Lily Amis's Blog, page 2

Sky - 12 Tage des Terrors!

 

Diezwölf Tage des Terrors aus der Ferne mitzuerleben, war ein wachgewordenerAlbtraum. Nicht zu wissen, was die nächste Minute, die nächste Stunde oder dernächste Tag für die wenigen geliebten Menschen bringen würde, die wir noch inunserem Geburtsland haben – in unserem geliebten Teheran, in den Viertelnvoller Kindheitserinnerungen – war absolut herzzerreißend. Wir konnten nichtschlafen.

Wir konnten nicht essen. Wir konnten nicht funktionieren. Es fühlte sich an,als würden wir die Angst selbst durchleben. Die Ungewissheit war erdrückend.

Nurdie gelegentlichen WhatsApp-Nachrichten hielten uns aufrecht – winzigeLebenszeichen der Hoffnung in einem Meer der Hilflosigkeit. Jede Nachricht, diedurchkam, war wie ein Atemzug, ein Herzschlag, ein Zeichen, dass jemand, denwir lieben, einen weiteren Angriff überlebt hatte.

Wirhaben gebetet. Wir haben geweint. Wir haben mit unserem Volk gelitten. Und wirbeten weiterhin, dass sie – und niemand sonst – jemals wieder diese grausameSeite der Unmenschlichkeit erleben müssen!

"Ein Herz aus Fell inmitten von Bomben und Verlust – Skys Geschichte berührt tief."
Erzählt aus den Augen eines weisen kleinen Hundes mit großem Herzen, ist diese kraftvolle Geschichte eine berührende Erkundung von Liebe, Loyalität und Widerstandskraft in Zeiten des Chaos. Wenn der Himmel einstürzt und die Welt kopfsteht, wird eine kleine vierpfötige Seele zum emotionalen Anker für eine Familie im Sturm der Ungewissheit. Von stillen Frühstücken und fröhlichem Schwanzwedeln bis zu schlaflosen Nächten voller Angst nimmt Sky die Leser mit auf eine bewegende Reise voller Überlebenswillen, Hoffnung und der unzerbrechlichen Bande, die uns tragen – selbst wenn alles andere verloren scheint. Ergreifend, witzig und zutiefst berührend erinnert uns diese Geschichte daran, dass Liebe selbst in den dunkelsten Momenten ihren Weg findet – mit einem warmen Napf, einer sanften Hand und einem leisen Schwanzwedeln. Werte: Mitgefühl, Loyalität, Freundlichkeit, kulturelles Verständnis, Mut, Optimismus, Gerechtigkeit, emotionale Intelligenz, die Bedeutung der eigenen Stimme – besonders für jene, die keine haben.
Empfohlenes Lesealter: ab 12 Jahren (Jugendliche bis Erwachsene)
• 12–16 Jahre (Jugendliche): Jugendliche können sich mit Skys emotionaler Offenheit und dem Aufwachsen in einer schwierigen Welt identifizieren. Themen wie Angst, Hoffnung, Empathie und soziale Ungerechtigkeit sprechen in diesem Alter besonders an.
• Ab 17 Jahren (Erwachsene): Die tiefgründige Auseinandersetzung mit Menschlichkeit, Krieg, Kultur und Mitgefühl macht die Geschichte auch für erwachsene Leser*innen zu einem kraftvollen Erlebnis – besonders für alle, die Allegorien, Memoir-Erzählungen oder tierisch erzählte Geschichten schätzen.
• Nicht empfohlen für Kinder unter 10 Jahren, da Themen wie Krieg, Vertreibung, Trauma und emotionale Komplexität behandelt werden – auch wenn Sky ein Hund ist, ist die Thematik sehr reif.
Werte: Mitgefühl, Loyalität, Freundlichkeit, kulturelles Verständnis, Mut, Optimismus, Gerechtigkeit, emotionale Intelligenz, die Bedeutung der eigenen Stimme – besonders für jene, die keine haben.

Zentrale Themen:

Krieg und Vertreibung (durch unschuldige Augen):
Die Erfahrung von Krieg aus der Perspektive eines liebevollen, treuen und verwirrten Hundes ermöglicht Leser*innen einen emotionalen Zugang zu Konflikten und deren Auswirkungen auf Familien und den Alltag.Familie und Zusammenhalt:
Im Kern ist dies eine Geschichte über eine eng verbundene Familie, die versucht, angesichts unvorstellbarer Angst zusammenzuhalten. Skys Loyalität und Beobachtungen zeigen, wie Liebe uns auch im Chaos verbindet.Widerstandskraft und Überleben:
Die Fähigkeit, Hoffnung, Lachen und Stärke selbst in den dunkelsten Zeiten zu finden. Skys emotionale Reise zeigt, wie selbst die Kleinsten großen Mut tragen können.Empathie über Artengrenzen hinweg:
Sky lädt die Leser*innen ein, über das Gefühlsleben von Tieren nachzudenken – über ihre Ängste, Zuneigung, Erinnerungen und ihre Fähigkeit zur Liebe. Ein starkes Plädoyer für Tierschutz und emotionale Intelligenz.Kultureller Reichtum und Gastfreundschaft:
Von Nowruz über Esskultur bis hin zur nachbarschaftlichen Herzlichkeit – persische Traditionen werden als Quelle von Trost, Identität und Stolz dargestellt, ohne belehrend oder politisch zu wirken.Verlust der Unschuld / Erwachsenwerden:
Skys Entwicklung vom verwöhnten „König“ zum nachdenklichen, emotional wachen Wesen spiegelt den Weg eines Kindes durch eine traumatisierende Welt – sanft erzählt, aber tief menschlich.Hoffnung und Frieden:
Trotz aller Zerstörung bleibt Sky ein hoffnungsvoller Erzähler. Sein Wunsch, ein „Friedensstifter“ zu sein, ist nicht nur berührend, sondern auch ein tief symbolischer Ausdruck für eine Welt, die Heilung sucht.

Tell me WHY?

“TELL ME WHY?” is a reimagined version of my original song “Tasteless Breakfast”, first released in July 2023. Back then, it was written as a metaphor for emotional emptiness — the silent suffering we often carry inside. But today, that metaphor has become a brutal, lived reality for millions.

Two years later, we are witnessing a humanitarian crisis that defies comprehension — a crime against humanity unfolding in real time. In Gaza, children aren’t just waking up to tasteless meals. They're waking up to no food at all. To no clean water. To the sound of drones instead of birds, and to grief instead of safety.

Over 80% of the population is now food insecure. Children are dying — not from disease or natural disaster, but from deliberate starvation, forced displacement, and relentless bombing. Babies are dying of hunger. Little ones are begging for water — and being killed in the streets. Schools, hospitals, and homes have become mass graves. The images are unbearable, and yet... the world watches.

I ask myself every single day: Why?Why is no one stopping this?Why are world leaders watching and remaining silent?Why do we treat lives differently based on borders or politics?

This is not a movie. It’s not a video game. This is real life — and it is horrifying. I feel helpless. I feel hopeless. I feel devastated that I don’t have the power to change this cruel and shameful reality that worsens by the hour.

“TELL ME WHY?” is my cry into the void — a plea, a protest, a reminder that music can still carry truth when words are ignored.

🎧 Listen. Reflect. Share. Because silence helps no one.

Tell me Why? by Lily Amis feat. Thir13een

Exclusive or Non-Exclusive - THIS is THE question!

I’ve been studying sync placements for a while now, and it’s fascinating to explore the production side and structural elements of tracks specifically created for film, TV, and advertising. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I like to compare the production process to baking a delicious cake. If you change the recipe and don’t follow the “rules,” adding ingredients however you please, you risk ruining the final product. But stick to the recipe, and you’ll end up with something truly enjoyable—something others will appreciate too. 

Now that I have a solid understanding of production and structure, I’ve started pitching my tracks to sync music libraries. But before I go into detail, let me say this: it feels like the same old story as the streaming industry. Whether we like it or not, creatives—songwriters, composers, producers, and vocalists—often come out on the losing end, exploited by a clever and deeply flawed system. 

It’s no different from what’s happened in the publishing world. Writers spend months, even years, pouring their hearts into books, only to give them away for free on platforms like Amazon Kindle. I’ll never understand why people sell themselves short. Nothing good should be free. People are willing to pay for poison—cigarettes, alcohol, fast food—yet hesitate to pay for music and literature created with true dedication and soul. Why is that?

Anyway, enough of that. It is what it is. I can’t single-handedly change a broken system that seems to be deteriorating further each day. And let’s be honest, the rise of AI isn’t exactly helping matters.

Back to my cake analogy. In recent weeks, I’ve started receiving responses from exclusive sync libraries, and I’d like to share some of their feedback—and get your perspective. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

For context: I’ve been releasing music independently as a lyricist for the past three years. I now have 15 professionally produced and recorded tracks spanning Pop, R&B, and Rap. My featured artist, Thir13een, is an incredibly talented and uniquely gifted vocalist—there’s no doubt about that.

Here’s one response I received from a British exclusive library: “We only work on an exclusive basis. That means tracks are signed exclusively and in perpetuity, with income split 50/50 across the board (no upfront advances or fees).”

I also had an email communication with a US Exclusive library that works as a pre-cleared “one-stop” sync licensing boutique library. To my surprise, they not only want the artist to give away their full rights, but also offer no upfront payment.

While the standard revenue split in non-exclusive sync libraries is typically 50/50 %, there are some libraries (I won’t name names) that actually take a shocking 75% of the sync license fee—leaving the artist with just 25%. Honestly, why would any self-respecting artist in their right mind agree to such terms? I genuinely don’t have an answer.

Why should anyone spend their hard-earned money and countless hours crafting a “delicious cake,” only to give it away for free in the vague hope of maybe—possibly—receiving a few crumbs somewhere down the line, with no idea when or how often that might happen? Again, I don’t have an answer.

That said, I’ve been weighing my options carefully and have put together a list of pros and cons when it comes to signing with exclusive versus non-exclusive libraries. I'm still figuring out which direction makes the most sense for me, but in the meantime, I’ll continue pitching my music to exclusive libraries that still respect artists—and don’t treat them like naive, clueless amateurs.

Exclusive Sync Libraries PRO & CONS

Pros

Higher sync fees & premium placements
Major libraries offer exclusive tracks and often land big-budget placements like blockbuster trailers or network TV leading to significantly higher upfront fees and royalties

Publisher confidence & priority
Being exclusive signals commitment. Music supervisors see your music as unique and harder to source elsewhere, which boosts placement chances

Shared sync and performance income
Some exclusive deals include a share of sync fees, not just performance royalties

Cons

Restricted freedom
Tracks can’t be licensed elsewhere, and rights may be tied up for extended or indefinite terms

No guarantee of use
You depend on the library’s promotional efforts, your music could sit unused if not prioritized

Higher quality bar
Expectations for production value are high, and competition is stiff

You have to give away your full publishing and master rights

You can’t promote and release your music anywhere

Non‑Exclusive Sync Libraries  

PRO & CONS

Pros

Maximum flexibility
Keep the freedom to pitch tracks to multiple libraries or pursue deals directly—ideal for diversifying opportunities

Quick and easy uploads
Many non‑exclusive libraries have low entry barriers, great for new composers to start building sync revenue

Retain rights & royalties
You usually keep full publishing and master rights, earning both sync and performance royalties

You can promote and release your music anywhere

Cons

Lower fees & placements
High-end opportunities are rare; they don’t negotiate big budgets the way exclusive labels do

Metadata confusion & admin issues
Libraries often retitle tracks, leading to royalty attribution errors and disputes

Catalog saturation
With thousands of tracks uploaded daily, your music may struggle to stand out

The day after!

There is a lot of talk on CNN and other international News broadcastsabout the future of Iran after the regime falls. My suggestion is: Why not putpeople in power who have absolutely nothing to do with “politics”, “business” and "religion"? Why not give exceptional artists the chance to bring peace andunite humanity, like they have with music for decades?

I wouldvote for Ed Sheeran as the KING of PERSIA. Why? Because of his recent songrelease, AZIZAM.

And I votefor LaToya Jackson as Prime Minister. Why? Because of the song TEHRAN, which wasreleased back in 2016 with the Persian artist Andy!

Bothartists have shown their love for our country. Both have even sung in Farsi.The best requirements for a peaceful position in power! I say go for it! Let'sunite humanity with the power of music and the magic of lyrics!

Bowling by Lily Amis feat. Thir13een

Hungry babies!

I will never understand why and how spoiled rich kids with all the opportunities and possibilities in the world turn into mighty hungry "babies"! 

It breaksour hearts seeing our home country, our beloved birth city, Tehran,burning in flames! So-called "world leaders" behave like crying babies for attention. 

They are toying with human life and destroying our hometownfor selfish reasons! They want to leave a legacy! Great job! Congratulations!What kind of legacy is the question? Legacy of inhumanity? Legacy of genocide? Legacy of another bloody,senseless war? How many more? 

Myrelatives and friends had to leave everything behind from one day to another.Innocent people are dying for no reason. Families are falling apart for noreason. Everyone is worried about the uncertain future!

Destroyingevery district of every city in Iran is criminal and has nothing to do withstabilising the world. It is only causing chaos and casualties. As if theRussian/Ukrainian and Israel/Gaza war was not enough, now a third war isovershadowing the entire world with awful consequences for every single countryaround the world. It will have the same effect as COVID did. People thought itwas miles away in China, and look what happened! 

The inhumanity will have awfulconsequences, and it will spread like a pandemic! Mark my words! Please prayfor peace! Please pray for humanity! Please pray for the innocent people in Iran and Israel. What we arewitnessing is history, and it is beyond disgusting and shameful. We areworried, devastated, help- and hopeless! 

Bowling by Lily Amis feat. Thir13een

Collaborating with Music libraries & Sync placements!

When I started my journey as an indie lyricist in 2022 to mainly promote my online petition #HumanityB4Nationality for better rights for refugees with my track “80 Million People”, I had never heard anything about sync licensing. 

Last year after the awful treatment with my former music distributor Amuse.io (the most corrupt distribution company of all) with their false accusations and disrespectful treatment regarding my tracks ending up on AI playlists (obviously without my knowledge), I knew that I couldn’t trust distribution companies who treat artists like shit! And I have decided to remove my music completely from streaming stores such as Spotify & Co and make them ONLY available on LilyAmis.Bandcamp.com

It didn’t take long to realize that if you want your music to be heard without allowing streaming platforms to “use your work” for free, the ONLY profitable way where you also get exposure is Sync placements in TV and Film productions. 

It took me months of research, reading blogs and articles, watching YouTube Videos, etc., and I soon realized that the Sync journey wouldn’t be an easy adventure. Why? Mainly because many successful artists take advantage of the cluelessness of indie artists by offering their service as Sync mentors and asking for a fortune, which, as we all know, indie artists simply don’t have. I have seen prices starting from 1000 up to 2000 dollars! Or monthly subscriptions starting from 50 dollars, and one-on-one Zoom calls, where you also have to pay an hourly rate starting from 100 dollars!

I’m glad that I didn’t use any of these expensive services. I manifested my desperate need for a mentor and came across the “Sync Academy Group” a few weeks ago. In this group, you not only learn how to produce and design your tracks for TV & Film placements, but also how and where to pitch your work the professional way! 

From what I have learned so far, as Jesse, the founder and mentor of the Sync Academy, keeps saying, the Sync industry is not rocket science. There are rules that you need/should/must follow, and when you do it the right way, there are realistic chances for everyone to get placements regardless of music genre. 

For me, it is like having a baking recipe. If you change the recipe as you wish and don’t follow the instructions step by step, you destroy the cake! Simple as that! 

Follow the instructions, use the ingredients mentioned, and you end up having a tasty and delicious cake that not only you enjoy, but also other people who eat a little slice. In other words, make good music, and Music Supervisors will enjoy your cake as well. Easy as that! 

Having said that, I'm still learning a lot about production and marketing, and I highly recommend the Sync Academy if you are seriously interested in improving your skills and being as professional as possible and want to succeed with your music! 

Legacy4Humanity by Lily Amis Legacy4Humanity Album

#Lily4Refugees #wallraff Watch this German undercover documentary!

We watched the documentary on German Television RTL and couldn't stop our tears. The lack of humanity and the power of corruption in 2025 are shameful and simply disgusting! 

We wish everyone could watch this eye-opening undercover documentary in English, but the pictures speak for themselves. Even if you don't speak and understand German, take a minute and watch this unbelievable,  scandalous reality about the awful treatment with desperate refugees in Berlin, Germany! 

The German Government and Red Cross Germany are making a fortune with the misery of innocent refugees who have lost everything in life! We are speechless. We are upset and heartbroken. Back in 2022, I started my online petition #HumanityB4Nationality to raise awareness about the plight of refugees stuck in refugee camps in countries like France and Greece. 

2025, the misery continues and people in power such as Ursula von der Leyen do nothing! And I mean absolutely NOTHING to help the hopeless and helpless refugees! 

Description in English: 

In the new #wallraffen investigation, the reporting team led by Günter Wallraff uncovers how millions of euros in taxpayer money at the Berlin refugee shelter in Tegel are apparently not benefiting the refugees who live there under sometimes questionable conditions. In 2023 alone, over €298 million flowed into the facility. Where is the money really being used? The team is given access to figures in the previously redacted operating contract. This reveals, among other things, that organizations such as the German Red Cross (DRK) and Messe Berlin receive an additional administrative fee for personnel costs, for example.

Currently, around 3,000 people are said tobe housed in Tegel: in open "honeycombs" with up to 14 people –without ceilings, proper doors, or privacy. Based on the approximately €1.2million that the state pays per day for the Tegel refugee shelter, this wouldamount to €400 per capita per day. Christoph Wapler (Green Party): "It'sthe most expensive accommodation with the worst conditions."

An RTL reporter went undercover as asupervisor for the Workers' Samaritan Federation (ASB) in Tegel, and herimpressions were sobering: Employees often have nothing to do, and patrols seempointless. "For me, this is just occupational therapy. Imagine if wedidn't have the checklists. What would we do then?" a shift supervisortells her. The German Red Cross (DRK), which commissions non-profitorganizations like the ASB to care for refugees, writes in its statement toRTL: "The deployment of staff is based exclusively on actual needs,professional standards, and the requirements of the state of Berlin."

Furthermore, it appears to the journalistthat she and her colleagues are not even allowed to take on many caregivingtasks. For example, she is not allowed to allow children access to a room withart supplies, even though she has time to supervise them. The ASB told RTL:"The childcare center is open all day. [...] To ensure the protection ofthe children in care, supervision or monitoring is only possible byappropriately trained staff."

The "Team Wallraff" reportersshow the figures in the contracts, unredacted, for the first time to GreenParty politicians Jian Omar and Christoph Wapler, as well as Elif Eralp (TheLeft). Although they have a say in budget allocations and refugee accommodations,they don't know all the figures for the Tegel accommodation center. Jian Omaris appalled by the research results: "Hiring people without giving themanything to do is not only a waste of money, but also detrimental to therefugees themselves."

GERMAN: 

In der neuen #wallraffen-Recherche deckt das Reporterteam unterLeitung von Günter Wallraff auf, wie in der Berliner FlüchtlingsunterkunftTegel Steuergelder in Millionenhöhe scheinbar nicht den Geflüchtetenzugutekommen, die dort unter teils fragwürdigen Bedingungen leben. Allein 2023flossen über 298 Millionen Euro in die Anlage. Wo werden die Gelder wirklicheingesetzt? Das Team erhält Einsicht in Zahlen im bislang dazu geschwärztenBetreibervertrag. Daraus geht unter anderem hervor: Träger wie das DeutscheRote Kreuz (DRK) und die Messe Berlin erhalten eine zusätzlicheVerwaltungspauschale auf beispielsweise Personalkosten.

Aktuell sollen in Tegel rund 3000 Menschen untergebracht sein: inoffenen „Waben“ mit bis zu 14 Personen - ohne Zimmerdecken, richtige Türen oderPrivatsphäre. Ausgehend von rund 1,2 Millionen Euro, die das Land für dieFlüchtlingsunterkunft Tegel am Tag zahlt, würde dies auf Pro-Kopf-Berechnungeinen Betrag von 400 Euro am Tag ergeben. Christoph Wapler (Grüne): „Es ist dieteuerste Unterkunft mit den schlechtesten Bedingungen.”

Eine RTL-Reporterin schleuste sich undercover als Betreuerin desArbeiter Samariter Bunds (ASB) in Tegel ein, ihre Eindrücke fielen ernüchterndaus: Beschäftigte haben oft nichts zu tun, Kontrollgänge wirken sinnlos. „Dasist für mich einfach nur Beschäftigungstherapie. Stell dir mal vor, wir hättendie Checklisten nicht. Was würden wir dann tun?“, verrät ihr ein Schichtleiter.Das DRK, das gemeinnützige Organisationen wie den ASB für die Betreuung der Geflüchtetenbeauftragt, schreibt in seiner Stellungnahme an RTL: „Der Personaleinsatzrichtet sich ausschließlich nach dem tatsächlichen Bedarf, fachlichen Standardssowie nach Vorgaben des Landes Berlin.”

Zudem hat es für die Journalistin den Anschein, als dürften sieund ihre Kollegen viele Betreuungsaufgaben gar nicht übernehmen. So ist es ihrbeispielsweise nicht gestattet, Kindern Zugang zu einem Raum mit Malsachen zugewähren, obwohl sie Zeit hätte, diese zu beaufsichtigen. Der ASB erklärtgegenüber RTL: „Die Kinderbetreuung ist ganztägig geöffnet. [...]. Um denSchutzauftrag gegenüber den betreuten Kindern zu gewährleisten, ist eineBegleitung oder Beaufsichtigung ausschließlich durch entsprechend geschultesPersonal möglich.“

Die „Team Wallraff“-Reporter zeigen Zahlen in den Verträgenungeschwärzt erstmals den Grünen-Politikern Jian Omar und Christoph Waplersowie Elif Eralp (Die Linke). Obwohl sie über Haushaltsmittel undFlüchtlingsunterbringungen mitentscheiden, kennen auch sie nicht alle Zahlenzur Unterkunft Tegel. Jian Omar zeigt sich über die Rechercheergebnisseentsetzt: „Menschen einzustellen, ohne dass sie was zu tun haben, ist nicht nurGeldverschwendung, sondern auch nachteilhaft für die Geflüchteten selbst.“

Lilys Ambassadors & Botschafter second-edition now available!

Dear Book and dog lovers, the second edition of my books LILYS AMBASSADORS and LILYS BOTSCHAFTER are now available! 

In 2022, I published these two books for the first and last time with BOOK ON DEMAND. It was the second-biggest mistake in my publishing journey. I'm now back to AMAZON and happy to have full control over my book prices and marketing. 

If you are new to self-publishing, stay away from BOD. Once you publish your book in print and e-book with this company, you have no say in pricing etc. And if you wish to update the files, you have to publish the book from scratch. They expect you to pay for every new edition! This doesn't make sense! Whenever you, the copyrighter of your work, have no say, you know you are not in good hands! Demand the respect your work deserves, and don't allow corrupt companies to take advantage of your cluelessness. 

For me, after 10 years, AMAZON is still THE best company to work with. Not only because of the full control that I have as the writer, but also because of the great quality they offer in print. The paper and colour are perfect! I couldn't be happier! :-)

ENJOY THE READ IN YOUR PREFERRED LANGUAGE! 

The Lily Amis Story Compilation!

THE LILY AMIS STORY is a compilation of three personal tracks inspired by the memoir The Lily Amis Story, including The Stolen Years in Zurich. 
The compilation includes:The Stolen YearsThe Three of usSIMAand a BONUS track! 
ONLY AVAILABLE ON BANDCAMP and nowhere else! 




The Lily Amis Story by Lily Amis feat.Thir13een

The Games of Life!

 

"The Games of Life" is a compilation of three tracks, including a BONUS track! 

YOYO & CHESS is a rap song about people who toy with people’s lives. For centuries, the universal key to ultimate happiness and success has been liberty. We are all part of a game, ruled by Godless rulers (evils) who make our lives a living hell. They stop us from improving and growing, and if we don't fight back and stand up for our beliefs and goals, we will never be able to live a life of liberty.

BOWLING is an anti-war rap song. A wake-up call for mighty hungry, fame, and fortune hunters. A reminder that money and power are not everything in life. It won’t last for eternity, but Karma does. It is also a song against the mainstream media, which way too often misuses its power, manipulates and brainwashes us with headline-lies and "fictional" breaking news stories without a bad conscience.

PING PONG & PUZZLE is an uplifting and liberating pop song about letting go of toxic people and a painful past. It's about accepting that those who left us behind were never meant to be in our lives. They didn't deserve our love and devotion. We all experience rejection and indifference in life, and no matter how many times we feel the pain, it is always hurtful. It takes time to understand and accept that some people are just not worth the pain and sorrow.

The Games of Life by Lily Amis feat. Thir13een