Jessie Lucas stays true to themself through their lyrics
Senior songwriter explains how it’s possible to be bold in a musical but hesitant playing music at Coffeehouse
Lucas shares that they find it more difficult to be on stage as a musician as opposed to a thespian because they are sharing their own story. The worst fear of all, Lucas admits, is being fake in any way in their music.
April 4, 2022
Jesse Lucas’ upcoming album will be titled Ignition, but the singer-songwriter thinks another name for it could be The Jessie Show.
“It’s The Jessie Show! That’s my album,” they said.
I just want people to enjoy themselves, if not enjoy themselves happily, then at least find little nuggets of truth in what I’m saying.
— senior Jessie Lucas
As Lucas mentioned in part one of their Feedback Loop interview, their songs and original performances are personal and based on intimate experiences, but they want their music to be relatable for anyone. Lucas hopes that the honesty in their art can draw in anyone who wants to listen.
“I just want people to enjoy themselves,” they said, “if not enjoy themselves happily then at least find little nuggets of truth in what I’m saying.”
Lucas has experience in the spotlight, though usually as a character in a McCallum Theatre production. This fall, they played the lead as SpongeBob in The Spongebob Musical, a role that they put their heart and soul into.
“It’s a role I’ll never grow out of,” Lucas said.
The artistic dedication and storytelling translates into their music, despite the new medium.
“It’s different from theater because I’m telling my own story,” they said.
Their original song, “Oxygen,” took Lucas and composer Layn Mayfield months to produce. Lucas took inspiration from the “sorrowful but resolute” composition to write lyrics about a previous relationship.
I can only breathe myself. I cannot be your lungs. I can’t breathe for two people.
— Jessie Lucas, 'Oxygen'
“It was about somebody I had to let go of,” they said. “I wanted so badly to love them but they wouldn’t get help for their problems.”
On the track, Lucas describes the effort of maintaining this relationship as running out of air.
“I can only breathe myself,” they said. “I cannot be your lungs. I can’t breathe for two people.”
The lyrics and ideas had been in Lucas’ head and hard drive for months, but music was the first time they were able to change the memories into something bigger.
With the pending release of their album, Lucas hopes to continue growing and creating under the artist name “Ewren.”
