Hi Luchi, and welcome back to College Radio Charts! How has your autumn been so far?
Hey, it’s been good so far. The last time we spoke I was off to Bali for a few weeks and I had the most incredible experience there so life is good at the moment.
Congrats on your latest release, “The Other Guy!” Can you tell us about the moment when you realized this story had to be shared through music?
Well because I am always writing about my life, it was just natural that I wanted to share this song with the world as I felt that it is unfortunately a subject a lot of people are familiar with. I also found it interesting that the majority of songs we hear about infidelity are from a female perspective so I wanted to tell it from a male and also gay perspective.
There’s a powerful balance in the new single between vulnerability and empowerment. How do you approach writing a song that navigates both emotions?
The song had to build for me from being emotional and vulnerable to strong by the end of knowing that you weren’t going to take this anymore and knowing your own worth. That’s why each chorus builds and the ad-libs at the end are me singing go as the song starts more soft and like it’s been your fault, to the second verse of realizing that you were played and there was a darker side to this person and then ending on the realization that you have to go. I like to take my listeners on a journey through the song and that was my aim for this song. I think that in this situation, you go through a process and I tried to condense it all into a 3 minute pop track.
You mentioned that the line between red flags and ordinary flags can blur when feelings
get involved. How do you think this impacts relationships, and how does that come across in
“The Other Guy?”
We’ve all heard them say love is blind and I think its completely normal that in hindsight, you can look back and see things completely different when you don’t have the rose tinted glasses on. With “The Other Guy” I wanted to make the song start with some questioning realizations as that is true to life where you look back and realize things that lead you to where you ended up and for me, I always look for the lessons in things, what was this meant to teach me and how can I grow from it so this relationship just reminded me that I am worth more than just being someones other guy. Even the title, it was like the other guy, it felt like I was nameless, just an afterthought, like of non importance. Everyone else took more impotence and I was just the one they thought they could come back to when they wanted and I’d be waiting around for them to be ready to commit. The song also pokes a little fun at the romantic movies where it all seems to work out perfect with the line about the wrap around porch from “The Notebook” or the “Crazy in Love” reference to the Beyonce song because I think we are sold a version of love that isn’t realistic in life.
Your ability to channel personal pain into universally relatable songs is something your
fans admire. How do you decide which parts of your life to open up about in your music?
I just don’t know how to be any other way, and because I write as a mode of therapy for myself, it’s very raw and personal but there are some boundaries. It more comes down to other people for me. I don’t want to personally name people or cause damage to other peoples lives so I will always be anonymous when discussing who the song is about but also, they are my stories to tell. For me, I love artists and songwriters who write about the real stuff as thats what I connect to and want to give back to my fans.
With its infectious hooks and soulful vibe, “The Other Guy” feels like a continuation but
also an evolution of your sound. What influenced the sonic direction of this track?
I guess the main thing for me was how we were going to make the song into an anthem. There was a lot of work that went into the production from the backing vocals to adlibs to create a chorus that really lifts you up and I wanted it to be something that people could sing along with. This kind of song could have taken many directions because it could have been more melancholy, sad vibes but I wanted it to be empowering and a song about finding your worth because that was the situation for me. So me and my producer Chris Stagg took our time to make sure that we done the song justice and thought about every detail to make sure that it was one of those infectious pop anthems that people could sing at the top of their lungs in the car. I think it is also a nice follow on from my past two singles “Like This” and “Web Of Lies” as I feel it’s showing my versatility as a pop artist and a different side to my ballads, which don’t get me wrong, I love doing but it’s nice to switch it up form time to time.
Can you walk us through the production process? Was there a specific moment in the
studio that made you realize this track was special?
The production process is similar for me now, usually I write the song in my home studio and then put together a basic demo for it, then I send it off to Chris who will expand on what I have already done and we go back and forth on that, making sure that we are confident with where it is heading. Then I will lay down some guide vocals and backing vocal ideas, some adlibs ideas and again, we go back and forth on where they should be placed and what works and what doesn’t. Then we go into the studio and do the final vocals and work on any live instrumentation and then its time for finishing touches. You never quite know how its going to sound until you have the vocals in because for me, that’s the king in pop music and everything else should compliment the vocals and enhance it so its about leaving in what does that and getting rid of anything that distracts away from it.
When we were in the studio, when people would come in and hear the track, by the second chorus, they were already humming along and that was a sign that we onto something and then when I played it for people around me, it was the same so I knew it was something special. I think the post chorus hook, the “I don’t wanna be” part is a bit of an ear worm and I’ve had people singing it back to me which is fun. To be honest, when I first wrote it, it was intended to be a track on an EP I was working on but when we finished it, I just thought that it deserved its moment as a stand alone single.
Given your background in songwriting camps from Nashville to Santorini, what techniques
or lessons from those experiences have stuck with you and influenced “The Other Guy?”
I’ll be the first to admit that I was winging it at the start. I didn’t do any training or learn how to craft a song, I just sat in my teenage bedroom and wrote how I felt so every experience since then has taught me something. Even just little techniques like how to make your chorus pop in a song, or how to strengthen a concept of a song, how to be more descriptive and paint a scene for the listener. You only have 3 to 4 minutes in a song to tell a story so all your words matter and I am so grateful for everyone I have met along the way that have helped me become a better writer. I remember the main thing I kept hearing from people was that they loved how honest I was with my music and I guess that is always something that comes out in my songs.
So many of your songs resonate deeply with fans who might be going through similar
experiences. Do you have a particular message for fans who are dealing with a painful
breakup or betrayal?
Its cliche but time is the best healer and just remember your worth. It’s easy to lose yourself in love and I think that what I have learned over the years is that you have to love yourself first because you aren’t going to find that in someone else. For me, its not about someone completing you, you’re already a complete person but someone who enhances your life, someone who brings you joy and makes you laugh but take the time after a relationship to heal. Feel every stage, the hurt, the anger, whatever it is, feel it all and then let it go and sometimes when you least expect it, new love comes along and you realize what it should have been all along and you have the lessons you have learned to know what you want and what you expect. Oh and blast those break up songs at max volume, just sing your heart out, its very cathartic.
Each of your releases feels like it reveals a different facet of who you are. After exploring
vulnerability in “The Other Guy,” do you have any hints you can share with us for what side of
yourself you hope to showcase next?
Well there is a track that I am excited about where I explore my side of relationships cause I am not an angel, even though I wouldn’t cheat on someone or intentionally hurt someone, nobody is perfect so its nice to explore that part too. Also I am very much in love at the moment and have been for a while so all my songs that I’m writing at the moment are about that so maybe next year you will be getting some more happy Luchi love songs.
“The Other Guy” feels like it was made to be performed live, with its powerful chorus and
emotional weight. Do you have any plans to take it on tour or share it with live audiences
soon?
Its about time isn’t it. I would love to hear this song live and maybe just maybe that will happen soon. I have the ideas on how I want to do all the songs I haven’t had the chance to perform live yet so I just need the stage now.
Since your first release in 2017, what do you think has been the most surprising lesson
you’ve learned about the music industry?
That every overnight success is 10 years in the making. I still find it fascinating that people hear a new artist and think they have just appeared from no where. Theres a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes and a lot of building until you find commercial success. I think it’s to do with reality tv talent shows where its portrayed as someone is picked off the streets and becomes a superstar where in reality, most of those people have been grafting for years and it’s all about that one moment that makes people sit up and listen.
If someone could only listen to one line from “The Other Guy,” which line would you pick,
and what does it mean to you?
Oh that’s a good question. For me it would be “used me on demand, an endless supply” because I think that it’s very relatable. When you are lacking in self worth, you become over available to people and often accept less than you deserve because even just that little dopamine hit can be addictive. I imagine it like a kitchen tap (faucet for the American readers), they come along, turn it on and drink until their thirst is quenched, then they turn it off and leave it until they need a drink again. It’s like they know there’s always going to be water there when they want it and then they don’t even think of the tap when they don’t need water from it. Sometimes the person can think that you are always going to be there and never leave because you are always at the end of the phone with a reply when they message, you make yourself available to them when they need it and you’re inadvertently teaching the person how you are willing to be treated and then that is what they do if they have bad intentions from the start.
It seems there is a constant stream of new releases out there each week. What has been
catching your ear lately? What artists have been appearing on your playlists lately?
So I love discovering new music and there is so much good stuff out there at the moment. Some of the tracks I would say to check out are, “Small” by Lauren Spencer Smith, a beautiful, raw and vulnerable song. “Another Night” by Grace Davies, I have loved her music for a long time and this song is a total bop, it has an almost throwback Abba feel to it, so good. “Devil You Know” by Tyler Braden, a great country anthem that is really smart lyrically. Also “You Don’t Remember Me” by Mae Stevens, literally made me sob with tears the first time I heard it, such a vulnerable and powerful song.
I could go on for days with this but some other artists to check out I’d say are Catty, who recently supported Stevie Nicks at Hyde Park, she’s really got a cool vibe going on. Tim Gallagher, his voice is one of those that just touches you and makes you feel every word. Same with Cian Ducrot, love his voice and his vulnerability. I will always champion other artists out there doing their thing because I just love music.
Thank you so much for spending some time with us today! What’s next for you and where
can fans go to find out more information on you and your music
Thanks for having me again, always lovely to chat to you. As normal, I had a lot more music still to come and some surprises up my sleeve so the best place to keep up to date with are on my socials
https://www.instagram.com/luchi.music
https://www.tiktok.com/@luchi.music.tiktok
