After more than a decade with his band Promise of the Real, Lukas Nelson turned down a new road in his musical journey today (June 30), with the release of his debut solo album American Romance. The 12-track collection is Nelson’s most honest and vulnerable release to date. With production from Shooter Jennings and appearances from Sierra Ferrell and Stephen Wilson Jr., the project blends fresh sonic elements while highlighting the strengths he’s spent untold hours honing.
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In a fortunate turn of events, Nelson sat down with American Songwriter earlier today to talk about the new record. He opened up about going solo, working with co-writers, and more.
Lukas Nelson Shares His Release Day Excitement
Before getting into the album and the new chapter of his career, we had to know how Lukas Nelson felt after the release of his debut solo project.
“Man, I’m feeling great. I’m just feeling a lot of love and support from all of my friends. It just reminds me how lucky I am to be part of a community that supports one another,” Nelson says. “When Nathaniel Rateliff or Jake Owen or Stephen Wilson Jr., or Lily Meola–every time we do something, we lift each other up. I like that. A rising tide lifts all ships. I’ve just been grateful to hear so many people are listening to the album. It makes me feel good,” he adds.
“It’s so raw to me. It’s sort of like completely myself,” Nelson said of American Romance. “I tried to write good songs and get great tones with Shooter. He was really helpful in getting really great sounds. Then, I’ve got a couple of really choice collaborations with Sierra [Ferrell] and Stephen Wilson Jr,” he explains. “I really feel like this album is a really great snapshot of where I’ve been in my life so far, and it’s a great stepping stone to a much wider journey in the future.”
Why It Was the Right Time to Go Solo
Some may have been surprised to learn Lukas Nelson was kicking off a solo career when he announced American Romance earlier this year. For him, however, it felt like the right time to start a new chapter of his career.
“It’s so important, I think, just the energy of playing with different people sometimes and doing new things and exploring musically. I’ve been with Promise of the Real for a long time,” Nelson says. “I started that band out of a love for Neil Young and that type of music. It became his band and I think that was what it was meant to be, ultimately,” explains. “I knew, as a songwriter and the creative force for all of those songs we did not with Neil, I had a journey of my own to take. So, I had to step away from that project because it was so tied into being Neil Young’s backing band.”
At the same time, Nelson wanted to reach a wider range of people. “I needed to step into my generation and reach people my age and younger who will be with me forever and hopefully carry me forward in my own career. When all of those guys we look up to are gone, I hope I will have said something to my own generation and to my own people. “
Lukas Nelson on Co-Writing
As he said, Lukas Nelson was the creative force behind Promise of the Real. As a result, he rarely, if ever, shared songwriting duties. With this project, he co-wrote with the likes of Aaron Raitiere, Jon Decious, Sierra Ferrell, and Stephen Wilson Jr.
“I’ve been really enjoying the process of working with co-writers in Nashville. I really like the feeling of being together with someone and creating a flow of creativity, especially when you get someone who isn’t so hung up on every word and they just kind of let it flow,” Nelson says. “Then, you look at each other when something just comes naturally and fits into place like a puzzle piece. You share a look with one another like wow, we just mind-melded there and created something great. You have that feeling in real time with someone else in the room, and you can get really excited. It really helps the excitement level when you’re writing with someone else,” he adds.
“I feel like a lot of times, in Nashville, people write in such a formulaic way that they’re really happy to write songs that aren’t designed to be hits. They’re just designed to tell a story. I think a lot of times, it’s a nice stretch and a nice breather for some of these songwriters in Nashville to write with me as an artist because it gives everyone room to make art and write whatever comes out. We don’t have to fit into any formula. It’s a great feeling.”
American Romance is available to stream across all digital platforms.
Featured Image by Matthew Berinato
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