From Nashville to the West Coast, the captivating artist, singer-songwriter, and contortionist Lyra Star returns to BuzzMusic with her reflective single, "The Loneliest Nights."
Through various features with us over time, we've gotten to know the stylings and creative works of Lyra Star rather personally. When asked about what she strives to do with her music, Lyra Star noted; "I'm trying to create beauty through my art because I think we can always use more of that in this world...creating music serves as a window into my heart and soul for those that know me mostly as a movement artist."
Sharing an ode to our isolation through her recent single, "The Loneliest Nights," Lyra Star ethereally serenades us while offering her introspective lyricism for each listener to connect with. The song gives us similar tastes to the melancholy tones and cinematic appeal of a 2012 Lana Del Rey, oozing with haunting vocal harmonies soaked in mystery and grace.
"The Loneliest Nights" begins with an incredibly dark and gloomy electronic soundscape through pulsation keys, groaning sub-bass, and plucky guitar strings. While Lyra Star gracefully enters the song with her magnetic performance, she starts describing saddening scenes of isolation through lyrics like, "This is the worst waiting game I've ever played."
About halfway through the track, a haunting string section makes its appearance and contrasts the modern electronic elements, making for an incredibly lush and emotional sonic atmosphere. As Lyra Star moves towards the outro, she belts her soulful vocals while her backing harmonies end the song off with nothing but power.
Experience Lyra Star's tender and relatable emotion within "The Loneliest Nights" and allow the single to serenade you during this dreadful waiting game.
Welcome back to BuzzMusic Lyra, it's always a pleasure to chat with you about your creative works and ideas. What compelled you to create an ode to our isolation with "The Loneliest Nights?"
To be honest, I didn't really finish writing all that many songs during quarantine, but this one started to take shape a few months into the pandemic. I was obviously having a lot of time to think about everything going on and to really be in my own space, and it was so lonely. At the same time, I knew that others were also going through this same type of experience, and I wanted to write a song about it without being super specific regarding the lockdown or the pandemic. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this song for sure, and I think it's fitting for me to be releasing it one year after all of this began.
What inspired the broad sonic arrangement within "The Loneliest Nights?" What feelings and sensations did you want to offer listeners through the production/instrumentation?
So I initially wrote this song on my electric guitar, but I wanted the song to have more of an electronic feel... sort of a trip-hop vibe with the beats along the lines of Portishead and with haunting vocal harmonies similar to what Thom Yorke does on some of his solo tracks and with Radiohead. I wanted to create this haunting, sexy, dark, gothic, moody vibe, and I think we definitely achieved that. The song just started to evolve as we got deeper into the production process, and I am super grateful that we had a violinist that was able to track the string parts because it really amped up the track and added something special. The producer, Sam Garfield, really has a strong ear for this type of sonic soundscape, so it really worked out well.
"The Loneliest Nights" seems to offer a more melancholy and emotional side to your music. What does this song mean to you, and was it challenging to create a piece so personal and in-depth?
This song definitely came from a space of great loneliness... I had just moved to LA a little over a year and a half ago when everything shut down. I was just starting to feel like I was making a bit of headway in the music scene, the performance world, and the fitness world (I teach yoga and pilates). Then everything just came to a complete halt, and it kept going on and on and on... everything the media was saying was so depressing and awful. I was in a dark place, and I needed to sing about it. This song was more cathartic for me than anything else, which is what music has always been for me. Writing it actually helped me come out of that dark space a bit because I knew that others were experiencing the same sort of emotions.
In a recent interview with us, you've mentioned that music videos will be quite prevalent throughout your upcoming endeavors. Are there any forthcoming videos we should expect?
Yes, I am definitely going to shoot a video for this song, but my next video shoot date is on 3/15 for my previous single, "Light." That one will hopefully be released later in the spring... I have a fantastic team on board and an incredible venue where we are going to shoot. I'm also excited to not have to do contortion in the rain or outdoors... it will be much easier for me on the performing arts side than my last two videos.
What's next?
I am going to start working on an EP! This will be my first full body of work since my album came out in 2018... I'm excited to start on that process next month.