A Dream Come (Lucy) Blue
19 year-old Lucy Blue has already established herself as an artist despite having only released her first single last year. Her second EP, ‘Suburban Hollywood’ was released a couple of days ago & we can already tell that she’s on the edge of something rather special…
We caught up with her the evening before the release and spoke about her influences, pre-release nerves, her approach to writing music and Dublin.
PHOTOS BY EVA PENTEL // MAKE UP BY ELAINE LYNSKEY
What have you been up to today?
Well my EP is out tomorrow, but it’s midnight so I’ve just been thinking about that and getting stuff ready… I bought tequila because I want to make margaritas and that’s about it. I wasn’t in the studio today and I’ve been in all week so it was nice to have a break before the release tomorrow.
So where did you grow up and what’s your family like?
I grew up in Dublin, Ireland. I spent my whole life there before coming to London. I have an amazing family, it’s just me, I’m an only child. My Mum and Dad are amazing, I love them. They were both really into music, so I grew up around musical people. My Dad has no musical talent… no offence! But my Mum does, she’s an incredible singer. I have friends who felt like family in a way, and cousins, so I’ve never felt lonely. I have a really nice family.
What or where feels the most like home to you?
I think it changes from time to time, you adapt, you have to make new homes or new places feel like home. I think still for me I feel the most at home when I am back in Ireland, when I am in my room at home. Even though a lot of the time it didn’t feel like home when I was living there. I feel bad for feeling like that, but I didn’t want to spend my life there, I was in a rush to get out but when I go home now, when I am alone in my room, I am home.
More appreciation going back now.
Yeah definitely, of course.
PHOTOS BY EVA PENTEL // MAKE UP BY ELAINE LYNSKEY
What’s your earliest memory of music?
There’s two. I remember getting a guitar as a gift when I was really young. We had this shop called Smiths and it was the guitar from there. It was one of those pink ones. I got it for Christmas and it was always out of tune so one of my Dad’s friends tuned it for me. I remember being so fascinated that he could tune it by ear…I remember recognising how good it sounded after that, and I didn’t know how to play any chords at that point, just all I wanted to do was play the strings openly because I thought it sounded so nice. I didn’t figure out how to play guitar for another five years after that, it just sounded so nice.
Then my next memory would be gigs because of my Mum, she was a backing singer with Van Morrison when I was really young. I remember being there and not really understanding how amazing, or how lucky I was to be at a gig like that. That’s really stuck with me.
You strike me as someone who is very creative across everything. Do you take inspiration from things that aren’t just music, like art, literature, film?
Yeah, totally. I have always loved visuals… I think as I got into music, I have understood how synchronised they are. I think anything that makes me feel something, I will want to know everything about. I got very into Harmony Korine when I was 16 and all his films opened up a whole world to me, I felt so inspired by how natural his taste is, I just wanted to be able to do that myself. I think movies and visuals are a big thing for me in music.
I think you write with such maturity and you have already created a Lucy Blue sound. What do you think has brought about this style of writing for you?
It’s hard to know where my style of writing comes from. I feel lucky to have been introduced to really good music from a young age, the likes of Joni Mitchell, I listened to her music really early on. Writing just feels like a big outlet to me. I love it, I think it helps with getting feelings out and I feel lucky that it’s my job. I think even if it wasn’t, I would still be writing. I almost have to do it, and singing comes secondary, I love the writing side more.
The first track you released was called ‘See You Later’, which came out last year. When I firstheard that song, I just had to put it on repeat for two days or so! I love it! Did you feel nervous about starting to put music out or was it very much the right time? And what’s that song about?
I felt really eager, I had been waiting for so long. I sometimes worry that I rushed it, but I don’t regret it. I had ‘See You Later’ for a couple of years before it came out, so I was just excited to get it out into the world. I guess it’s a love song. I wrote it just on the piano after I started college. I had never played in front of anyone and that was my first time. It was quite a casual college; we were given a theme to write about and I thought the whole thing was a bit stupid…
What was the theme?
I think we were given a title and it was something like “beyond your eyes” which is a really small lyric from ‘See You Later’. I remember there was a Spanish girl who was in our class and there was almost a language barrier and “beyond your eyes” was like a translation of something. It’s amazing it gave me a proper song! But I changed it a bit and tried to make it about things I had been thinking about. I had someone close to me lose someone that was really close to them and I was trying to write from their point of view about love. That’s what it was about.
Your EP Suburban Hollywood is out tomorrow. What does this body of work mean to you?
I say this about so many songs but I genuinely feel like I have been thinking about Suburban Hollywood for so long. Growing up in Dublin, I have always felt there are so many characters, everywhere you look. I remember thinking I wish there was a way for me to celebrate everyone I knew and grew up with. I wrote most of it over here in London so it’s all fresh. I started doing sessions and I’ve met people I really like working with. I wrote Taxi Driver over here and then it rolled on from there. Songs like Pilot and Postman, using these ordinary people in a song that almost feels like the opposite of what you think that job title would sound like. I am excited to see how people interpret it.
I wanted to ask you about the song ‘Postman’ - what is this song about and how did it all fall into place?
I wrote this song last year with Matt Maltese who is one of my favourite artists of today, I’m such a fan. I went in and explained the idea I had - sometimes I feel really sad when I see a postman but I can’t figure out why. I always find it so nice to write with Matt, it’s so easy and I love everything he does, it always comes so naturally. On the EP this is probably the most upbeat song which until now I don’t have too much of…
What is the most ‘Hollywood’ thing about your life or where you grew up?
Ooh, I think about it a lot, let me think of an example. Being in Dublin, in the city, I have always found it so fascinating when the girls dress up in the fake designer culture, and people go so overboard at Communions, and things like that. The dresses are so big, and it literally feels like a Hollywood film… but a low budget version. That feels like ‘Suburban Hollywood’ to me. And, even your local garage or shop, the local takeaway, I love how everyone knows each other. I love looking at the signs people have up and how nothing really changes, and the lights. It feels so ‘Suburban Hollywood’ to me – this should be in its own movie.
You’ve been one to watch for this year by NME and Clash. Who would you say are your recommendations for people we should be listening out for this year?
Ooh, I feel like I want to rep some Irish people. Some good Irish artists at the minute… April! I’ve become friends with her and she’s amazing. Aby Coulibaly is also great. There’s this band from Galway that I think are so cool called New Dad. I’m repping all the girls now which is good! I love Holly [Humberstone], everyone loves her, she’s amazing! Griff too… there’s so many new, cool acts.
What do you listen to on the Last Bus Home?
My Last Bus home album would have to be Blue by Joni Mitchell… with A Case of You as the song.
PHOTOS BY EVA PENTEL // MAKE UP BY ELAINE LYNSKEY