From biochemistry student to music sensation: Topsfield singer's journey goes viral

Lily Fitts, a 22-year-old singer from Massachusetts, has taken social media by storm with her singing talent. 

Under the username @lilyfittsmusic, Fitts captivated audiences on TikTok and Instagram with her covers of popular songs, amassing about 100,000 followers combined.

Fitts has recently gained attention after renowned musicians such as Zach Bryan, The Lumineers and Noah Kahan reposted her renditions of their music on their Instagram and TikTok accounts. Bryan, a country-folk star who broke out on YouTube and Twitter, has reposted Fitts singing his music to his Instagram story not once but twice. 

Receiving recognition from established artists has been a surreal experience for Fitts, who sees music as a form of therapy to help her express herself.

"These people are so talented and have been such an inspiration to me for so long," she said.

The reposts by industry heavyweights propelled Fitts into the spotlight, attracting a rapidly growing fanbase — and a record label deal.

Born and raised in Topsfield, Fitts discovered her passion for music at an early age. While pursuing a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, having just graduated in May, she turned to social media platforms to showcase her musical prowess. 

Reflecting on her journey, Fitts said, "I've been singing ever since I could remember. And I started playing guitar and piano when I was about 9. Music has always been a huge part of my life and a way for me to express myself."

She's been using social media for nearly as long: "I started posting on YouTube when I was 10. Then I switched to Vine, went back to YouTube and eventually focused on Instagram and TikTok because social media evolves every year it seems."

One of the turning points for Fitts came when she participated in a TikTok trend to rewrite parts of Noah Kahan's song, "Stick Season." Her rendition quickly gained traction — it has over 2 million views — and caught Kahan's attention, leading to his repost and reaction.

"A lot of people started to follow me and really engaged with my account. And then, throughout this past year, I continued posting on TikTok, building a following. I realized that a lot of people really did enjoy my music," Fitts said.

On TikTok, her top videos are now drawing in millions of viewers and she has over 90,000 followers.

While Fitts initially focused on covers, the overwhelming support she received inspired her to delve into songwriting as well: "Once I gained traction, I wanted to take it to the next level because I've realized that people do enjoy my voice."

The exposure Fitts gained through social media opened doors to remarkable opportunities.

"I've gotten the opportunity to work with a lot of amazing producers and songwriters in Los Angeles. It's really cool. And now I'm getting ready to release my debut single next month, which I'm really excited about. It's crazy what social media can do," she said.

Fitts has posted snippets of some original music on TikTok.

"I'm happy that people are really resonating with [my music]," she said, adding, "my goal is to write about things that not only speak to me but also can connect to so many other people as well."

With her debut single, "Hurts like Hell," set to be released through the record label 30kts this summer, Fitts is excited about what's coming next.