Lily Vakili, a musician with roots spanning Honduras, the United States, Thailand, and Puerto Rico, credits her multicultural upbringing for shaping the diverse musical influences in her work. Speaking from her home in Montclair, New Jersey, Vakili described how exposure to a wide variety of genres—ranging from American blues, folk, and rock to Caribbean salsa and merengue, as well as Persian tomback percussion—has inspired her evolving sound.

Reflecting on her early career, Vakili recalled her first professional performance as a solo acoustic house concert, a nerve-wracking experience that taught her the importance of practice and self-awareness on stage. Since then, she has embraced touring as a vital source of creative inspiration, often developing new material while traveling. "Being on the road is a true source of inspiration for me," she said. "When I come back from tour, I always have new material to work with."

Vakili also values the opportunity to explore the cities she visits during her tours. Among her favorite excursions was a visit to the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, where she paid homage to the golden statue of Athena. She expressed admiration for historic performance venues, mentioning a desire to perform in restored concert halls such as Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre and the Williams Center in Rutherford, New Jersey. “I’d love to do a tour of restored concert halls. A girl can and should dream,” she noted.

Puerto Rico holds a special place in Vakili’s life and heart, serving as both a childhood home and ongoing source of cultural connection through its people, language, and artistic traditions. She also highlighted the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays, Kansas, as an underappreciated destination. The museum notably inspired her album "Oceans of Kansas."

Vakili’s international upbringing included memorable family trips, such as a childhood beach holiday in Bangkok, Thailand, where she remembered laughing and running into the waves despite being knocked over. Her travels have imparted lessons in perspective and patience, as she emphasized the importance of maintaining a good attitude amid unpredictable circumstances.

When asked about favorite cities, Vakili declined to limit her choices, stating that any large city—whether Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Nashville, Newark, or New York—offers rich opportunities for adventure and discovery. On the road, she relies on essentials like notebooks, pencils, a camera, and headphones to capture and process her experiences.

With a growing body of work enriched by her multicultural influences and a commitment to exploration, Vakili continues to craft a distinctive musical voice informed by her diverse background and ongoing global engagements.