12-year-old Batavia singer-songwriter releases her first EP
Some dreams fly through the night, forgotten as quickly as they came. Other dreams land firmly in the memory of morning.
Lily Mamminga, 12, of Batavia dreamed of being a singer-songwriter when she was just a child, writing her first song at 9 years old. She is doing everything she can to turn her dream into a reality, studying voice with a singer-songwriter in Chicago and learning the craft through additional work.
"I went to Interlochen Academy in Michigan for a summer camp and took a course in songwriting," she said. "I knew then that I wanted to write songs."
Her passion for music is unbridled. She plays piano, clarinet, guitar and ukulele.
She knows that it takes more than a simple tune and lyric to be a songwriter, and has learned how to enhance her music with LogicPro, a program for songwriters that provides Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI.
Lily Mamminga's first song, "Constellations," is available on all social media platforms, so her internet marketing skills are pretty impressive as well.
Lily even did a project on songwriting for a fifth-grade class, explaining what it takes to write a song.
She's pretty excited that her first EP (extended play for a compact disc), featuring five of her songs, was recently released.
Where does she get her inspiration for her music?
She is observant, writing what she sees and feels. One song. "Country Song," starts with the line of sitting in the back seat of a minivan. The song has already been covered by another singer, Taylor Meloche.
Middle school isn't always easy. Kids struggle just to find their group and be accepted.
"I went through a time where one of my friends just stopped talking to me," she added. "That was hard."
She wrote the song "Let the Light Shine" with words that ring true for preteens who deal with similar issues:
Words don't hurt her, she'll survive
Doesn't matter what or why
She'll be fine
She can't understand their ways
Not tomorrow not today
Her own ways
Most of her friends have been supportive and encouraging when it comes to her musical endeavors. To them, she is a fellow middle-schooler who plays her clarinet, sings in the choir and writes songs as a hobby.
The song that Lily is most proud of is "Constellations," a sweet song that takes relationships to new heights, the outer galaxy of stars.
Hey you and me
let's be constellations
Pick up our pens and rewrite the stars
Starlit, Starlit illustrations
Hey, you and me, the heavens are ours.
You can log onto Lily's official site, lilyclara.com, to hear a sample of "Constellations."
Lily even has a fan club posting on the site so fans can be alerted when she is performing somewhere or when new music comes out. This talented lady is doing it all herself, and even has a future plan in place.
"I want to go to Belmont University in Nashville and study songwriting," she added.
Lily is the daughter of John and Lara Mamminga. Lara is a teacher at Rotolo Middle School.
"What if a recording company came in and offered Lily a contract?" I asked Lara Mamminga.
"We'd have to deal with that when the time comes," she replied.
As talented as Lily is, that time may be sooner than she expects. Her passion for her craft is more than a dream.