Raised in the Bay Area, LVXI has always had a place in her heart for music. Starting at a young age, Lucy Liu was inspired by the vocal fluidity and raw introspection of alternative R&B. She aspired after some of the decades greatest like Mariah Carey, Beyonce, and Christina Aguilera as she engrossed herself into singing and performing regularly. LVXI began to make a name for herself after relocating to LA. There, she released her self-titled debut EP, which infused dreamy, ambient synths with deep explicit emotion. With a charismatic vibe and enticing subject matter, she is looking to lay down the foundation for her upcoming album through her latest single, "Ride or Die."
The joyful and cinematic themes reflect a retro 90's feel with trance-inducing synth progressions flourishing on this beautiful intro to "Ride or Die". This sort of vibe is well established in LVXI's strengths. Her voice communicates serenity without being commonplace and stereotyped, as her song plays with the concept of materialism. The new single channels into emotions of internal conflict, swaying between feelings of vulnerability and fortitude. The lyrics reflect the hinted notion of one not being enough in a relationship, embodying the tension of reaching for material things rather than love. Maxwell inspired falsettos beautifully color this song with a glowing presence throughout. Effortlessly, LVXI hovers just above the strobing keyboard synth work like a mist rolling through until the song swells into a flurry of strings and symphonic inspired chord progressions. As it opens up, her singing crescendos, and she strikes rich tones with ruthless precision, while never refusing to sacrifice her distinctive wishful vocal qualities. Her performance in "Ride or Die" carries this throwback vibe forward into a new era, and we love it!
Listen to "Ride or Die" here.
Welcome to BuzzMusic LVXI! We're completely fascinated by your vibe--you have such an original and captivating presence throughout your single. Can you tell us more about your inspirations for making this new song have a 90'a throwback feel to it? Is this something you've tried before?
Thank you! It wasn’t intentional, although I’ve been told a lot of my songs kind of have a TLC old-school R&B feel, so it’s likely my subconscious! I love male falsetto and some of my favorite artists include The Weeknd, Sam Smith, and Gallant. So when I started singing falsetto on this, I started to get Maxwell vibes, so I just went with it and added my own personal touch.
Would you ever consider incorporate different genres into your music? Or do you think it would ruin the type of sound you are trying to establish for yourself?
Haha, I’ve spent the last 5 years trying to figure out what the hell my genre is! I’ve experimented with everything from diva soul to trap to house too, most recently, a darker R&B with electronic elements. In terms of crossing genres, I’ve learned that the key is to be fluid while playing to your strengths. For example, I’ve been told that my voice has a pure, sensual tone and sits nicely in both the falsetto and high alto range - so even when I’m throwing in some raps or going more acoustic, I try to maintain these elements. As long as there’s a vibey, dreamy quality to what I’m doing - mixing genres is creative and exciting.
You've shown such a strong love and passion for music at such a young age, even learning the violin at 6! How do you think you and your music have grown since you first started writing, versus now?
I’ve grown tremendously. All the way up until maybe 2 years ago, I enjoyed singing but didn’t necessarily consider myself an artist. I knew I wanted to do something with it, but I was honestly lost and worried I wasn’t passionate enough to pursue it. But sometimes you just have to fake it until you make it…I told myself I’d drop a real EP and leave it at that if I didn’t feel the fire. Ironically, after I dropped my EP last August, I went through some personal drama that lit a fire under me. I went from writing 1 song every 3 months to 1 song A WEEK. My music isn’t about trying to “be somebody” anymore, it’s become an expression of living, and emotional pressure release valve, a spiritual awakening of sorts (not to be dramatic! Haha!). And it’s opened up a more powerful community than I could have never imagined. It’s thrilling.
What are some of the top contributors to your artistic expression throughout your day? What is really driving you forward every day?
Ooh! Great question. I love people watching and I’m intrigued by the struggles and pain that we, as humans, have to go through as we travel through life. Writing has been a way for me to bring vivid attention to our present experience, to feel every sense of emotion, self-doubt, anger, hopefulness in a deeper way. So whenever I notice something that makes me go “wow, people are fascinating” or “wow, this is a subtle nuance that we all must feel but don’t say out loud?” I put it to paper to capture it. It’s like psychoanalysis. I’m learning every day about the art and science of humanity.
It was great having you here on BuzzMusic! Can you hint to us some of the emotional themes we can expect to find on the new upcoming album?
Thank you so much for having me! Yes, absolutely. While my EP was all about power and ego, my debut album is going to show a lot more vulnerability and emotional range. Genres too will range from mid-tempo driving jams to soaring dreamy ballads. Thematically, I explore temptation, self-sabotage, what it feels to miss somebody or something, and ultimately acceptance. Ultimately…pain is not the absence of happiness - it’s part of it. And that’s a beautiful thing.