In a way, indie/pop duo Bella & Lily has been together a long time. That is if you can measure lifetimes spanning in the teen years as long. Bella (19) and Lily (15) are sisters, after all.
But the musical entity Bella & Lily was born less than two years ago, when the Ibur sisters made their debut on the St. Louis music scene. After winning a battle of the bands to earn a spot on the Loufest stage, Bella and Lily decided to focus on their musical career.
They rounded out their sound by adding Dustin Shapiro on drums and Jonathon Yarbrough on bass, and launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund an album. In October 2013 they released their first album, “Count to Ten.”
Bella and Lily Ibur joined Cityscape host Steve Potter in studio to talk about their music and their upcoming concert at the Sheldon to benefit St. Louis nonprofit Safe Connections.
Recently, Bella & Lily signed up to be ambassadors for the nonprofit, which runs a domestic and sexual abuse hotline, provides abuse counseling and offers safe relationship training.
“I think as women it is so important to be aware of your surroundings and aware of other people who have gone through it,” said Bella.
Bella and Lily write and sing their own songs and play multiple instruments. With a drummer for a father and an opera singer for a grandmother, they were introduced to music at an early age. Bella started on piano and Lily on drums. From there, they learned guitar, ukulele and mandolin.
Segments of four of the six songs on their album were played on Cityscape: "Letters," “Messed Up Avenue,” “Circus” and the title song, “Count to Ten.”
The band often performs around St. Louis. In addition to the benefit concert at the Sheldon, Bella & Lily will be at Euclid Records on April 19 and Blueberry Hill on May 9. For the latest on where the duo is performing, check the band’s Facebook page – according to Bella the page is updated almost daily. Information can also be found on the duo’s website.
As for the future, the Ibur sisters hope for continued success. In 10 years they want to be touring with five more albums under their belt, said Bella. But first Lily needs to graduate from high school.
Related Information
Safe Connections
Works to prevent and end domestic violence and sexual violence and help survivors recover.
(314) 531-2003
Safe Connections Website
Related Event
An Evening With Bella and Lily
Friday, April 11, 2014
7:30 p.m.
Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington, Blvd.
Sheldon Website
Cityscape is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer, hosted bySteve Potter and funded in part by the the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.