Hailing from the swamplands of Southern Georgia, raised on a heady blend of rock-and-roll and blues and classic country, Beau + Luci mine their rich musical heritage to dream up an extraordinarily timeless sound. On their upcoming debut the duo join forces to infuse their earthy yet lushly textured folk-rock with naturally immaculate harmonies that never fail to captivate.
Along with drawing from real-life experience, Beau + Luci weave in elements of visionary storytelling throughout the EP. Inspired by a central character from Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy—a fire-eater named Dustfinger—the intensely charged “Fire Dancer” explores what Luci refers to as “the idea of taking something that
could be used for destruction and instead using it to give hope.”
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Beau & Luci about influences, their newest project, the digital music age and more.
Full Q&A along with links and streams below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
Luci: We were born and raised in Waycross, Georgia, on the Okefenokee Swamp. Musically, we are a swampy Americana-rock duo. We were raised on a wide variety of music – rock, soul, blues, folk, gospel – that’s infused into everything we do, and really shaped our sound. More than anything, though, we always strive to create music that’s genuine and from the heart.
Beau: Like Luci said, we grew up in the swamplands and I think that really translates musically. We were born to parents who honestly didn’t mind waking their children up for school by blasting Aerosmith and Van Halen, and putting us to sleep with old blues and folk tunes. We, of course, grew into having our own tastes in music and continue to cultivate that as we go. Even though we were raised on the same music and still do share a lot of interests musically, we have slightly different tastes, which I think is something that’s really important when writing and creating our own music. The term that always sticks out to me when describing our music is Swamp Rock.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
Luci: We were always surrounded by music as kids, whether it was our dad’s collection of classic rock albums, listening to the radio, or in the church choir, and it’s in our blood. As we got older, it became less of a hobby and very obvious that it was our greatest passion and calling. It’s not always easy; it’s a tough industry, and every day you’re faced with wondering if it will ever work out, if you’re going in the right direction, if you’ll be able to connect with an audience, write another song… At the end of the day, though, there’s a very genuine love for music, for listening to it, writing it, and performing it, and a drive to share it and hopefully connect with someone in the same way that so many incredible artists connected with and inspired us.
Beau: I feel like music is just one of those things you either get our you don’t. It’s either in you or it never will be. That’s not to say that everyone has to create music to love it because there are plenty of listeners and concert-goers who never write a song or pick up an instrument but love it just the same way we do. It’s something we both genuinely love and couldn’t go a single day without incorporating into our lives in some way. That was clear from a very early age to us- we would do just about anything to be around music in some way. Church choir, listening to all of our parent’s CD’s, the radio, even going to dance classes, it didn’t matter as long as we were around the music, and for two very shy little girls that’s saying a lot. There’s just something so incredibly inclusive about music as a whole—no matter what genre, where it is, or who’s making it—that makes us feel like we’re part of something bigger, which at the end of the day is what we’re all seeking.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
Luci: I think the biggest difference in this release is that it really and truly feels like us. We spent so much time on this project, listening to the artists that inspired us, experimenting with new sounds, and really digging into the what we were searching for as artists. It was frustrating at first, because it felt like we were close but not quite there, and then we wrote Fire Dancer (the first single and title track of the EP), and it was like everything became clear. It was the aha moment that laid the foundation for the direction of the rest of the album. We wanted to make the best record possible, and really let others have a look into our lives in the music we wrote. Above all else, we wanted to ensure that it was genuine and from the heart.
Beau: I think the difference is that we really dug deep for this one. That’s not to say that we didn’t work hard in other projects that we’ve created, but it’s like we could never clearly communicate exactly what it was that we wanted and put who we are into the music before now. I think we’d both agree that this is the first release that genuinely feels like a part of us, and it’s something we’re so incredibly and deeply connected to. It’s unlike anything else we’ve ever created and is truly just an incredible feeling to be so proud of something that’s a part of yourself. I think that was really the aim for this project (and for the ones in progress and looking forward): just to be true to ourselves and not think about what that makes it in marketing terms. Just let it be real and shape and mold itself and us into what’s meant to be.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
Luci: I think a lot of indie artists are caught in the catch-22 of wanting as many people as possible to hear their music, which is easier now than ever thanks to social media and digital streaming services, and dealing with the drawbacks of less music sales and struggling to be heard through all the noise out there. But at the same time, you’re able to connect with such a huge audience and share not only your music but pieces of your life. I feel like it gives your fans the chance to know you on a more personal level, and helps build the connection there, which is so important.
Beau: Technology is definitely a blessing and a curse for the modern artist. It allows us to connect easily with an incredible amount of fans and consumers who might love our music and us as people, but it also allows them to connect just as easily with two hundred other artists in the same millisecond without any effort, which can make it hard to push through the noise. In some ways, that’s amazing to me as a listener, because I love music and getting to connect with the artists who create it, and as an artist, it’s great because I love that people get to hear our music and connect with us personally. But it also takes away some of the value of music—we don’t have to put forth any effort to find it, purchase it, or listen to it anymore. There are millions of songs at our fingertips for free, which I think can make truly connecting with a sound or an artist kind of more difficult than it used to be.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
Luci: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube! Our music is on iTunes, Amazon Prime, Google Play…anywhere you can buy music digitally. We’re also playing more shows than ever before, so you can keep an eye out for us in your town and come see a show.
Anything else before we sign off?
Beau: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us. We’d love for anyone who reads this to connect with us—tell us where you found us or heard us first and let us know where you want to see us next! And don’t forget to join the family by signing up for our mailing list on www.beauandluci.tv. Lots of love from us!
