Who are you?

My name’s Lily Tyler. I’m the frontwoman for The Brightside and for some reason, the focal point of tabloid gossip all around the world.

You were really young when the band took off. Do you have any regrets?

I try not to honestly. What we’ve achieved is incredible. I turn thirty next year. How many thirty-year-olds can say they’re famous millionaires who have travelled the world? We’ve worked with some Hall of Fame scale artists and producers. I wouldn’t change any of that, but were there downsides? Of course. We were only sixteen. It feels like we grew up with the world watching. All my teenage awkwardness, growth, and heartache was recorded and scrutinised. I find myself dreaming of privacy at times. Who doesn’t?

Who was your biggest musical influence growing up?

I’m never 100% sure how to answer this one. I think the guys would all agree with me that we looked up to the Stereophonics. My dad was and is a massive fan and well, what Welsh musician wasn’t inspired by their climb to fame? Same goes for the Manic Street Preachers and Marable. They carved a path for us and I’m not sure we’d have gotten as far as we have had those bands not come before.

Which artists are you loving right now?

Ooo too many to list. The Maine just released a new album. I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve had ‘Numb Without You’ and ‘One Sunset’ on repeat for the last week. Jade Eagleston also released his debut album last month and I can’t get enough of it. ‘Count The Ways’ is my favourite.

What song would you sing at karaoke?

Probably Celine Dion’s It’s All Coming Back to Me Now. Purely because I love testing the limits of my voice and I haven’t been able to catch up to her yet. One day.

Are you excited for the tour?

Definitely. We’re going to be on the road for two years almost full-time. I’ve had fans begging for dates all across the world and with this tour, we’re ticking almost all of them off. It’s going to be a huge test for us. We’ve never been on the road for such a prolonged period of time, but as far as I’m concerned, there’s never going to be a better time. All of us are unattached. We don’t have spouses or children to factor in so we let ourselves think big and unrestrained.

As a female musician, I used to live counting down the moments, waiting for the axe to fall and the upward spiral to end. I always thought that when I hit twenty, that would be it. Then I hit twenty-five and now I’m three months away from my thirtieth birthday. The end’s never come and at some point, I made the decision to stop letting it hold me frozen. It’s been years and we’re still climbing. I’m going keep enjoying it and keep striving for bigger and better.

What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

I use puzzles to relax. It’s strange I know but even after nearly fourteen years, the nerves still take over sometimes. If I’m focusing on a puzzle, I’m not letting nerves or fear control me. So I’ll have a puzzle laid out in my dressing room before every show. I guess you could call it my pre-show superstition.

Will you ever go solo?

Not a chance. I couldn’t imagine making music or standing on a stage without my boys. We’ve been together for so long, known each other for most of our lives. I wouldn’t feel right to do this without them.

If you could travel back in time, what would you tell your fifteen-year-old self?

Don’t let the tabloid lies impact your decisions or opinion of yourself. Just because they print it, doesn’t mean it’s true. This is a daily struggle to remember this even now honestly.

Why did you split with Shaun Martin?

Ooo just snuck that one in, didn’t you? Put simply, we grew apart and our goals stopped aligning. Shaun wants to live his life in the limelight and honestly, as an actor, I know that’s necessary. But I’m not at the point of needing all that media exposure anymore. As much as I love what I do, I love putting smiles on my fans faces and experiencing the world with them through music, I do want to keep some parts of my life private. I want to go out for dinner and not have to sit in a restaurant knowing every eye is on us and there’s a camera in the bushes outside. I want to date a man and not have to wonder if he’s genuinely interested in Lily The Woman, and not Lily The Super Successful Singer.