#162 - Oso Oso (Jade Lilitri)

 





I saw Oso Oso several years ago for the first time in a
small town in New Jersey. I was instantly hooked after
their debut album, Real Stories of True People Who Kind of
Looked Like Mosters…, and always wanted to see them live,
but never really had the opportunity. Around 2018, right
before Basking in the Glow came out, I took the trek to a
small venue in NJ, and saw Jade and his band play in front
of a room of maybe 20-30 people. It has been fun being from
the outside looking in and seeing Oso Oso grow as a group.
They now travel the world and fill up venues to capacity as
a headlining act.

It was a true honor being able to chat with Jade Lilitri
in-person before his Asbury Park gig. I always felt a
connection to not only his music but some of his interest.
Of course the emo music is a great start, but he’s also
from Long Island, where I was born, and has been on record
as a huge Knicks fan. I learned during this conversation
that he is a die-hard Yankees fan and grew up with the team
- Bernie Williams being his favorite player.

We really took this interview in several different
directions. Jade told us about his dog and how that’s
always his chance to decompress when home from a long tour.
He discussed how Basking in the Glow was a record where he
could finally quit his job at a bar and saw a growing
audience. There’s a fun story about when he didn’t receive
a positive welcome from a punk show as a teenager and how
he was able to bounce back after a gig that could’ve pushed
him away from music. How a song on MySpace led to
confidence and helped Jade find his voice. Lastly, how life
experiences and the loss of a best friend has led to a new
meaning behind touring and the band as a whole.