BY CLARA SEELY-KATZ

LILHUDDY, also known as Chase Hudson, is an internet sensation as well as a budding musician. His music provokes intense feelings of strong, youthful emotions and heartbreak through the pop-punk sound and lyric-heavy tracks. His rise to fame came when the status quo was being shaken up by the pandemic, and subsequent lockdowns. A time when everything was changed and questioned, a time when a new generation of celebrities came into focus.

LILHUDDY's pivot into the music industry couldn't have gone much better for the young singer, as he has millions of streams already, even before releasing his debut album Teenage Heartbreak. One viral single of his (21st Century Vampire) perfectly captures teenage angst and despondency, something many teenagers have been able to relate to during this time of incredible stress and isolation.

In our conversation, we discussed how his music career has really begun to flourish over the past year, how it feels to always be in the spotlight on social media, and the intentionality behind his new music career. LILHUDDY's passion for music and his ability to expose and convey a range of emotions is sure to be seen in his debut album, and it is what makes LILHUDDY undoubtedly a voice for his generation.

How has the past year been for you?

It has definitely been the strangest year of my life. I did a complete 180. Last year going into quarantine, I already wanted to start making music, but I hadn't met anybody in the industry yet. I ended up meeting one person who changed my life last year. When I met some people in the industry, I told them I'd never been in a studio before. I've never sung on any albums, but I can sing for you right now, and let's see what happens. We were in a restaurant at the time, but later we ended up going to a studio so I could sing for them. That was my first time being in a music studio. My connection told me he wanted to start putting me in sessions with people, and since then, I finished my whole debut album this past year. I am so grateful that they trusted me and my instinct right off the bat, which was really crazy. I owe everything to Interscope. And it's really been a 180 because last year I was just in LA making YouTube videos; I was on social media, doing all that kind of stuff. But music is what I am passionate about, and while we were all in lockdown, I really went off the grid and started just grinding that shit out. And now, in 2021, I am releasing all of my new work.

Do you think that if you hadn't had the time to rethink your priorities during the pandemic, you would have been able to create as much as you have?

I don't think I would have been able to find the time for music, for adding a different job to what I was already doing on social media. My life is already so busy, so being forced to stay home and think about life allowed me to get in my own head, and once I started questioning my goals and passions, everything really opened up. I feel like I did an excellent job of putting that time to use.

How would you define yourself most? A dancer? Artist? Musician? Fashion icon?

I'll take the 'fashion icon.' I've been getting into the music world. I'm starting to see social media as more of a stepping stool for putting out my music and as a platform to help me grow as an artist -less of my main job.

Who are your main musical influences?

Right now? I mean, I'm a big fan of old rock music. Queen is a big inspiration of mine. I love Kiss, and I love Elton John. I just love people with personas. I've been looking up to The Weekend a lot recently, and in terms of role models, I think Travis Scott's a big inspiration. Green Day’s a big one for me. Blink-182 also has always been huge for me. They all have dope personas, even My Chemical Romance I am influenced by.