South Korea and its music have captivated us in a surprising way. Therefore, today I want to share with you a small sample of the creativity and musical innovation condensed in the songs of the band Lucy ( 루시), a group made up of four members: Choi San Gyeop 최상엽 (Singer and guitarist), Shin Ye Chan 신예찬 (violinist and leader), Cho Won Sang 조원상 (bassist and producer) and Shin Gwang lI 신광일 (drummer and vocal). The group was originally formed from the JTBC program “Super Band 2019”, a program in which different bands compete week after week, and despite not being in the first place, the members were able to catch the attention of viewers after making its official debut on May 8, 2020, with the album “Dear” in which we find its main theme “Flowering” (개화), which through a seasonal theme, speaks of the desire to extend spring, as well as the moments lived next to the loved one. The sounds of the violin, together with the accompaniment of drums, bass, and guitar, make it possible for the song to encapsulate a sweet and cozy atmosphere.
LUCY. (2020, May 8). [MV] LUCY _ Flowering (개화) . 1theK (원더케이). https://youtu.be/WQdFA55hT80
From the show “Super Band”, LUCY has a couple of unreleased tracks, some of which can be found on JTBC channels like 선잠 and Flare. However, they also have another song called 난로 which they performed on 음악당 and it is not available on Spotify. In said show, Gwangil originally participated as a vocalist and in rounds 1 and 2 he changed to become bassist due to circumstances, in round 3 he changed to drums. Lee Juhyeok (GIFT vocalist) also participated as the main vocalist, but later returned to his group. Lucy means light and is inspired by the name of a Doberman dog that was always in the studio where they practiced; later, it became their pet. Lucy is a band that plays string instruments such as the violin, as well as using ambient sounds in a unique way, that is, all those sounds that we hear in our environment. These can be: the sound of something falling, the sound of a machine, or the sound of a passing bus, as is the case of Snooze (선잠) where they tried to introduce these resources to give it much more color and more descriptive atmosphere to the song. Also, the letter that accompanies it talks about the hustle and bustle of daily life and how when one sees himself as an adult, he wishes to return to childhood. This same message is transmitted in another song on the album called “Farther and Farther” which reproaches time for passing so quickly. The album invites people of the modern world who are running clockwise to take their time and introspect themselves.
Music has been present in the lives of the members of Lucy from an early age, as is the case of Ye Chan who started playing violin at the age of 10. Additionally, the members can play several instruments, such as Gwang lI, who can play the guitar and piano, in addition to the drums, and who, on the other hand, can also speak and understand Spanish fluently, since he lived 7 years in Peru. This allows him to have a particular closeness with Spanish-speaking fans, especially with fans from Latin American countries.
Lucy’s talent has earned them praise from the musical group Coldplay, for their cover of the song “Viva la vida“, and for having received awards such as ” Blooming Band Performer” at the 2023 Hanteo Music Awards. Likewise, it must highlight that the members actively participate in the elaboration of their music, and with this universal language they seek to empathize with all those people who identify with the intrinsic nostalgia in the messages of this band, who creatively and refreshingly make a significant contribution to the industry.
While Lucy could fall under the K-pop category, their music brings other nuances to the genre, making it richer and demonstrating the creative process artists go through. Lucy demonstrates that music should not claim to achieve a static truth, defined by predetermined principles, but rather, on the contrary, it should be destined to live in permanent change. In this way, the development of music becomes infinite and diverse.
Among another part of their discography is found the mini album “Panorama” from 2020; singles like “Inside” and “Gatcha!” of 2021, the mini album “Blue” of the same year and “Insert coin” of this year. The group has also participated in songs for dramas such as “Run To You” theme for Run On (2020) and “Fly High” theme for Moonshine (2022). In turn, Lucy has had the opportunity to give concerts in Seoul such as “All Kind Of Concert” 2021 at the Blue Square Mastercard Hall or the “Childhood Concert” 2022 at the ShinHan Play Square Live Hall.
To finish, I want to invite you to listen to his first full album, released in the second half of last year, called “Childhood”. Through this work, the band continues to build their own identity through the desire not to lose their freedom and childhood. The album has a total of 15 songs with different genres and messages, and it is, without doubt, a work worth knowing. Finally, I also recommend watching the MV for the previously mentioned song Snooze (선잠), both links are at the of this blog. It was a pleasure to accompany you all in this small approach to this wonderful group. I hope we can keep sharing good music in the future and see you in the next blog.
Official LUCY accounts:
Twitter: @BANDLUCY_mystic
Instagram: @band_lucy
Facebook: @BANDLUCY.mystic
YouTube: LUCY ISLAND
Website: Mystic Story Official Site
Written by: Luisa Mendez
Reviewed by: Luisa Quintero
References:
KBS WORLD Radio. (2020, November 27). [Sub.Spanish]Interview in Spanish with LUCY (스페인어 스타인터뷰 밴드 루시편). Hot K-Pop Star. https://youtu.be/qV8kSU4koNw
Na, BANA (s/f). [INTERVIEW / INTERVIEW] BAND LUCY 밴드 루시. BANANA. Retrieved on February 17, 2023, from https://www.bloglabanana.com/2020/06/entrevista-interview-band-lucy-kpop.html
[DEBUT MV] BAND LUCY 밴드 루시 conquers us with Flowering (개화) . (s/f). BANANA. Retrieved on February 17, 2023, from https://www.bloglabanana.com/2020/04/debut-band-lucy-dear-videoclip.html
LUCY (Band). (s/f). Drama wiki. Retrieved on February 17, 2023, from https://drama.fandom.com/es/wiki/LUCY_(Banda)#Discograf%C3%ADa
LUCY profile and data. (s/f). profiles. Retrieved on February 17, 2023, from https://kprofiles.com/band-lucy-profile-facts/
Musical, L.C. (2019, May 11). the HISTORY of MUSIC in LESS than 10 MINUTES!!! https://youtu.be/xTRj1X8Hd1s
LUCY RELEASES HER FIRST ALBUM ‘CHILDHOOD’. (s/f). Cusica.com. Retrieved on February 17, 2023, from https://plus.cusica.com/2022/08/17/lucy-lanza-su-primer-album-childhood/
