Lucy & La Mer – Honey, Put Your Weapons Down

By starrymag | May 15, 2017

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) A mixture of folk instruments and pop melodies

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Feist, Kate Nash, Kacey Musgraves and Jewel

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Honey, Put Your Weapons Down.”

 

A) The new single is basically about calling a truce within a relationship. It’s about seeing the bigger picture and deciding what you want out of your relationships. There was a lot of arguing going on for me in the last year – both on a personal level as well as in the larger realm of our political climate in the US. This track is about knowing when to walk away from something and knowing when to fight for it.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) When I started playing this song at shows, there was always at least one fan who would come up and tell me they knew EXACTLY what I meant in this song. I think we’ve all been at the point where we realize we have to make a change in order to grow. It’s not easy.

 

Q) How will the video play into the message of the song?

 

A) I think the most important part of any relationship is communication so I wrote a storyline about how technology interferes in various types of relationships (romantic partners, family members, even the relationship between bands and their live audiences). I wanted to capture the subtle ways that screens soak up our attention and distract us from being present in our everyday lives. 

 

Q) What was it like working with producer Jared Lee Gosselin on the single?

 

A) Jared and I have different musical backgrounds, which really added to the collaboration. We took what I know (acoustic live recordings of folk instruments) and blended it with his modern pop style.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I start with lyrics every time. I’m definitely a writer first and musician second. I like having a story and then filling out the music afterwards. 

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Lucy & La Mer performance?

 

A) You can expect to participate. We always involve the audience. I usually start a dialogue about recent events and get a feel for the crowd in between songs. We clap together, whistle together, we even have a traditional “awkward middle-school slow dance” at every single show. We definitely don’t just perform and leave the venue. We want to meet our fans and hear about their towns and what’s going on in their world.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from your music?

 

A) For this song in particular, I hope they realize that they are in complete control of their own happiness. It’s ok to step away from someone or something that is causing you pain – even if they/it once brought you a lot of joy. I hope this song brings clarity and relief to anyone who needs it right now.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I’ve always enjoyed living room shows. We recently started playing SoFar Sound concerts and I’m hooked. Any venue where you can sit on the carpet, bring your own beverage and hear the music without a loud bar in the background is amazing to us. 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) Judah & The Lion. We’ve been on the road recently and that band just cheers me right up when I’m getting worn out from travel. I’d love to open for them one day.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) I love being able to talk to fans who live in other cities. It’s also great to meet folks on the road and stay in touch in between tours. I think live streaming is my favorite social media feature, especially on this radio tour. We could take our online audience with us to every radio station show and folks from all over could tune in, meet the DJs and hear the performance.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you for being a part of my life! You are lovely and you are loved.

LISTEN TO “HONEY, PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN”