Lydia Luce – Ephemeral
Today, Lydia Luce shares “Ephemeral,” a moving duet with celebrated British singer-songwriter Luke Sital-Singh.
An important and sober declaration of self-love, this is the latest single from the Nashville singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s forthcoming album Mammoth, which releases on October 30.
Lydia Luce on the new single: “This song is a love song to self. When I had to go back on tour after my injuries, I made a promise to myself to take care of myself no matter what. I had to learn how to trust myself again. I hadn’t earned my body’s trust, and if I was going back into this environment I had to do it in a way that would honor my body. The moment I decided to ask my friend Paul Hammer to play guitar for me on that tour I felt the stress fall off of my body. I cried to my husband. I didn’t realize how terrified I was to be back in pain playing that much. I made more and more decisions like that on that tour. I brought my own pillow, I booked aisle seats on planes so I could stretch, and I asked for help constantly. I wasn’t in pain on that tour, and now I completely trust myself to make the right choices for my body.”
Recorded in just one week at Peter Gabriel’s celebrated Real World Studios, Mammoth was produced with longtime creative collaborator Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose), with whom Luce runs the Nashville-based string collective Lockeland Strings. Last month, she shared a stunning rendition of her song “Quiet” performed with Lockeland Strings.
These songs are inspired by the ambient compositions of Luce’s solo Lethe music project, as well as the natural surroundings of the UK countryside, with sounds of blowing winds and morning birdsong woven into the instrumentation. Gone are the boisterous elements of her previous releases, now replaced by something more quietly contemplative that represents a new chapter of tranquility. From the sweeping title track to the dreamy “Wisteria” and the tender lullaby “Florence,” Mammoth is bound by a common thread of self-love, hope and acceptance, along with a fervent belief in the serendipity of the last few years.
Luce’s third full-length release, Mammoth follows her 2023 LP Florida Girl, which garnered praise from press including The Fader and The Tennessean, who declared “Like a siren, Lydia Luce’s voice beckons her listeners deep inside a reflective world of intoxicating cosmic pop.” Her 2021 album Dark River similarly saw acclaim from Under The Radar, FLOOD and Paste, who said “Luce’s brand of spellbinding folk is made all the better by her virtuosity as a classical musician.” While both records showcase the development of her artistry, Mammoth finds Luce metamorphosizing once more, from a triumphant journey of self-discovery to finding a sense of peace.
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