the lyrics are heavy and follow the story of a toxic love, the song, produced by Stefan Mac, fluctuates between times of darkness and sonically upbeat hooks. PopWrapped caught up with Lily to find out more about the song as well as her plans for 2022.

“Most Important Man” is a stunning pop track. Can you tell us a little bit more about the inspiration behind the song?

Thank you so much! This song is about a very painful relationship that ended a while ago now, and I think I needed that time to be able to create good art about it. With this song, I really tried to encapsulate how life or death something can feel when you’re in it. But really, the lower you are to the ground the taller a figure appears… He became the “Most Important Man” because of cruelty that fueled obsession. 

What were some of your influences while writing and recording it?

I love honest lyrics about heartache that aren’t afraid to go there. Alanis Morissette and Taylor Swift are two people who do that well. When recording, I knew stylistically I wanted a bit of Imogen Heap, a bit of Banks, a bit of The Japanese House. Their songs can sound “dark” to me in a way I really appreciate.

What was your vision for this single and did that change at all over the course of recording it?

I find the song to be very catchy, and I wasn’t expecting that. But I think it’s good because the lyrics are sad enough. I still think the song is dark, but the right amount. My producer Stefan Mac played a piano track and then put it in reverse and it’s a foundational part of the song…I love that it has this anxious, eminent feeling.  

We’re just a few weeks away from the end of the year, so what does 2022 have in store for you? Any releases or anything else we should keep our eyes out for?

I’m going to be consistently releasing singles for now. I’m sure I’ll also put out an EP in 2022. I’m constantly writing, and I love being in the studio. I’m going to start playing some gigs soon so stay tuned for that as well!

Give “Most Important Man” a listen below and for more information on Lily Donat, follow her on Instagram.