Where the Lillies Bloom in Ruins

Are received a grant to produce new music. With Where the Lillies Bloom in Ruins, Ara releases their debut EP, blending timeless folk with the acoustic pop of today. The project balances dark and idyllic tones, both musically and thematically. Ara’s music has been described as nostalgic and comforting—like gathering around a fire in a moment of connection. With stories of home at its heart, Ara takes you to ancient worlds, to a place tucked between mountains, to its meadows, ruins, and all its forgotten tales.

Ara is a singer-songwriter from Tilburg with Armenian roots, effortlessly weaving timeless folk with contemporary acoustic pop. With music that is both accessible and distinctive, Ara creates dreamy fingerstyle guitar ballads and soaring hymns infused with Armenian influences. In a short time, Ara has gone from street performer to playing major venues. Following the dreamy debut single Meadows and the poetic, mournful anthem Ruins—a song rich with cultural resonance—Ara joined Dutch band Racoon on tour across the Netherlands. A powerful beginning that shows Ara’s voice is one that will linger across the country.