Q&A: Staying Whimsical with Luisa Wilson in New Single “WTF?” and Special Announcement
WRITTEN BY GINGER
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Photo by Patricia Wilson
Jazz-pop artist Luisa Wilson comes back with her new single “WTF?” today. The Memphis-born, New York City-based artist has been living and breathing music since the age of five when she took her first singing lesson and used to be part of an indie-rock band prior to finding her own sound.
She credits that experience with teaching her the skills to perform with a live band and play rhythm guitar such as understanding the mechanics behind the guitar to ebb and flow the emotions and dynamics within a song.
“WTF?” marks Wilson’s first single after recently graduating from New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music with notable alumni such as Maggie Rogers, FLETCHER, Elle Varner and more. Wilson was also selected to sing the national anthem during the university-wide commencement ceremony that was held in Yankee Stadium.
Life on Jupiter had the chance to speak with Wilson on her new single alongside a special announcement she is revealing for the first time today. Read our full conversation below.
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LIFE ON JUPITER: Congratulations on the new single! What can you tell me more about “WTF?” and the story behind it?
WILSON: I had recently been going through a situation with a person and it wasn’t working out, and I was like “Damn, what the fuck?” and I wrote the song exactly how I was feeling at that moment. The hook and the chorus came in tandem with each other and it was really a quick and easy song to write because I didn’t put a lot of pressure on it. Overall, the process was really natural and organic, which is my favorite situation whenever I write a song.
You also have something else exciting to share today! Would you like to let our readers know more?
WILSON: Yes! I will be releasing my new EP called “LOVE ON MARS?” this year and the best way to describe it is being painfully optimistic. It feels like you’re laughing and crying at the same time while listening to these songs because they are beautiful, happy and upbeat.
It’s a testament to having hope even though things don’t work out and making light of difficult situations, all packaged in a beautiful jazzy pop sound.
What do you hope your listeners will take away with the new EP?
WILSON: I really wanted to show more of my personality and also a different side of me where I talk about harder things while still having a good vibe. My previous project was more serious, so the experience of making a fun song this time was just wonderful. To me, I just want to be able to write what I want to write and have people have a good time with it.
It’s whimsical. I want people to feel the whimsy.
Speaking of jazzy pop, you have previously mentioned how RAYE is one of your biggest inspirations?
WILSON: I saw her in concert at Radio City Music Hall this year and just bawled my eyes out. Her song “Worth It” sparked my EP because she’s so good at not boxing herself into one genre.
How was performing at Yankee Stadium for commencement for you?
WILSON: It was one of the most amazing feelings of my life. Obviously there was some pressure being the national anthem and everyone knows the words to it, so I was trying my best not to get too much into my head in front of the crowd of thousands. Reese Witherspoon was there, so was Kate Hudson and Jacob Collier, who did the other performance as well.
It was my first time playing with in-ears as well, so it was a learning experience, and I really want to thank my professor, Jeff Peretz, who picked me and put me forward to do this. He even encouraged me to perform it on the guitar because of how my live shows are. He had a lot of confidence in me and how I translate so much emotion by putting each song in the context of every performance I’ve done, and being up there in front of the crowd of parents, graduates, professors and more was ever so rewarding.
Hopefully I’ll get to play at a venue so big with my own songs someday.
You previously had an EP that centered around being recorded live in Bushwick as well;what does live music mean to you?
WILSON: Live music means everything to me. It’s the reason why I do this. New York is the best place to be if you love live music and it gives me so much inspiration.
One of the hardest things as an artist is having to create while being uninspired because you can’t just wait for the spark to hit before you write a song. That is something I used to do. Now that I’ve graduated, it feels like I’m training a muscle, which can be unsatisfying at times when you can’t land on the sound. The live music scene in New York has changed that for me because I’m always surrounded by it and it provides so much inspiration for me!
Every time I see a show, I take something from it and am able to write something of my own that same night. I can proudly say live music is the reason why I make music because it means the world to me.
Will we be seeing you on stage soon?
WILSON: I have a couple shows lined up with this upcoming release and will be performing some songs from the EP live as well alongside a music video for “WTF?” in the works, so stay tuned for more exciting stuff to come!