The Brooklyn alternative R&B artist levels up on her LOVERBOY LADY EP
Art grows in various ways and changes with time, which makes it one of the more fluid elements of human creation. Music is no stranger to this. One musician who seems to hone this willingness to explore their world is, of course, Lord Scorpio. A Brooklyn staple, this musician melds easily into the scene with a compassionate center that is hard to escape. With a blending of R&B and pop sounds, she matches her persona well. Listeners who have the luck to meet or see her in person are sure to observe her obvious sense of cool paired with unwavering kindness. Is there anything better than that?
For those who are curious, the legend has just released a new EP, LOVERBOY LADY, that shows off her character with sonic glory. The musician had plenty to say regarding the process and her musical journey to date.
You bring such an optimistic and creative energy into the room at any given moment, where does that stem from and how do you harness it?
I believe that music as a whole is art. Art is risky, bold, mysterious and all these things that infinitely flow from an Artist. For me, I’m optimistic when I feel myself and/or collaborators I work with are both aligned with ourselves and trust our abilities as creatives. I used to doubt myself in certain rooms when I was starting out. Eventually I learned it is not about the result when you learn so much through the process. Coming in with an open and optimistic energy is part of the groundwork of making a song or project.
What message or stories are you hoping to tell/show with this EP? Has there been a growth or evolution of Lord Scorpio?
LOVERBOY LADY is about romance, obsession, and love. All these feelings that weave in and out of you after a breakup. I was inspired by my last relationship, she was my first girlfriend, the first woman I loved that deeply. I’m also a Scorpio so there’s always so much passion behind me. LOVERBOY LADY tells the stories of each phase I went through during and post heartbreak. There’s an evolution of vulnerability from me in this project. Even though it’s fully produced, it still feels very stripped and that’s something I’m excited to share. It’s a soft spot, a fantasy and dramatization of love.
What has been the most difficult bit of creating this new batch of tracks? Are there elements that were easier this time around as well?
Believe it or not, the first batch of songs I had for this project looks nothing like the final product you hear. It was evolving and growing as the months went by. Originally, I wrote a lot about my breakup as a way to cope while I was still processing it. After a few months I started feeling differently about the relationship. Anger and disappointment came up so I found myself writing a lot of punk influenced tracks. Then came denial, grief and so on. That idea of grief led me to a place where I created a majority of the records you hear on LOVERBOY LADY today. What originally felt like an endless spiral of music eventually showed me a larger picture of self and I have this project to show for it.
The biggest element that became easier was the trust I had in myself to complete this project no matter what the upset. At a point it really became my safe haven and a place to come back to and pour my energy into. I can’t even begin to express how proud I am of myself and how much gratitude I have for all of the people that helped me bring this to life!
What are some organizations that you think fellow musicians should tap into or explore and why?
This is a great question! Gender Amplified is actually an organization that I’m a part of. It’s a Women and Non-Binary cohort of producers. They’re really passionate about giving more of us the opportunity to be seen and heard in such a male dominated industry. WeAreStarChasers is a great collective that gives Artists so many opportunities to perform and be amongst like-minded peers. They’re homegrown and continue to curate events in New York and California.
Who are some musicians that you feel are pushing the boundaries of the scene and enhancing the craft and why?
Talia Goddess, MangoDog and CeddyJay are the first few indie artists that come to mind. I love Talia’s work as a producer, instrumentalist and writer. I think it’s super dope and fresh to see someone taking on so many titles and executing them so well, especially a young black woman at that!
I only recently started tapping into MangoDog and there’s just something undeniable about the creative approach to his music. There’s this alternative punk vibe that’s so grunge and raw but thoughtful. It really bends your mind mentally about what music can be.
CeddyJay is truly a legend in the making and I say that not only as a dear friend but as a fan. He’s one of the most passionate artists and rappers that I’ve ever come across personally. He’s bold and takes risks and I resonate with that a lot in my own artistry.
On a more mainstream side, Jim E-Stack has become one of my favorite producers. He’s so innovative in his sound design and instrumental choices. They always keep me on my toes and I don’t really hear music like his in a lot of places so it keeps me coming back.
Are there other artistic mediums that you gravitate towards? Explain why.
I took up photography pretty heavily in 2020-2021. I started out of a need for quality photos for cover art and fliers for my music releases. I actually have a whole separate photography IG account under @fuegoflics. Eventually I started taking photos of other artists and DJs that couldn’t afford higher photographers. I’ve shot underground events, vinyl recording sessions, live performances, modeling headshots, concept photography – so much. I’ve even curated my own gallery event alongside a fellow photographer in Brooklyn in Fall 2021.
As of recently, I really enjoy dance. Dance is more so something I like to watch rather than participate in, but I do hope to highlight dance within my visual world as an artist. I was in the colorguard of my high school marching band so I had a decent understanding of movement and dance. It has always been something I’ve enjoyed seeing.
What was a moment you deemed a failure that ended up being a saving grace? What lessons were learned that propelled you forward?
When I think about this question in context to LOVERBOY LADY I start to remember a very specific situation that left me feeling very unsure of myself.
Like I said before, this project has been ever evolving with so many lives in its creation. So about six months into the EP process I was sure it was done, the tracklist was finalized. No masters but final recordings done. I invited a friend to the studio to show him where I was in the process. As I’m listening back to it with him I get this feeling in my stomach, and I’m just thinking, no, this is all wrong. I suddenly had this huge feeling that the project was no longer aligned with me as an artist and a person, in some ways. Even my friend had mixed emotions about it. It’s frustrating to face your own critics, especially when you know they are for the better. It wounded my previous judgments and made me feel out of touch with myself musically.
Ultimately, I knew I had to return to the notepad and re-conceptualize what this project meant for me. That redirection led me to the version of the project you hear today and it deepened my understanding of my own artistic expression and how to better support it.
Is there a venue national or international that piques your interest to perform at and why?
Madison Square Garden right here in New York. I’ve always had a fascination to perform there since I was a kid. I watched Lemonade Mouth, like every other music kid, and the way they landed a show in Madison Square Garden! It’s such a big deal. It’s one of the biggest venues in New York so selling it out will be a huge achievement for me one day.
If your songs could be the soundtrack of any movie or tv show, what ones would they be and why?
Black film and television! I’m a fairly alternative artist, though my roots are in R&B, so having my music in Black TV and film would mean so much to me. Could be a Tyler Perry production, Issa Rae, or maybe a Jordan Peele film. I would love to work alongside more powerful black figures in the entertainment world. There’s a strong sense of nostalgia that I like to create in my music and thinking about culturally popular black tv and films like Barbershop, Insecure or All American gets me excited about creating a sonic memory and feeling for people that look like me and connect to.
What are your suggestions for artists just starting out in the space? What do you wish you had known prior to stepping into the music world?
My biggest suggestion would be to stay authentic. There is no formula for this, no level of copy catting that will get you where you want to go faster. It’s all about people connecting with you. So be YOU, unconditionally! Follow the sounds and feelings that align with you. I wish I knew just how much unwarranted advice and guidance everyone would try to give me along the way. Though the intent is usually to be helpful, I find I’m left with a bunch of other people’s opinions of my work floating in my head. I was starting to follow their preferences to feed their thirst, but ultimately I found people stick around longer when I was more focused on myself than someone else’s idea of me.
