ENTER THE SHADOW REALM WITH LUCY DYE
THE SINGER CHATS WITH CH-V ABOUT THEIR NEW SINGLE AND CONFRONTING OUR INNER DARKNESS.
Experimenting with villain hood and the personal shadow-world is something Berlin-based artist Lucy Dye is not shying away from anymore.
As they premiere their latest single “Villain,” WATCH NOW, a powerful track from a repertoire of diverse synth, glamour and techno sounds, we talked to Lucy about the difficult process of growth, and what it feels like staring into the places that are hard to look at.
What is your take on character arcs, and dramatic transformations? Are they valid or myth?
Personally, I like a good twist in a story. Something surprising or ambiguous to keep the fire alive.
Who is the ultimate villain for you?
Joker is one of my favorite villains – especially played by Joaquin Phoenix. There is something so fascinating about this character and you really feel with him when you know his backstory and understand where his tendency to be malicious comes from.
Imagine you’re gifted enormous powers and made the world’s anti-hero for a day. What is the first step on your agenda to cement your villain-hood?
I would lock all the people who cause war and hate in one room and set them against each other – but maybe that’s more like an anti-anti hero step [laughs].
What sort of music were you listening to when you started bringing “Villain” to life?
I think during that time I was listening a lot to Sevdaliza and Ry X. Probably I was still in my BANKS era too. So Dark Pop, Electronic and Techno influenced music.
Other than music, who or what inspires your creative vision? What do you think these influences reveal about who you are?
Visual art, fashion, movies and dreams inspire me. When I listen to songs, a full short film appears in front of my inner eye. For the “Villian” music video I felt only a sci-fi fantasy world could portrait the complexity of emotions that come with the song. Through CGI Alejandro Spano (@itarpas) and I were able to do so.
The live performance is inspired by the powerful and dominant energy of that song. I think inspiration comes to me through experiences and conscious as well as unconscious memories. Those feelings that come with it are very diverse and so is my art.
Which emotions are you experiencing the most deeply at the moment? What do you feel you’re learning through exploring and experiencing them?
acceptance; gratitude for being safe, healthy and loved. Through those emotions I learn to stay grounded, grateful and in the moment. Sometimes I tend to think too far ahead and forget to worship the time that I have now. Through acceptance I feel like I have more power over a situation. If I can’t change it, I stop wasting my time and accept it, try to grow from it.
What season of self/era are you in currently? Do you want to stay in this era?
I never want to stay in an era, I want to grow and develop. Currently I am in a Flow Era, I trust in the process and I am ready for the unknown. It’s a very transformative and exciting era.
I NEVER WANT TO STAY IN AN ERA, I WANT TO GROW AND DEVELOP.
When did you first discover your shadow self? How would you describe your relationship with your shadow self currently?
I discovered it consciously around the age of eighteen, I think… I don’t talk about it a lot, but I was hard on myself and had a disturbed body image. I even developed an eating disorder as a teenager. Also through manipulative relationships. My self-esteem was very low for a long time. I had to learn to love and not judge myself for unpleasant situations I experienced that were not my fault. I feel that self love today very deeply!
You’ve experimented with glamour grunge, techno and dreamy synth-pop… what is your favourite thing about staying musically open to possibility? What is the most challenging part about staying undefined?
My favourite part about it is to be free, I can create whatever I want, whenever I feel like it. Most challenging is the industry constantly trying to put you and your art into boxes.
Do you feel like you are seen the way you want to be? Are there spaces where you feel misunderstood?
There will always be people prejudiced or skeptical about my art, because they don’t understand it – that’s okay, I’m not here to convince them! But I feel like since I focus on what I want, I more and more gather a community around me where I feel like my way of communication is understood – that’s what I keep the focus on – embody what you desire to attract!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self?
Trust the process! Don’t wait! Or give a fuck about other peoples opinions if you didn’t ask for it!
What’s one hope you haven’t given up on yet for the world?
That combined female power will rule and change the world one day!
What’s one part of yourself you used to be ashamed or afraid of? How do you nurture it?
Being loud and too much – at least that’s what people told me so. Today I surround myself with people who are loud, quirky and a lot themselves hahaha!
How do you balance fun and self-care? What did you have to learn the hard way?
I think self-care is fun! I love morning routines with yoga, drinking a glass of water and listening to frequencies. I enjoy taking good care of my body – because you feel good when you do. I stopped drinking alcohol because I started to have really bad hangovers, and it took me days to recover. Maybe I had to learn the hard way that it’s not for me.
What should people listen to of yours after they’ve heard “Villain”?
Listen to the whole EP from the start. It’s a journey from darkness to light, from anger to acceptance, from hurting, to breaking, to loving, to healing.
What can people expect from you in the new year?
I plan to perform way more live next year – can’t wait to actually meet my audience! And there are many new songs in the pipeline that might show a more playful and fun side of Lucy Dye, let’s see…
You can stream “VILLAIN” everywhere, and you can follow Lucy on Instagram here. All photos by Mario Palufi.
