NXTSTYLE’s 2020 Songs of the Summer: Lucy Daydream “Trouble”
INTRODUCING NXTSTYLE’S ‘SONGS OF THE SUMMER,’ HIGHLIGHTING OUR FAVORITE TRACKS WE’VE DISCOVERED THIS SUMMER. OVER 70 SONGS FROM NEW AND INDEPENDENT ARTISTS FORM OUR SUMMER 2020 SOUNDTRACK. TODAY WE FEATURE LUCY DAYDREAM. THE OHIO-BASED DUO CONSISTING OF MEMBERS ROSS AND PAIGE ARE NO STRANGERS TO NXTSTYLE, HAVING FEATURED THEIR MUSIC COUNTLESS TIMES. THEIR LATEST SINGLE “TROUBLE” WAS A FAVORITE OF OURS THIS SUMMER AND ONE THAT’S OFFERS A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THEIR CATALOG. LEARN MORE ABOUT LUCY DAYDREAM IN OUR FEATURED INTERVIEW.
YOUR LATEST SINGLE “TROUBLE” IS ONE THAT LYRICALLY AND SONICALLY CREATES THIS EERIE VIBE THAT REALLY COMES TO LIFE FOR THE LISTENER. TAKE US BEHIND THE CREATION OF THE SONG AND YOUR CONNECTION TO IT THAT MADE IT SPECIAL TO RELEASE AS A SINGLE.
ROSS: “Trouble” started as a little beat I made on an airplane. It’s the kind of hypnotic drum groove-bass line track you can just have on loop and not tire of. When writing a song we usually come together with lyric ideas and always look for the theme, the hook. In this it was making thus statement of “trouble gonna get you everytime” which to me relates to overthinking, overthinking anything brings you down this stairway in your mind and it’s a slippery slope.
PAIGE: Ross sent this super dope demo that I was super drawn too. When I heard it, all I could think about was villain characters, specifically the Joker. Villains genuinely believe they’re doing what’s best and they can’t get out of the vicious cycle they’re in. So I came up with the line, “the stray life’s calling” which means living as an outcast, doing things that are wrong in the eye of the general population. Ross and I met up, and he added and altered a bunch of lines to really help it flow and make the meaning of the song come to life. It was just Ross and I on this song, like usual. 😉
ROSS: I think it would fit great in a mystery action. Like a James Bond.
PAIGE: I would love to see “Trouble” in a show like The Umbrella Academy or a vilian movie.
WITH THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC, HAS IT ALTERED YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS? DO YOU SEE IT INFLUENCING WHAT YOU WRITE ABOUT?
ROSS: It definitely has. It’s helped me a lot to appreciate the small things in life we easily take for granted being caught up in the rat race.
PAIGE: It has honestly not changed much about my relationships, but I do realize I was taking a lot of things for granted. Like being able to travel whenever/wherever I want to. Being able to go out in public without feeling like everyone is against and fearful of each other. But it has not changed what I write about!
WITH MORE DOWN TIME THIS YEAR DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, PEOPLE HAVE PLACED THEIR ENERGY ON THINGS THEY HAVEN’T HAD TIME TO DO. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THAT YOU WOULDN’T NORMALLY HAVE TIME FOR OR EVEN THINK ABOUT?
ROSS: I think this year I was able to really connect with myself more as a result. I started doing more self-work and making healthier choices along with exploring new mediums of artistic growth.
PAIGE: Not much has changed in my daily life. I already rarely left the house, besides groceries and the gym. But I have started meditating 30 minutes twice a day, doing yoga and QiGong, and new breathing techniques. When this all started, it really forced me to go inward and do a ton of self-work as I was feeling extremely anxious. The anxiety is much much better now.
LUCY DAYDREAM
IT FEELS LIKE WE’RE SEEING AN EVOLUTION IN YOUR SOUND. YOUR LAST THREE SINGLES HAVE TAKEN ON A DARKER VIBE THAN WHAT WE HEARD ON ‘AWAKE & DREAMING’. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ARTISTRY BEHIND LUCY DAYDREAM AND WHAT YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR FUTURE RELEASES?
ROSS: There isn’t really a strategized plan of attack with it. We just writing what we are feeling and release what we are excited about at that time. It’s always going to be changing.
PAIGE: Honestly, when we write and make songs, we just go with the flow. We have a lot of songs that are the complete opposite of “Trouble” and “Monsters” that we will be releasing soon. When you try to box yourself in to a certain genre or write about specific things, it rarely works out. Also, it’s less fun that way!
IT FEELS LIKE WE’RE SEEING AN EVOLUTION IN YOUR SOUND. YOUR LAST THREE SINGLES HAVE TAKEN ON A DARKER VIBE THAN WHAT WE HEARD ON ‘AWAKE & DREAMING’. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ARTISTRY BEHIND LUCY DAYDREAM AND WHAT YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR FUTURE RELEASES?
ROSS: There isn’t really a strategized plan of attack with it. We just writing what we are feeling and release what we are excited about at that time. It’s always going to be changing.
PAIGE: Honestly, when we write and make songs, we just go with the flow. We have a lot of songs that are the complete opposite of “Trouble” and “Monsters” that we will be releasing soon. When you try to box yourself in to a certain genre or write about specific things, it rarely works out. Also, it’s less fun that way!
FAST FORWARD SEVERAL MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. THE VACCINE IS HERE, AMERICA HAS FULLY OPENED! WHAT’S FIRST ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?
ROSS: Visit Japan
PAIGE: Definitely not leave the house, per usual, but have a much calmer state of mind:-)
ONCE LIVE EVENTS ARE BACK ON WHAT ARTIST OR BAND WOULD YOU MOST LOVE TO TOUR WITH?
ROSS: Tame Impala or Glass Animals.
PAIGE: Twenty One Pilots are the dream.
AS WE HEAD INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOU FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2020?
ROSS: We’ve got a ton of music done. We are going to be dropping a few more singles leading into a body of work.
PAIGE: Some sick music videos and our spiciest songs yet.
IS THERE A CHARITY THAT MEANS A LOT TO YOU THAT YOU URGE OTHERS TO LOOK INTO? ANY PARTICULAR CONNECTION YOU HAVE TO IT?
ROSS: Suicide Prevention
LUCY DAYDREAM’S
SONGS OF THE SUMMER
- 1) The Irrepressible “In This shirt”
- 2) Gunship “When You Grow Up, Your Heart Dies”
- 3) Hundred Waters “Blanket Me”
- 4) Rage Against The Machine “Know Your Enemy”
- 5) Matt Maeson “Hallucinogenics”
Listen to all of our featured artist’s favorite songs of the summer on our special Spotify playlist.
Discover New Music
THE ‘NEXT IN MUSIC’ PLAYLIST
Discover a wide range of new music we love from artists located all across the world. Follow the ‘NEXT in Music’ playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.
MUSIC IN 2020 INTERVIEW SERIES
WE INTERVIEWED MUSIC PROS AND TASTEMAKERS TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON WHERE MUSIC IS HEADED AND TO DISCOVER WHAT NEW MUSIC THEY’RE LISTENING TO.