Name: Lydia Luce
Nationality: American
Occupation: Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
Current release: Lydia Luce's (h)our glass EP is out via Nettwerk. Her full-length album Florida Girl will follow on October 27th 2023. Pre-save here. Pre-order a physical copy and merchandise here.

If you enjoyed this Lydia Luce interview and would like to stay up to date with her music, visit her official website. She is also on Instagram, Facebook, twitter, and tiktok.



Where does the impulse to create something come from for you? What role do often-quoted sources of inspiration like dreams, other forms of art, personal relationships, politics etc play?

The impulse to create for me is tool for healing and a form of therapy. I don’t journal but often use songwriting and poetry as a form of journaling and an outlet to my healing journey.

Everything I absorb is creative inspiration to me whether it be poetry, film, a conversation with a friend or my therapist, nature or ambient music.

For you to get started, do there need to be concrete ideas – or what some have called a 'visualisation' of the finished work? What does the balance between planning and chance look like for you?

Sometimes I sit down with no plan of direction for my art. I sit and begin either writing or playing and see what flows through.

Other times I reference an ongoing notebook of strings of words I like or thoughts or phrases that interest me.

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise or reading poetry play?

I usually set aside time to focus on my art so I can have a cleared head. If I have the business side of my career swirling around in my mind I can’t give proper space to my art. I find several hours in the morning to sit with my instrument and see what comes up.

I do love to drink tea and maybe light some palo santo to set a vibe. Lighting really affects me.

My home has become a sanctuary of creativity for me. The walls are dark green and the lighting is always low or natural from the sun.

When do the lyrics enter the picture? Where do they come from? Do lyrics need to grow together with the music or can they emerge from a place of their own?

Sometimes the lyrics stem from a poem I’ve started or the music comes first and the lyrics slowly pour out over it.

I think art comes from some other plane of existence. Artists are vessels, discovering as they go along in their creative process. So many artists have said, “I have no idea where that came from.” Like the idea or spark comes from some dream state.

There are many descriptions of the creative state. How would you describe it for you personally? Is there an element of spirituality to what you do?

Creating is very spiritual for me. Sometimes an old song of mine will teach me exactly the lesson I need to hear in the current moment. Songs change meaning over time and find you where you are.

My song “Saline” has a new meaning to me now than when I wrote it.



It was originally about my husband and I but now to me it’s about the support and love of female friendships and community.

Once a piece is finished, how important is it for you to let it lie and evaluate it later on? How much improvement and refinement do you personally allow until you're satisfied with a piece? What does this process look like in practise?

I rarely touch a song when I’ve finished it. I like to move on to the next thing pretty quickly. Maybe to my detriment at times.

After finishing a piece or album and releasing something into the world, there can be a sense of emptiness. Can you relate to this – and how do you return to the state of creativity after experiencing it?

When finishing a project it takes me a little while to begin the next. Just as I’m releasing it I feel ready to begin the next one and excited about it.