Lucky Daye is in a season of change. Ahead of the release of “Aloud,” out today, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is settling into a new label home at Warner Records, working with a wider circle of collaborators and taking more control of his creative process. Even his look signals a shift: When Variety meets him for lunch at Nobu in Atlanta, his hair is styled into a bold, sculptural frohawk that he’s described as part of the album’s new era.
The day before, on the set of the video for “Knockin,” his collaboration with Muni Long and the Black punk band Paradox, that era was taking shape in real time. Two of his managers are on set, along with his chief of staff and Susan “Susy” Oludele, the celebrated natural hair artist responsible for Daye’s evolving look. They’re part of a larger creative ecosystem that, notably, includes a team of predominantly Black women. Daye says being surrounded by them makes him “very, very happy.”
“I feel nurtured,” he says, quickly making clear the relationship works both ways. “I feel like they let me care for them the way that I want to care for them… It’s a back and forth.” Later, he puts it more simply: “Really a team. It’s not one of them fake teams.”
That sense of support has extended to Warner. Daye had already begun “Aloud” before signing with the label, but when asked how the new deal affected the album, he doesn’t hesitate: “Every feature.” He credits the label with taking “a huge load” off him and his management team while helping facilitate an eclectic guest list that includes Leon Thomas, Pusha T and Akeem Ali. Still, Daye insists the machinery around the music isn’t what drives it. “It’s not about the deal. It’s not about the money,” he says. “It’s really about the magic.”
“Aloud” finds Daye chasing that magic from a different emotional place. He calls himself “Lucky 2.0” — more sensitive to love, compassion and his own feelings, more willing to say what he’s thinking and, perhaps most significantly, less interested in making music rooted in pain. “This is from truth,” he says of the new album. “It hurts worse.”
Across “Aloud,” that truth arrives with a surprising amount of playfulness, from current single “Talk to Me,” one of Daye’s favorites, to the quirky interludes he describes as “commercial breaks.” Daye spoke with Variety about loosening up without losing depth, working with Thomas amid inevitable comparisons, bringing Muni Long and Pusha T into his world, and learning to trust himself without leaning quite so heavily on longtime collaborator D’Mile.
You asked me what my favorite song was, and I said “Talk to Me.” Then I asked you yours and you picked the same song. What is it about that record for you?
It’s a very catchy hook. Then you got like.. cadences on verses, which I love, and a simple concept. The concept of the album – direct concepts and drums, punchlines, ’cause I’m gonna bar things up, so I got to punchline it. But it’s just an infectious melody that I want. I want everybody to just feel.
There’s a playfulness throughout “Aloud,” even in the intros and skits. “Intro to Down” is funny and a little quirky. Was that intentional?
In my mind, the world forgets fast. So I wanted to create quick commercial breaks to throw them off a little bit. The name of the album is to be “Aloud,” is to be confident, to be happy. So if anything’s holding you down, get rid of it.
Was this the most fun you’ve had making an album?
For sure. This is the most fun because I’m hands-on the whole time. Other albums, I would have someone listening as I go along, giving input. But this one was like, hold on. It’s no relying. God was like, “You’re actually the guy. So do it.” It was just fun working with so many people, seeing the finished product of different pieces you pull together and getting to know people around me at the same time.
“Knockin” had some of the strongest storytelling on the album. How did you approach that song?
That song was special mainly because it was all emotion. I put the singing last and I put the emotions in front and started telling the story. I miss when people told stories. And I guess it’s not that easy to tell stories. [With “Knockin”], I wanted to put myself in the place of going to college, being in dorm rooms. I never had the opportunity to. [The subject of the song is] your friend is really hot. [Laughs] But as a man, you don’t want to cross that line. But it’s still those thoughts like, dang. I just want to tell you. The perspective of this album is from a man. I’ve never done it from that angle before. Every other album stemmed from pain. This is from truth. It hurts worse.
Muni Long adds another perspective to “Knockin.” How did she end up on the record?
Muni was in the studio next door, and I had just finished doing a feature with her that she needed on her album. It was a no-brainer. Like, who’s going to talk shit? Nobody can really talk at that level. She’s not going to apologize. She means it.
Another collaboration people have been waiting for is you and Leon Thomas on “Fly You Out.” There have also been a lot of comparisons between the two of you. How do those land with you?
I expect comparisons. That’s part of the game. That’s why it’s a game. Give people something to talk about. I think our job is not to let it get to us and take it to heart.
The collaboration came easily. Once the label came in, it was like, “Whatever you want, you’re getting it.” They asked, “If this song should have a feature, who would you get if it was anybody?” Of course I’m going to think Leon. He’s one of my favorite R&B artists right now. When it comes to creativity, when it comes to male artistry, he’s the first person I’m going to mention. We brown skin, we out here, we hustling, we singing and we tap into our emotions at the same time. But we still men that like girls. So I felt like it was a good match.
I sent him the song, he sent the idea back…We got in the studio and put the bow on the whole thing. He’s self-sufficient. It was great seeing him work. It was great sharing my ideas with him. I think the fans wanted it.
You also have Pusha T on “Mouf Say.” What made him the right person for that record?
Pusha is a hip-hop legend. When I hear Pusha T’s name, I just connect with so many names that I respect and the people that motivated me to want to be successful. Pusha’s worked with Pharrell, Jay-Z, Kanye. So for him to even be in the conversation was an automatic yes. His voice is iconic. Clipse is iconic. And he’s a Gemini. I’m a Libra, so it works.
D’Mile has been such an important collaborator throughout your career, and he’s here again on “Nowhere Fast.” But you’ve talked about relying more on yourself this time. How has that relationship evolved?
Me and D’Mile love each other, and we respect each other. I think we’re both like, “Damn, I wish I could be working with you right now.” But we also understand life has its processes. I don’t know what God’s doing with him; you don’t know what God’s doing with me. At the end of the day, I can always know that’s my brother. If I wanted to make a whole album with him, I could make a whole album with him. But I think on this album, God wanted me to look inside myself. This is a feeling that you’ve got to be sensitive to. I’m just trying to catch it. I think I caught it.