LUCIIA steps into the spotlight once again, this time with the dazzling allure of her latest single, “SAME THING NEW MAN.” Drawing on her unique Cuban-Swedish heritage, this offering flawlessly marries the vintage charm of 90s R&B with her own forward-thinking approach, culminating in a sound that’s as riveting as it is refreshing.
In “SAME THING NEW MAN,” LUCIIA candidly delves into the convoluted dynamics of relationships. As she navigates the intricacies of recurring misunderstandings, her lyricism shines through in a bold expression of frustration mirrored in the song’s poignant narrative. This introspective exploration of self-confidence underscores her ongoing evolution as an artist and her unique ability to translate personal experiences into universally relatable music.
Raised between Havana, Cuba and Möllevången, Malmö, LUCIIA’s story is steeped in music and performance from the earliest years. With her father touring the globe with the Afro-Cuban All Stars and her mother nurturing her talent from a young age, it’s no surprise that LUCIIA’s most authentic self shines on stage. This unique upbringing is infused into every beat, every lyric, and every performance, contributing to the undeniable magnetism that draws audiences towards her.
As we prepare for the release of her forthcoming EP WITH II EYES in October 2023, this introductory single promises a collection of music that expands on LUCIIA’s genre-bending vision and complex personal journey.
Just to go over the background details—you’re Cuban, living in Sweden, and started releasing music some years ago. What made you want to pursue artistry?
I have always been singing, it actually started as early as when I was 4 years old when I participated in my first singing contest. I always knew I wanted to become a professional artist, it was just a matter of timing, finding the right people to create with, and let me tell my own story. Before I started releasing my own music, I did a lot. I recorded music my whole life, did countless shows, I performed the biggest singing TV contest in Sweden, and toured with a rap legend. Along that journey, I received so much love from the audience and that made me even more motivated to keep pushing.
Did your childhood and familial experiences influence your musical approach?
Most definitely, I literally grew up around live music in my house and often fell asleep during my father’s rehearsals with his band. Spending time in Cuba influenced me a lot as well; there is music playing in every corner. My mom’s family consists of singers and musicians as well, so I have it from both sides.
Your latest single, “SAME THING NEW MAN,” has a very fitting title. Can you share the story or message behind the song, and why you think it’ll resonate with your audience?
My self-confidence is starting to emerge, and the lyrics are written with a sense that what I receive in relationships is never enough. I feel misunderstood again and again, and with that comes men who don’t quite know how to approach me. In the song, I express that frustration. Unfortunately, I am sure this message will resonate with a lot of women out there being fed up with trying to find comfort in a man. Let’s face it, we hear these stories again and again from friends going through it all the time.
At least in comparison to some of your previous releases, how did you approach crafting this body of work, and what themes or emotions were you exploring throughout the record?
I’m working with a songwriter, producer, and vocal producer by the name of Maleík. He made me approach my way of working in a very different way, he is pushing me in every kind of way. I never worked like this before, and the fact that he is heavily invested and passionate about my project is such a blessing. With “SAME THING NEW MAN,” it’s hilarious looking back on that session when we started this song, nothing was working tech-wise, the heating was off in the middle of winter, and I had kind of a bad day. Thank God!
At the time, I was about to see someone who had been flirting with me for a while, and just when I was about to let my guard down, he instantly started acting weird, and that’s when I realized things weren’t adding up. I decided to stay at the studio and was venting to Maleík, my co-writer/producer and organically the situation turned into a demo. The story behind the beat is actually a funny coincidence. Maleík had started on the beat after a conversation we had over the phone a couple of days earlier.
I’d seen the Whitney movie that inspired me to make a more up-tempo song like “If I told you that,” it turned out he had seen the same movie the same day… We finished the song together, and Marl added his magic final touch to turn it into perfection. I’m exploring a new version of myself and a much more confident emotion even when disappointed.
Also, the original rendition of your EP 365 turns one later this month. Looking back on that project, what was your favorite moment or takeaway?
In the middle of a pandemic, we had to find new ways to work, luckily, we could use a house in the beautiful archipelago of Stockholm. It was just me, Naomi Vaughn, Marc Phace, and my manager escaping reality for a few days over midsummer. I will never forget that moment, we worked day and night at a time when the Sun never sets, and it felt magical.
I was in a safe space and that resulted in me opening up in a completely new way. If you listen closely, you can hear it in the lyrics. The EP started with the release of BRB, a forever special song to me. We made that one during a camp in Stockholm with the amazing writer Shawn Butler (Ella Mai, Masego, Mary J Blige & Joyce Wrice) and producer Joel Malka (Fousheé, Masego & Tayla Parx).
Empowering women with your music is something very near and dear to your heart. In what ways do you hope your songs can challenge societal stereotypes regarding women and so forth?
We need to flip the script, I’ve had enough when it comes to us women being portrayed as victims. In this song, I describe our perspective of not settling for less.
In 2020, you released “BLEED FOR IT” and seemingly, so much has shifted in your direction with you opening up for Coldplay and your fanbase growing every day. How do you see yourself evolving as an artist in the future?
It has to do with the experience of life as time goes by. I grow, I change, and so does the music. It makes me happy to look back at these years and seeing myself evolve, it makes me trust the process and be proud of what I have become. This is just a start, so I’m super excited about what the future holds. I also think it’s beautiful to listen back to my old work. The music I made before is like a sonic diary where I can go back and listen to old versions of myself.
