After this initial success with this first EP, Lelia began work on the new project (lil-yah) (also the proper pronunciation of her first name) which shows Lelia’s versatility as a vocalist, diverse songwriter, and producer. At the same time, she made her first appearance at the legendary Bitter End in NYC (where she is a regular featured artist), and was immediately embraced and continues to be strongly supported by owner Kenny Gorka. “I knew right away there was something very special about Lelia.” From her most recent appearance in NYC: “It was apparent once again that Lelia does not perform; she inhabits her music. Each song emerges from her as if she is suddenly compelled to tell its story or release its feelings. No movement seems calculated; no gesture planned. The result is an exhibition of musical integrity that would make any venue, large or small, feel intimate.” says Robbie Merkin, critically acclaimed composer.
(lil-yah) shows the diverse spectrum of Broussard's writing styles. Influenced by the music of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and others in that genre, Lelia knew she wanted her album to have an old soulful vibe, but with a new pop flair. Moving from jazz to soul, and even hip-hop, Broussard shows a mature understanding of her many influences without ever sounding forced. Recorded with an unrivaled group of musicians, this first rate group of seasoned pros quickly discovered that this would not be "another recording session" as they came to learn and appreciate Lelia's music. "It's scary how talented the young lady is. I couldn't believe the sound coming from this petite little thing. We were all blown away by her," says Jef Lee Johnson (Mariah Carey, Billy Joel). “Lelia is a creative genius” says Joel Bryant, (Harry Connick Jr, Aretha Franklin). Chico Huff (James Taylor) says, "Lelia seems to already have a strong musical vision and great love for music that comes across tenfold. Her singing and writing are very fresh and contemporary to my ears without being derivative.
On putting (lil-yah) into a genre, Lelia says it best when she explains, "People are hearing the CD and saying, 'wow, you have all these different types of music on one CD- jazz, pop, rock, blues, rap, R&B, how do you even classify yourself? My answer is not any one genre is more me than the other. My goal is to be a diverse artist and performer that does many styles equally well.”
Lelia recently went back into the studio to make some improvements on the CD and will re-release it in the Spring of 2007 re-titled as “Rise”. This remixed and re-mastered CD has the addition of a couple of new tracks, and new vocals and arrangements on others. The title song, “Rise” has already been picked up by the MTV show “The Hills”. Lelia recently completed a national tour for the Heinz Corporation’s TGIFriday/Wal Mart Tour where she headlined along with major label artists.
What’s next for Lelia? “Well, I am continuing to grow my fan base by touring in and around the Philadelphia and New York areas, where I recently moved and back home in Louisiana. I’ve also recently started doing some co-writing with Rob Fusari, and I love the direction my songs are taking. And I’m going to be in LA early this year doing some co-writing with various songwriters, so it’s a busy time for me. I’ve remained an independent artist by choice, because I always felt it would be better for the longevity of my career if I stayed independent while I was so young. I think I have proven that I am a serious musician and songwriter, not a flavor of the month, but someone with musical integrity, at least that’s my goal . . . now that I’m a little older, I’m ready to move on to the next level of my career.”
Philadelphia Magazine, in a feature article on Lelia, speculated about her being “the next big thing”. Is she? Listen and we think you just might agree.
You're Not Fooling Anyone
Lelia Broussard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We locked eyes and soon
You′d have my heart
You would have my heart
You were charming and so complicated
I guess I just wanted a little bit of mystery
A little bit of fun
I wasn′t having any fun
So baby baby slow down
You've spread yourself around
This whole damn town
You're not fooling anyone
Not fooling anyone but me
So tell me all your lies
Tell me all your lies
The truth has set me free
You look at me with lovesick eyes
Say I′m the one that calms your skies
Your skies and
It was all so plain to see
But I closed my eyes I just wanted to
I wanted to pretend
But now it′s all said and done
You can't be having any fun
So baby baby slow down
You′ve spread yourself around
This whole damn town
You're not fooling anyone
Not fooling anyone but me
So tell me all your lies
Tell me all your lies
The truth has set me free
But now it′s all said and done
I wasn't having any fun
So baby baby slow down
You′ve spread yourself around
This whole damn town
You're not fooling anyone
Not fooling anyone but me
So tell me all your lies
Tell me all your lies
The truth has set me free
In the song "You're Not Fooling Anyone," Lelia Broussard sings about a man who caught her attention, but turned out to be a player. She describes how he charmed her with his complexity and mystery, but eventually became disinterested in him when she realized he was not sincere. Broussard is straightforward in expressing that the man was only fooling her, as everyone else around them could see right through his games.
The lyrics show a sense of disappointment and realization as Broussard sings about the truth setting her free from the man's web of lies. She warns him to slow down and stop spreading himself around the whole town, and to stop thinking he can fool everyone. Broussard's vocals convey her frustration and disappointment, emphasizing her realization of the man's true nature.
Overall, the song showcases Broussard's powerful and raw talent in storytelling through music. With her emotive vocals, she delivers a story of love, lies, and disappointment that resonates with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Saw you from across the room
I noticed you when I looked at you from a distance
We locked eyes and soon
We made eye contact and soon after that
You'd have my heart
I became emotionally attached to you
You would have my heart
I would have given you my affection
You were charming and so complicated
You had an appealing personality, but it was difficult to understand you
I guess I just wanted a little bit of mystery
I think I liked the idea of having a mystery to solve
A little bit of fun
I wanted to have a good time
But now it's all said and done
Looking back, it's over and I can't change what happened
I wasn't having any fun
I didn't enjoy myself
So baby baby slow down
You need to take it easy
You've spread yourself around
You've been with a lot of people
This whole damn town
Everyone knows about it
You're not fooling anyone
No one believes your lies
Not fooling anyone but me
I was the only one who fell for your lies
So tell me all your lies
I want to hear the truth about everything
The truth has set me free
Knowing the truth has helped me move on
You look at me with lovesick eyes
You look at me with affectionate eyes
Say I'm the one that calms your skies
You claim that I bring peace to your life
Your skies and
Your emotional life
It was all so plain to see
It was obvious to me
But I closed my eyes I just wanted to
I chose to ignore the truth because I wanted to
I wanted to pretend
I wanted to believe a lie
You can't be having any fun
You're not enjoying yourself
Writer(s): Broussard Lelia Elizabeth
Contributed by David H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.