“At first, it was just light-hearted ‘Sad Boy’ type stuff, but the more I got to know myself, the more I started saying things that I really felt,” says Lil Lotus. “It came out pretty dark. This has been a big transitional period for me.” Lil Lotus has had to change his approach in order to become the burgeoning rock star he is today. Real-name John Elias Villagran III, Lotus’ origin story is a pretty common one amidst his peers. Starting out on Soundcloud in 2016, he recorded, mixed and uploaded tracks online, collaborating with and starting a number of projects alongside fellow Soundcloud artists like Lil Aaron and Smrtdeath. Where he differs, though, is in his love of the concept of ‘the band.’ Having already formed the metalcore group If...