15 OctOber 31 - NOvember 6, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | CuLture | Cafe | Music | “Did It First” First Meet the Miami songwriter behind Ice Spice’s “Did It First.” BY LIZ TRACY L ily Kaplan has been obsessed with anything that has to do with the guitar for quite some time now. “Early on, I knew I wanted to learn to play,” she tells New Times. “I was really into singer-songwriters, so I would spend hours learning John Mayer and Ed Sheeran songs on the guitar.” Over the years, her confidence in her voice and song- writing grew. “Writing music helped me grow more comfortable and find my voice,” she adds. This past July, Kaplan’s songwriting reached a wider audience than she could have ever imagined when a song she penned was released and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. She’s one of the songwriters cred- ited on Ice Spice’s collaboration with Central Cee, “Did It First.” “The Ice Spice song came about really or- ganically,” Kaplan explains. She messaged producer Nico Baran in September 2023 to see if she could send him vocal loops. “From there, we just started collaborating a lot over text. The loop in the song is just one of hun- dreds we’ve worked on together. Hopefully, over the next few months, more of what we’ve been creating will be out in the world.” Before finding success in Los Angeles, she got her start at the Miami nonprofit Young Musicians Unite. She says the organization, particularly CEO and founder Sammy Gonza- lez Zeira, played a crucial role in her songwrit- ing journey. “He was the first person I ever co-wrote with and constantly encouraged me to start writing,” she says of Gonzalez Zeira. Gonzalez Zeira, who also performs as Magic Tusk, recalls an incredible public school music education in Miami Beach that led him to a full college scholarship in music and the confidence to shine on stage. “When I was about 27 years old, and I slowed down on touring, I asked myself, What’s next?” He realized that many music programs that greatly enhanced his life were cut around 2008 when the state began reprioritizing testing and STEM over the arts. He started YMU as a small guitar club at the Young Man’s Preparatory Academy out- side Wynwood. It soon became the largest music education nonprofit in Miami-Dade, serving 58 schools and about 10,000 students weekly. The organization provides Title 1 schools with instructors, lesson plans, instru- ments, and other music resources until the school can hire its own music teacher so that no one misses out on a music education. YMU’s afterschool program does more than 180 shows a year, and it owns a recording stu- dio in Allapattah. Students own the rights and royalties to their own music. The results of the program are impressive, not just for musicians but also for schools. Historically, Carol City High School had an incredible, award-winning band program, but the music room was abandoned when music education was cut in 2008. The high school’s director told Gonzalez Zeira he wanted to see his marching band grow back to 100 musi- cians. He had a closetful of broken instru- ments that YMU repaired at a low cost. “Eight years later, his marching band is about 150 kids. And they are amazing. I think they are the best marching band in Miami Dade County right now,” Gonzalez Zeira says. He met Kaplan in 2018 when someone sent him a video of a girl playing guitar on her bed. In eighth grade, she joined a YMU stu- dent ambassador band called Arrowhead and was soon one of its lead vocalists and guitar- ists. “I just remember her first show when I put her in the group. Her mother called me saying, ‘My daughter is so nervous. I don’t think she’s going to make the show.’ I was nonchalant, and I said, ‘Of course Lily is going to make the show!’” Kaplan also re- members that piv- otal moment. “My most memorable experience with YMU was my first-ever perfor- mance on Lincoln Road. I was 13, and I was over- whelmed with anxiety. I remember feeling terrified and convinced I couldn’t go through with it. But once I got on stage, all that fear disappeared. At that moment, I realized that music was at the core of who I am. It’s been central to my identity ever since. That day not only shaped my relationship with music but also gave me the confidence to approach other aspects of life with the same courage.” Following the success of penning a song for Ice Spice, Kaplan moved from New York, where she attended New York University, to Los Angeles and signed a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group. “I’m thrilled to be able to do what I love ev- ery day and incredibly grateful to my team and everyone who’s helped make this possi- ble,” Kaplan says. YMU and Gonzalez Zeira changed the course of her life and brought her a real com- munity, she shares. “I will always stay heavily involved with YMU and support them how- ever I can. I’m so grateful for the years I spent with them and can’t wait to see how they continue to grow and change lives.”
[email protected] Lily Kaplan, an alum of Young Musicians United, is credited for helping write Ice Spice’s “Did It First.” Lily Kaplan/Young Musicians Unite photo “I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE YEARS I SPENT WITH [YMU] AND CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HOW THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AND CHANGE LIVES.” | CROSSFADE | t Music MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 THIS WEEK THURSDAY, OCT. 31 Deorro: 10 p.m., $46.29-$72.19. Kemistry, 307 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, kemistrynightclub.com. Free Cover Edicion Especial: With Willie Colon, Jorge Celedon, and Rubby Perez, 8 p.m., $56-$296. Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, 954-797-5531, myhrl.com. Guy J: 10 p.m., $30-$125. Mad Live, 55 NE 24th St., Miami, 786-843- 7021, madclubwynwood.com/mad-live. Hocus Pocus: With the Martinez Brothers, ChaseWest, Nina Kraviz, Artbat, Moodymann, and others., 7 p.m., $48.90-$230. Factory Town, 4800 NW 37th Ave., Miami, 305-484-6235, factorytown.com. Malaa: 10 p.m., $30. Daer Nightclub & Dayclub, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, 954-779-4750, hardrocknightlife.com. Oscar G: 10 p.m., Free-$24.25. Mode, 2 S. Miami Ave., Miami, 305- 942-7240, mode.miami. FRIDAY, NOV. 1 DaBaby: 11:30 p.m., $50. LIV, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305- 674-4680, livnightclub.com. The Fixx: 7:30 p.m., $45. Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 954-564-1074, cultureroom.net. Greeicy: 8 p.m., $61.99-$219.99. James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami, 305-372-4634, jlkc.com. Hocus Pocus: With the Martinez Brothers, ChaseWest, Nina Kraviz, Artbat, Moodymann, and others., 7 p.m., $48.90-$230. Factory Town, 4800 NW 37th Ave., Miami, 305-484-6235, factorytown.com. Jhayco: 8 p.m., $21-$187.24. Kaseya Center, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 786-777-1000, kaseyacenter.com. Sarah Vaughan: A Sassy Centennial: With Patti Austin, Randy Brecker, Lisa Fischer, and others., 8 p.m., $40-$130. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-949-6722, arshtcenter.org. Say Anything: With the Social Animals, Circus Trees, and Runt, 7 p.m., $34.50. Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 954-449-1025, jointherevolution.net. Walker & Royce: 10 p.m., $39.67-$66.13. Kemistry, 307 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, kemistrynightclub.com. SATURDAY, NOV. 2 Christian Nodal: 8 p.m., $61-$191. Kaseya Center, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 786-777-1000, kaseyacenter.com. Cozy Worldwide: 9 p.m., $15-$35. The Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-673-7300, fillmoremb.com. Danny Ocean: 8 p.m., $39.50-$249.50. FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-358-7550, fplsolaramphitheaterbayfront.com. Gryffin: 11 p.m., $50. LIV, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-674- 4680, livnightclub.com. Hocus Pocus: With the Martinez Brothers, ChaseWest, Nina Kraviz, Artbat, Moodymann, and others., 7 p.m., $48.90-$230. Factory Town, 4800 NW 37th Ave., Miami, 305-484-6235, factorytown.com. Lavern: 12 p.m., $20-$30. Strawberry Moon, 601 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-506-2112, strawberrymoonmiami.com. Nanpa Básico: 8 p.m., $69. Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-672-5202, miamibeachbandshell.com. Soulfly: 7 p.m., $25. Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 954-564-1074, cultureroom.net. ThanksKilling: With Soulpax, Stellus, and Remyz., 8:30 p.m., $16-$18. Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami, 855-732-8992, gramps.com. YVM3: 10 p.m., Free-$33.62. Kemistry, 307 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, kemistrynightclub.com. SUNDAY, NOV. 3 Coin: 7 p.m., $30.50. Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 954-449-1025, jointherevolution.net. Maverick City Music: 7 p.m., $26.75-$106.75. Kaseya Center, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 786-777-1000, kaseyacenter.com. Miami Symphony Orchestra: With Andreas Boyde and Eduardo Marturet., 6 p.m., $40-$140. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-949-6722, arshtcenter.org. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes: 7 p.m., $45-$85. The Parker, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale, 954-761-5374, parkerplayhouse.com. Weston Estate: With Souly Had, 7 p.m., $29.50. Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 954-564-1074, cultureroom.net. MONDAY, NOV. 4 Homixide Gang: 7 p.m., $28. Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 954-449-1025, jointherevolution.net. | CONCERTS & CLUBS | ▼ Music Club and concert listings are free and rotate in print. Find more at miaminewtimes.com/music and browardpalmbeach.com/music. To list your act, email
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