Lili Refrain on Ritual Music, Caravaggio, and Touring with The Cult

Italian experimental musician Lili Refrain, born in Rome, discusses her ritualistic sound blending psychedelia, folk, blues, metal, ambient, and dark opera. She began her solo project in 2007 using only electric guitar, voice, and live loops. Over five albums and EPs—including Kawax (2013), Ulu (2020), and Mana (2022) on Subsound Records—she has incorporated taiko drums and synth drones. In 2022-2023, she toured Europe and the UK opening for Heilung, The Cult, and Death Cult. Refrain cites Caravaggio, Goya, Munch, Van Gogh, Bacon, Hokusai, and Picasso's Guernica as visual inspirations, and names Steve Reich's Proverb as her favorite song. She is preparing a collector's release for March 2024 and working on her next album. Refrain defines art as "a gesture" and music as "invisible frequencies" that heal. She recalled a pivotal 2007 conversation with her father that led her to dedicate herself to music.