Meet Molly Billman | Lead Singer of Golly Miss Molly

We had the good fortune of connecting with Molly Billman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Molly, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
I recently re-read a motivational book my mom gave me in 2015, when I was graduating high school. It’s called, “Keep Believing in Yourself and Your Dreams.” In it, is page after page of inspirational quotes and a section of my current favorite is this:

It’s not having everything go right;
it’s facing whatever goes wrong.
it’s not being without fear;
it’s having the determination
to go on in spite of it.

It’s not where you stand,
but the direction you’re going in.
It’s more than never having bad moments;
it’s knowing you are always
bigger than the moment.

I know it may be very Pinterest millennial of me, but little daily reminds like this quote help me stay in the present moment. Take everything one day at a time. In any artistic endeavor, from live music to live theatre, of which I have experienced both, there are a lot of “No’s” and rejection and judgement. But being able to look past all that and know that you ARE talented, you ARE good enough, at the end of the day that’s all that matters. Just do your work and the rest will follow.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I think what I bring to the table as a performer, not only the wide range of music I sing or my range itself, but with all the training I’ve had in opera, musical theatre, acting, I can really put on a show, and I do. That’s what I think I’m most excited for in my future. Getting the opportunity to make a bigger name for myself and therefore go on tour, make big budget music videos, basically everything I’m doing now but to the full caliber and production value I wish it could be. For independent artists, it can really be a struggle to not only book a gig, but get people to come in the first place, to be invested enough to keep coming, sell tickets, post, go viral on TikTok, all this sort of social media “work” that, I think, takes away from the art of it all, but must be done. Is it easy doing everything yourself? Absolutely not. Is it so satisfying and invigorating when you do get it done and all the hard work pays off? 100% Every day can be a challenge, I’m still in the middle of a writers block for God’s sake, but it’s all about not judging yourself. Our biggest critic is ourselves. So let’s change the narrative and if you need a day off, take it, no questions asked. If you wanna splurge on a good meal, treat yourself. I’m so tired of beating myself up for no reason and wasting energy that can be used for something creative and good. A lot of my music, especially the first album, is very personal. Stories sung about moments in my life, the good and the bad. But I know if i’ve experienced something, some one else may have to, and the feeling of not being alone is life changing. So if anything, I hope my music makes others feel seen and heard, with the promise of more hype, bad b*tch energy music in the future.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m an extremely organized and schedule driven person, so I love planning! And, I’ve definitely hosted people from out of state asking this very question, lol!

Visiting LA for the first time? I got you, honey. We’re giving you the best of Cali:
Sunday- Start the day at Cactus Coffee before heading to the Melrose Trading Post. Lunch at Nobu, then go see a movie at Grahams Chinese Theatre.
Monday- Brunch at Urth Caffe, then a beach day in Malibu. Later, have dinner and a view at Malibu Farm.
Tuesday-Leave bright and early to Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree! Stopping at all the little shops and stores along the way, lunch at The Pink Cabana and spa day before getting to your dessert oasis AirBnB. Finally, going to Morton’s Steakhouse for the best steak dinner you’ve ever had in your life.
Wednesday- Breakfast at Crossroads Cafe before hitting the road back West to Big Bear! Check in to your lake side AirBnB and walk downtown for some shopping and sight seeing before a seafood dinner at Captains Anchorage.
Thursday- Sleep in and grab picnic goodies from a local grocery store before taking a boat to the lake for the afternoon. Naps and showers before hitting the road back to LA, stopping at the iconic InNOut for a quick, delicious dinner.
Friday- Have a late brunch at Twisted Sage before hiking to the Griffith Observatory. With the rest of the afternoon to go to MoMa before dinner at the famous, vegan Crossroads Kitchen. Then, get ready for a night out in WeHo!
Saturday- Spend the day at the LA County Fair with a last dinner at the beautiful CoCo Palm Restaurant.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It is truly heartbreaking to see a child, or teenager, or even someone my own age, who has parents who don’t understand or support their dreams, or even who they are as a person. But by some chance of fate, I was lucky enough to be born into a family who not only understood my love for theatre, music, movies, etc., but they themselves love it just as much as I do. So, shoutout to my mom and dad, who have supported me in any and all of my dreams I’ve had from the very beginning.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_golly_miss_molly_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegollymissmollyband

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYOAPJDkYeudmIwui3EipvA

Image Credits
Carlos Morales Tamara Hernandez Rebekah Maynard Angelica Gallegos Adrian Hernandez