Collab interview: Lillie and Julia
Julia Minichiello and Lillie Kolich share a captivating space in the Nashville music scene, where their intimate lyricism and honest storytelling create a unique synergy. Though they first connected online, their voices quickly found a natural blend, capturing the nuances of personal relationships and shared experiences with vulnerability and authenticity. Their collaboration, “I Bet,” emerged from a desire to give voice to perspectives often left unspoken, wrapped in a sound that balances folk-inspired simplicity and contemporary pop influences. Together, Julia and Lillie navigate the Nashville pressure and digital age with a shared commitment to heartfelt music that resonates deeply with their generation.
Tori: You both inhabit a similar sonic world of "intimate lyricism." How did you first cross paths in the Nashville scene, and what made you realize your voices would complement each other?
Lillie: Me and Julia actually became internet friends before we ever met in person. I had the idea of writing this story for quite some time. When I started writing my project, I was mostly interested in exploring how romantic relationships with men have affected my relationships with females surrounding it. Therefore, the idea for “I Bet” came to me as a “there needs to be a song with the other girls' perspective somewhere on this EP.” I pitched it to a lot of artists but none of them felt right until I met Julia. Within five minutes of her showing up to the session, I knew I wanted her to be the one I do this song with and she was all about it. It came to life quite easily. The blend was something we didn’t expect would work so well.
Tori: "I Bet" feels like a high-stakes title. Was there a specific conversation or a shared "bad date" story that served as the catalyst for the lyrics?
Lillie: There wasn’t a specific moment that served as the singular moment for the song. I think when sharing our personal stories related to this one we were trying to write, we honed in on capturing what it felt like in those exact moments and tried to channel that energy, and the story sort of just wrote itself. Honestly the whole thing was very vulnerable, but the sad reality is that it’s a very universal experience for women, so it wasn’t that difficult to talk about. The words just poured out of us.
Tori: Julia, you have a marketing background, and Lillie, you’re known for "intentional lyricism." How did those two approaches mesh when you were sitting down to write?
Lillie: I think off the rip we knew that it was a relatable story, so the marketing would kind of take care of itself. I think we knew that we could mesh the marketing with the intentional lyricism by just writing a story that would feel personal to listeners.
Tori: You released this on December 12th—right in the middle of the holiday "noise." Was there a reason you chose the end of 2025 to put this collaboration out into the world?
Lillie: The transparent answer would be that we were definitely trying to cut through the noise of all the larger artists for playlisting. We knew they wouldn't be releasing, so we figured we’d have a better chance to gain traction. The easy answer is that I think we were excited about it, and I think we knew the internet would work for itself.
Tori: In a duet, there’s always a balance between blending and standing out. How did you decide who would take which verse to ensure both of your "signature" sounds were heard?
Lillie: I think it was important for us to have contrast between the two situations, but still make them similar enough so that way when the listener hears it for the first time, it’s very clear that they are going through the same experience but are two different people, two different hearts. We felt related to everything we were writing, so when deciding who would say what we just wanted to make sure it had some sort of order to it, and felt like you were reading a book! I also think our voices are different but blend well enough to feel cohesive.
Tori: Lillie, you moved from Albuquerque, and Julia, you came from Massachusetts. How has the "Nashville pressure" shaped your work ethic compared to your hometowns?
Lillie: We often talk about how Nashville can be intimidating with how much talent surrounds us, but we both turned that into an incentive to learn from others and work even harder.
Tori: Lillie, you’ve had a residency at Fox & Locke; Julia, you’ve been navigating the viral side of things. How do these different experiences (live performing vs. digital growth) converge in your partnership?
Lillie: I think we obviously differ in that sense, but I think both of us do enough posting and enough live performing to understand each other and to take advantage of both of those avenues.
Tori: Lillie, performing for the Great American Bar Scene release is a huge nod to your folk-leaning side. Did any of that "heartland" influence bleed into the production of "I Bet"?
Lillie: I do think that folk music has generally always inspired me because of its lyrical nature. I do think that it inspired the production in a sense due to the simplicity and acoustic nature of the track.
Tori: Do you feel that "I Bet" represents a specific "New Nashville" sound that breaks away from traditional country tropes?
Lillie: Me and Julia don’t necessarily reside in the country space, but I do think country music is around us all the time, so I do think there is some country influence, especially with country evolving so much and becoming more pop.
Tori: You both cite Gracie Abrams as an influence. What is it about that "bedroom pop" intimacy that resonates so deeply with your generation of listeners?
Lillie: We think that people of our generation are super open about their feelings, and I think it comes down to the fact that we both love listening to music that makes you feel something. We hope that "I Bet" does the same.
Tori: Julia, you’ve been compared to powerhouses like Adele, while Lillie is praised for "familiar and personal" sensibility. How did you navigate the dynamics of the song so the "power" didn't overshadow the "intimacy"?
Julia: I think the song came into its own naturally. It felt like an intimate song without too much production. I think we both knew what to do with our voices to blend with the others and I think the connotation of the lyrics called for a more soft spoken vocal.
Tori: When you two are in a room together, which comes first: the "gut-punch" lyric or the catchy pop melody?
Julia: Well for this song Lillie initially had the song idea and we brainstormed how that could come together in a way we both relate to and in a chorus with a hook. We started playing with melodies and then really just built a story. Lillie and Cooper (producer) have a way of bouncing off each other and working so well together so it was fun to be a part of that and I loved their honesty and passion for the lyricism.
Tori: "I Bet" hits hard emotionally. Is it easier to be vulnerable on a track when you have a partner sharing the spotlight, or does it feel more exposed?
Julia: It definitely feels easier to be vulnerable with somebody else on the song because we both have been through the same situation, and when you know you’re not alone it feels less heavy to be vocal and open about something personal.
Tori: Julia, you had a massive moment on The Kelly Clarkson Show, and Lillie, you sold out the Lobo Theater. Which feels more "real": a million views on a screen or 300 people singing back to you in a room?
Julia: This is a tough question. It definitely feels more real when something happens in person like that because you get a sense of the real life connection you are making with people and the physical/ tangible reality of success is easier to grasp than through a screen. That being said, it also feels amazing to get a lot of attention on social media because it is really important nowadays when trying to build a music career, it can just be harder to feel sometimes.
Tori: "I Bet" has followed in the footsteps of "always know the exits" by hitting major playlists. How much do you think about "playlist-ability" when you are in the production phase?
Julia: When we were writing the song and getting it produced I think we just knew we had a great concept and told a story that a lot of people can relate to. The songwriting process can be an outlet for expressing personal emotions, telling a story, trying to connect to others and make them feel less alone, or so many other things. After we wrote it and realized it is something we want to release we obviously hoped it reached playlists, but that’s not really at the forefront of the mind when creating the art.
Tori: You both have very engaged fanbases. What was the reaction like when you first started teasing the collab on TikTok and Instagram?
Julia: The first time we posted this song it immediately got a great response. There were so many people that related to the story of being cheated on or played and they expressed that it felt like an anthem to them. Many people shared their stories in our comment section which is really beautiful to know we are creating a space for people to be so open and vulnerable.
Tori: Have you performed "I Bet" live together yet? If so, what was that energy like compared to recording it in a booth?
Julia: We performed “I Bet” together very soon after we wrote it and it felt so good to sing live together and many people there actually expressed it was one of their favorites they heard at the show. When we posted live videos of it, some people couldn’t even tell our voices apart.
Tori: Now that the 2025 release is behind us and we are in 2026, can we expect a "Lillie x Julia" EP, or was this a one-time magic moment?
Julia: We both have our own individual projects that we are working on and releasing soon, but we will definitely be collaborating more in terms of writing and who knows maybe we will have another duet in store sometime in the future!
Tori: How has collaborating with one another changed the way you are approaching your own solo music for the rest of 2026?
Julia: It has been so inspiring to work with each other. We have such a similar style of music and similar taste in music that writing together and with Cooper was such a fun process. The day we wrote this song was the first day we met and this song has also brought us such a great friendship that we’re so grateful for.
Tori: If a listener puts on "I Bet" while driving through Nashville (or Albuquerque or Massachusetts) tonight, what is the one lyric you hope stays stuck in their head?
Julia: I love the whole story of the song and a lot of the lyrics relate to other lyrics in the story so it’s hard to pick them out individually, but I would have to say the second line of the chorus hits hard: “I bet he holds you through everything he puts you through.” I feel like it perfectly embodies a toxic relationship, and a lot of people seemed to connect to this lyric as well.
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