We recently highlighted Lumasi’s announcement for his nationwide Sun & Moon Tour. Then last week, we caught up with the popular bass artist after his set at The Brooklyn Mirage for Deadbeats NYC. Follow along to learn all about Lumasi before he plays his first headline tour show in Moon Lvnding’s HQ of Phoenix, AZ on Thursday, August 8 at Thundercat.
Sam Wolloch: Thanks for making time to speak with Moon Lvnding ahead of your Sun & Moon Tour. How did you come up with the name of the tour and the artistic direction for the tour poster?
Lumasi: Throughout my life, I’ve definitely experienced the yin and yang that this world has to offer. To me, the sun and the moon represent the duality of this universe, which has always inspired me. When I step on stage to share my art, it almost seems that the light and the dark parts of life harmonize and create a perfect balance, just like the beautiful melodies and the heavy drops in my music. The Sun & Moon tour aims to find balance through music and community.
The artistic direction for the tour poster was inspired by the golden era of jam bands like the Grateful Dead and psychedelic art, which I connect deeply to. I love timeless art and nostalgia, and I want my branding to bring that back in a way.
SW: The imagery and colors are stunning. Well done Dylan for bringing this to life! On the Sun & Moon Tour, you packed a ton of shows into four months! How did you decide which cities and venues to book?
L: We took a look at where my listeners are. When I post on social media, I pay attention to where people say they want to see me. I have an idea of artists who are in a similar sphere as me, such as LSDream and Zingara, and where they’ve toured in the past. I had my team reach out to promoters in the areas to see if they’re interested in shows. We’ve gotten a lot of offers back and were able to put together this tour without an agency, just me and my management team.
SW: Amazing work without an agency. You’ve got a great team over at Sacred Hive. How did you select the support acts to complement you on tour?
L: I love SoundCloud so that’s how I find a ton of underground artists and new music. People love sending me music and I listen to all of it. I also looked at who’s killing it in the local scenes for where I’m going and got input from promoters who know the areas well. I handpicked artists who have a sound I love, and who I think will compliment my vision for the tour.
SW: Let’s shift to your career trajectory. Talk about the process of your viral hit “Low” and having to re-release it with your own vocals as “Lower.”
L: I woke up one day and had this crazy idea for this Flo Rida and T-Pain track, and it took off right away. I made the track and released it five days later. It was doing great for three months and really jump-started my career, getting people to pay attention to what I was doing. The labels who own the song got wind of it and took it away on all platforms.
I thought to myself that the production part of the track was owned by me entirely, so we can make a song with new vocals — “Lower.” We got that released on Cyclops Recordings and everyone was so happy that it was back out. Then Atlantic Records found it and really liked it and decided that they want to upstream it. Basically, they’re going to buy it and promote it through their resources now, so it’s going to be out on Atlantic Records in addition to Cyclops Recs.
SW: What a journey from “Low” to “Lower.” I just found out how to say your artist name properly by catching your opening set at The Brooklyn Mirage! That’s (LOO-mah-see) for those not in the know. How did you come around to creating your artist name and production sound?
L: In high school when I first discovered EDM and DJing, me and a couple buddies were watching Tomorrowland videos on YouTube. We came up with a name that combined the first two letters of each of our names (‘Lu’ came from me). Then we downloaded music production software, which scared my friends but I wanted to learn it. So I kept the name because it represents the start of my musical journey and my friends were OK with it.
Creating my sound and style has been a long journey of finding inspiration from a plethora of different genres and sounds that inspired me throughout the years of going to festivals and finding music on SoundCloud. My sound has changed a lot over the years but I’ve finally figured out the sound that feels like home to me, and I’m excited to share that sound with my fans on tour.
SW: The fans are definitely digging it, just like your engaging social media personality. So who’s the mastermind behind all of your fun social media content and how important is it for you to connect through social media?
L: Most of all, I need to give credit to my girlfriend Avery. She has fun and creative ideas on the social media side and has found a way to make it fun for me. Social media can be tough for artists because many of us are introverted, but she’s brought me out of my shell and it’s been so fun to work with her. Keeping up with fans gives me a lot of hope. I don’t just do this for my passion for creating music; my passion for community and bringing people together to enjoy a shared experience is what it’s all about. So I love keeping up with my fans and giving them fresh new stuff to be excited about.
SW: Well, keep up the good work. We enjoy it! These days you’re living in Denver, known as the bass capital of the world. What has your experience in Denver been like?
L: I love the Denver bass scene because it’s so vibrant and full. I’m in Denver because I love it. It’s all a big family out here.
SW: I sure miss it. I had a great time living there 10 years ago. Now I’m in Brooklyn and recently got to see you open for Deadbeats NYC at the illustrious Brooklyn Mirage. Did you bring anyone special with you for the occasion?
L: I brought my sister out for the first time because she lives nearby. She’s seen a show before with my whole fam, but it was the first time Avery and I got to bring her out alone. She’s in college, going to school in Philadelphia so she came over. We spent the next day seeing NYC and visiting Times Square so it was super special experience for me and her.
SW: What a nice big brother! Sounds like a core memory locked in. How was the Brooklyn Mirage experience for you as you prepare for your own tour? Any lasting behind-the-scenes moments from Brooklyn?
L: The experience was great for preparing for my tour because I got to test out a bunch of music that I made for the tour. I took a lot of mental notes with me to make my sets better going forward. The Brooklyn Mirage is a dream venue to play; I’ll remember that set forever. Such a proper venue with amazing sound and top-notch production. It was an amazing experience and I’ll always remember the first time I played there. Big shoutout to Deadbeats for having me on that show.
SW: That’s a wrap from me. If there’s anything else you’d like to share about your upcoming tour, IDs in the works, or a parting message for your fans, here’s your chance.
L: Come to the tour, expect to hear some of your favorite songs I’ve put out but there will be A LOT of songs I haven’t played out before. Hopefully, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the collabs and original work that I have to share on tour. It will be everyone’s chance to hear what an original Lumasi sound is, so I’m really excited to share that.
SW: Thanks again to Lumasi for answering our questions and a special shoutout to MP3PR for all the help in facilitating the interview. Don’t forget, Sun & Moon Tour tickets are on sale now, with the opening headline show on Thursday, August 8 at Thundercat in Phoenix, AZ.
