Submitted Photo Local artist Lila Bea is shown with her guitar.

An artist from Maxbass, Lila Farden, who goes by the stage name Lila Bea, has been rising within the small town music scene.

Starting off like a lot of local musicians, Farden began her music journey singing in her high school choir. Learning from these experiences, Farden has progressed to becoming a solo artist.

Farden first started performing as a solo artist last April and has since then traveled across North Dakota, performing at local bars, coffee shops and music events.

Farden said she draws inspiration from popular artists Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and Laney Wilson. Learning from the techniques they used, Farden has been able to grow in her stage presence, vocal technique and songwriting ability.

“One of the hardest things for me was having the confidence to be able to reach out to venues to put my name out there,” she said.

As Farden continues to perform, her confidence has continued to improve, as shown through her performances and the growth that can be seen in her songwriting.

“I started writing music on the bus going to school. We would listen to country music radio each morning and I started thinking how cool it would be to write a song,” she said.

“My music can be described as a mess, and I feel that’s okay because life is messy. It’s all encompassing, with many highs and lows. That’s why when I write, I like to just be honest,” she said.

Farden plans to continue traveling and performing across North Dakota. She also plans a trip to Nashville in the future to visit the music scene there and bring back some knowledge. Farden also hopes to collaborate with more local artists in the next year.

She said she has one piece of advice for anyone wanting to pursue a career in music.

“If you have a passion go for it and don’t give up,” she said. “It’s going to be a lot of work and at times you’re going to feel like you’re getting beat down, but it really and truly will be worth it. You just have to have that tenacity and drive. You keep going.”