Business Beats: Lilith Czar x Never Take It Off

Through her unapologetic display of dark feminine aesthetics and her unrelenting songwriting, Lilith Czar is one of the strongest voices in modern rock ‘n’ roll. The artist also known as Juliet Simms, Czar initially made herself known on the stages of Warped Tour during the late 2000s and early 2010s through her years with the band Automatic Loveletter and as a solo artist.

When she wasn’t writing sharp, emo alt-rock ragers, Czar was also creating another project that, although not musical, would have just as great an impact in the rock music scene. In 2011, she founded Never Take It Off, a jewelry company that partners with rock artists to provide listeners with both unique accessory staples and undying inspiration.

Since her artistic reincarnation and the release of her debut album as Lilith Czar, Created From Filth And Dust, in 2021 and sharing with the world a bold yet unforgettable artistic evolution, Czar has allowed her artistry to be fueled by unapologetic rebellion and authenticity. Her debut body of work as Lilith Czar not only introduced the world to her new musical era, but also cemented the rebirth of one of alternative music’s most powerful voices.

Czar, after years of fighting against a patriarchal music industry, has reimagined herself as a darker rock figure in recent years, rising from the ashes of what once was and carrying a heavier sonic strength on her wings. Yet through every phase of her music, whether through Never Take It Off or as a reborn hard rock heroine, her desire to inspire fans through her raw lyricism and emotional impact has never wavered.

“At its core, Never Take It Off has always been about giving people something tangible to hold onto,” Czar tells Melodic Magazine. “A reminder of who they are, what they’ve been through, and what they stand for. Going through my own transitions — physically, mentally, creatively — it reinforced just how important it is to have something that grounds you. Something that reminds you of your own strength and your own promise to yourself.”

THE BUSINESS
By 2011, Czar had already spent years on the road as the frontwoman for alt-rock group Automatic Loveletter, formed by her and her brother Tommy Simms. After meeting countless fans and hearing their own stories of hardship and redemption, Czar saw firsthand the power of art and music in the rock community, and she knew she wanted to give something to them in return.

“That’s where the idea began, with vow bracelets,” Czar says. “You’d tie one on, make a promise to yourself, and never take it off. A quiet, constant reminder of who you are, what you’ve been through, and who you’re becoming.”

Thus, Czar and her brother founded Never Take It Off. The name comes from the opening track off Automatic Loveletter’s sophomore album The Kids Will Take Their Monsters On, and further instills the connection between the music and the listeners, allowing them to wear the music with them wherever they go. “There was already this thread of resilience and self-commitment in my music, and Never Take It Off became an extension of that in a physical form,” she says.

Wanting to extend the message even further, Never Take It Off soon included other artist collaborations, crafting signature pieces for artists like Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides), Chris Cerulli (Motionless in White), Lee Jennings (The Funeral Portrait), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens), Devin Papadol (Honey Revenge), and many more. “Every artist we’ve worked with shares that same passion for giving back, for helping their audience find hope, resilience, self-love, and growth,” Czar says. “In a lot of ways, what initially inspired Never Take It Off was the fans themselves. Their voices, their stories, and that desire to create something that could genuinely support and uplift them.”

When it comes to designing her own pieces for Never Take It Off, the biggest influence is the music. “A lot of the time, we’ll use lyrics or song titles to name the pieces, so that naturally becomes a guide for how we design them,” Czar says. “But it also works the other way around. Sometimes I’ll have an idea for a piece first, and then I’ll go back through my lyrics to find something that fits. It’s very fluid.”

She adds, “We always try to stay rooted in the meaning behind it. I find myself asking, ‘What does this give to the person wearing it? What could this symbolize for them?’ That idea carries through all of the artist collections as well. It always comes back to: does it have meaning?”

Fifteen years later, Never Take It Off still holds a firm place in the rock scene, and what once started as a young girl’s dream has now become a staple in the modern alternative landscape. “My mom still tells this story,” Czar reflects. “I must have been about six years old, and she was putting me to bed. Right before I fell asleep, I looked at her and said, ‘Mommy, I want to help the people in the world.’ And she just smiled and said, ‘You will, honey.’ So I think that intention has always been there.”

THE BEATS
Czar’s passion for storytelling and lighting a fire in listeners transcends well beyond Never Take It Off. While Created From Filth And Dust marked the sensational emergence of her new artistic persona, the album never told the complete story of the end of Juliet Simms and the birth of Lilith Czar. “It felt like I was still holding my breath. I wasn’t in a position to be completely open yet, and there were things I had to keep close until I could get to a place where I felt ready to share them,” Czar says.

Last year, she shared two new singles, “POPSICLE” and “Edge of Madness,” that further expanded upon Czar’s lore and proved how she learned to overcome an industry that frequently made attempts to limit her artistry.

Most recently, Czar was featured on Black Veil Brides’ latest studio album, VINDICATE, for the haunting duet “Cut.” Collaborating once more with her husband and Black Veil Brides frontman Andy Biersack, the making of the song and its romantically macabre music video happened to mark the couple’s tenth wedding anniversary.

“[Black Veil Brides] is made up of musicians who are so prolific and so incredibly talented that you really get to live out your wildest dreams in terms of creating something huge and beautiful,” she says. “Every member brings their own kind of magic to a song, and they operate on such a high level that it naturally pushes you to rise to meet it. It brings out the best in you. This particular song represents so much of the journey we’ve all been on together, so it felt really natural for me to be a part of it. I joke with Andy all the time and tell him, ‘It kind of feels like you wrote this one for me.’ It’s one of those songs where, when you hear it, you wish it was yours.”

“Cut” marks the second feature Czar has with Black Veil Brides, the first being her work on the song “Lost It All” from the band’s 2013 album Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones.

“I love working with the guys, and of course, with my husband,” she says. “At this point, [the band] really does feel like family. Getting to sing with Andy is something I don’t take for granted. Not a lot of couples get to share something like that creatively, at this level, so it’s really special to me. I think the music video is going to end up being one of the most meaningful things we’ve ever done together.”

Czar’s recent singles, including her duet with Black Veil Brides, continue to build upon the magnetic universe of Lilith Czar. Embodying divine power, feminine rage, and sacred brutality throughout her work, Czar’s transition from Juliet Simms has granted her the greatest reward: freedom. “I’m working with a much smaller team now, sometimes just one other person, and it comes with a level of freedom and trust that I didn’t have before,” she says. “I get to create in my own space, in my own time, and that’s changed everything.”

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