Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Lucius
Pop duos can be some of the most divisive acts in music, but magic happens when two musical virtuosos get it right. Lucius‘ Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig carved a unique niche in the genre by crafting and delivering rich harmonies with a distinctive style, resulting in a sonic experience that somehow feels both nostalgic and contemporary.
Although they stumbled across common ground after realising their joint passion for music and songwriting at Berklee College of Music in Boston, they have since released four studio albums and contributed luscious vocals to a handful of high-profile artists, including Harry Styles, Jackson Browne, Jeff Tweedy, Sheryl Crow, John Legend, Brandi Carlile, Joni Mitchell, and more.
But Lucius’ appeal doesn’t just lie within their accreditation—their most recent project, Second Nature, was actually a replacement album for something far more conceptual and much more personal. It showcases the duo’s ability to remain resilient even in the face of something as discouraging as the pandemic and keep up the pace while “dancing our way through the darkness”.
While we could have talked for hours about the things that infiltrated all of Lucius’ albums and the many aspects of life and the industry that keep them ticking, we sat down with Wolfe for a mere ten minutes to ask some of the more abstract questions.
Quick-fire Questions with Lucius:
What’s your favourite album of 2024 so far?
“We’ve been in the studio, so it’s been major tunnel vision for the last few months. From what I’ve listened to so far, my favourite would have to be Adrianne Lenker’s Bright Future. It’s brimming with gold.”
What song would you want played at your funeral?
“Probably Enya’s ‘Only Time’ or something equally moody and dramatic.”
Do you believe in ghosts?
“I wish I didn’t.”
With an hour to kill and no plans, what are you doing?
“Catching up on crack TV or getting in a hot bath.”
What’s your most controversial cultural opinion?
“Not sure it’s heady enough, but I’m a tea over coffee girl…”
What song are you the most proud of?
“‘Two of Us on the Run’.”
Who is your biggest influence?
“I think it’s safe to say Holly, my singing, writing, soul sister, is mine. Our lives, experiences, and art are pretty much a constant influence on one another.”
What is the ultimate comfort movie?
“When Harry Met Sally.”
What would be your fantasy concert?
“David Bowie, Roy Orbison, Freddy Mercury, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell—all singing in a circle surrounding me.”
What movie makes you laugh the most?
“Tommy Boy, Blazing Saddles…”
Are there any conspiracy theories that you sort of believe in?
“No.”
What are you the most looking forward to?
“Returning to the UK for the first time in years! We have been dying to get back since our pandemic tour was cancelled, which left us, as you can imagine, gutted. This will be such a sweet time to return and reconnect.”
Who is the greatest songwriter of all time?
“Dolly Parton.”
What was the first artist you remember falling in love with?
“Roy Orbison or Sam Cooke They were my first loves.”
Are The Beatles overrated?
“Nope”.
