Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey: ‘RuPaul is my fairy godmother!’
When news of Vanessa William’s daughter fronting a cool New York duo reached us, we were naturally intrigued. When we heard what Jillian Hervey does as part of Lion Babe, we were blown away. It’s almost unfair to immediately offer up details of the singer’s parentage to lure you in, because despite being the daughter of singer and actress Vanessa Williams, it’s only a matter of time until everyone paying attention to Jillian for who she is herself.
Attitude caught up the Lion Babe frontwoman and her production partner Lucas Goodman earlier this year ahead of the release of their Pharrell-produced single Wonder Woman. That slick track infused with their signature deep groves is an ear-catching slice of pop-funk, a product of two-days in a Miami studio with Williams, and now they’re gearing up to release their next – Impossible – which was recently unveiled on BBC Radio 1 as Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest Record in the World Right Now’…
“He’s a busy dude, he’s got a lot going on every day,” Goodman reveals of Pharrell, before gushing about having had the opportunity to watch a “huge influence” at work in the studio. “I was really cool to do something like this with someone we admire so much. It was eye-opening. We just learned so much.”
The accompanying video for Wonder Woman extended further the relationship between Lion Babe’s their music and visuals – something that Hervey is as equally enthused about.
“We’re a little weird,” she warns, and it’s immediately clear that it’s not the first time she’s had to offer that disclaimer incase someone is thrown by the depth of her passion for the project. “I definitely want people to feel that this is uniquely happening right here and now and each time, as the music grows, to add new components, whether it be dancers, projections, glitter or smoke!
She’s definitely no stranger to a little glitter.
“My highlight in life will be having had the pleasure of being a guest judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race!”. An opportunity which came right at the beginning of Lion Babe’s journey. “Ru Paul is literally my fair godmother! He’s been so supportive, it’s amazing.”
She’s no stranger to the gay community. She recalls growing up having “the most amazing gays in my life” and calling those around Vanessa, her “glam squad”. Before the worlds of Mode Magazine and Wisteria Lane, Vanessa was picking up tips that she can now offer her daughter.
“Sometimes you might feel so alone and you’re like, ‘I don’t know what to do, who’s gone through this?’, and them I’m just like, ‘Oh! I should just call Mom!’.”
Should we try to find Vanessa at the upcoming shows? “She’s so supportive, but she’s definitely still in the mom role! I think her tactic from the beginning with me was like, ‘This one’s a wild child. I’ll let her go and be free and be there when she needs me’.
“I feel like when I was a little star in the universe I picked my parents because they couldn’t have been a better pairing for guiding me through this.”
But when your phonebook includes Vanessa, Pharrell and Ru Paul, the real dilemma might just be which one to call first.
Lion Babe’s Wonder Woman is out now, with their new single Impossible available to preorder ahead of its August 28 release.
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