Shropshire songwriting graduate meets music idol Paul McCartney
A young musician from Shropshire was left starstruck after meeting her music hero at her university graduation ceremony in Liverpool.
Lilly Boughey from Market Drayton has been studying Songwriting and Performance at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts for the last four years.
While Lilly and her peers were donning their caps and gowns for the 2022 graduation ceremony, the 22-year-old musician didn't expect to meet one of her music idols – Sir Paul McCartney.
Lilly said: "He's very softly-spoken, a gentle, kind, warm man and he's not fake. It was surreal when I met him – it was an 'oh my god' moment.
"I almost didn't know what to say to him, but he's like every other man. It was unbelievable and I don't think I'll have that moment again."
The elite university for aspiring actors, filmmakers, musicians and designers has an acceptance rate of 4 per cent and as a congratulations for completing their course, graduates get to meet their patrons.
Lilly said that meeting lead patron Sir Paul McCartney was a special moment that she will treasure forever, especially coming from a line of Beatles fans in her family.
With songs available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, Lilly spends her time recording in the studio and part-time as a one-to-one vocal coach.
Commenting on her time at university, Lilly said: "It has been fantastic. It was difficult with Covid and arts opportunities, but being together with friends pushed me to finish it. I am so grateful I got the opportunity to go."
For her next steps, Lilly will be working with producers and other musicians to explore her style while working at the Wirral Music Factory in Birkenhead.
She has three tracks recorded– one 80s synth, one pop-electronic and one acoustic – and will be releasing one or two of them before Christmas.
As a new graduate, Lilly is looking to collaborate with more people in the industry, to take part in more session work and experiment with new sounds and styles.
