“A Testimony to My Freedom” - Kyle Lux on His Latest Release, ‘Softly’
words by Sasha Rtishchev || photos by Undine Markus
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Kyle Lux’s latest release, ‘Softly,’ perfectly captures the energy of summer no matter the season. This feel-good single is right at home in Lux’s discography of blended pop R&B - electronic keyboard paired with percussion that highlights his influence from artists like Tyler, the Creator, and N.E.R.D. Similar to their works, this song will be stuck in your head all day with its catchy tune and semi-simple lyricism.
Perfectly capturing the experience of infatuation through this work, Lux seems to have listeners hooked from the very beginning. With instrumentals that complement the poetic nature of the release, his words, like “you’re the sky I come to vent to/ this here’s a fire,” sit beautifully on top of the cycled beat of drums and keys. However, the highlight of the song is the bridge that takes influence from his days in the church choir. His carefully crafted lyrics encapsulate the experience of infatuation in a way only art can. The line that seemingly inspired the title, “you make me soft, love,” describes the entirety of the song.
In a brief conversation with Pure Nowhere, Lux opened up on questions about this latest release, and what’s soon to come.
First off, can you introduce yourself for our readers? Who are you? Where are you the happiest?
I’m Kyle Lux. Born and raised in South Carolina, currently based in Los Angeles. Gonna be 21 soon. I’m happiest around friends, or alone in my room.
How is your single, ‘Softly,’ different from your other songs? Conversely, how is it similar?
Softly is one of the first songs I’ve released that I feel takes direct influence from my background in church, mainly on the bridge. I grew up in a choir with no instruments so all of the music we made was acapella. This bridge encompasses that in away. I got a group of my friends together at a studio and we all recorded the claps and crowd ambiance together. I feel like that live element makes it different from the other songs. It’s also probably one of the more pop-leaning songs on the upcoming project.
What works have you drawn inspiration from?
Both of the self-titled albums by N.E.R.D. and James Blake. I experimented with a lot more sing-rapping on this project, which I feel is definitely Frank and Carti influenced. I love Tyler The Creator’s flows and delivery, and have been going back to Flower Boy a ton this past year. Ayoni has also been a big inspiration. Her work is just straight-up powerful, I resonate with her sense of harmony.
How would you describe the projects you’ve been working on as of late?
It feels like a blend of R&B and Pop, with hints of electronic influences. It’s definitely a contrast to my earlier releasees, but I think listeners will still feel a lot of familiarity.
How have current events shaped your piece? Was this a conscious decision?
Current events have challenged me to question everything around me. The headspace I’m in when I think about the state of the world is totally different than when I was creating. For a while, I questioned if this project wasn’t saying enough about the current times and if it was irresponsible to put out something that didn’t reflect the sadness in the world right now.
I realized that my artistry is enough of a statement itself. The joy and the feelings that went into this project are a testimony to my freedom and ability to express myself. That to me is just as relevant: Black happiness, Black contemplation, Black feelings.
Anything additionally you’d like to throw out and share?
If you live in LA, go try out Hana Teppanyaki II in Compton. It's probably my favorite restaurant around LA. Also, be on the lookout for more music soon :)
“I realized that my artistry is enough of a statement itself. The joy and the feelings that went into this project are a testimony to my freedom and ability to express myself. That to me is just as relevant: Black happiness, Black contemplation, Black feelings.”
A NOTE FROM THE EDITORS:
Just wanted to pop in for a moment and extend a huge thank you to Kyle for taking the time to talk with us about his latest single, ‘Softly.’ We truly cannot wait to see what’s on the horizon for this rising artist, the amount of belief we have in him and his passions is quite literally insurmountable. There are moments in music, listening to a song, where you can physically feel the amount of soul - of passion - an artist has put into that work. With Kyle, it’s an infectious energy that wraps his entire discography. We would bet everything on his success, so make note of his name, make note of his music, because trust me - you’ll be hearing much more from him soon.