Since her 2012 remarkable performance on The X Factor, singer-songwriter Lucy Spraggan has gained a successful career so far. From having a top 20 single ‘Last Night’ and growing a large following to helping mental health charities, Lucy Spraggan has now released her sixth album, ‘Choices‘.
Last year we had the incredible opportunity to have a conversation with the 29-year-old singer about life in lockdown and her upcoming album. Inside the interview, she discussed how she was experiencing changes in her life; going through a breakup and an impending divorce, becoming sober and improving her physical health. It was a perfect time to express these life-changing events within an album.
‘Choices‘ include a diverse range of musical sounds, from Western rhythmic music to her signature acoustic pop sound, the mix of different musical styles inside the album was captivating.
The album intro sets a firey, alluring atmosphere through western music and Lucy’s graceful vocals. ‘Flowers‘ expresses how Lucy’s embracing her new look, conveying through her lyrics that she is living a better lifestyle.
Talking of combining various musical styles, she also uses a Bollywood sound in ‘Animals‘, fiercely coming out of her shell, explaining how this is her and will not change for anybody.
“I do a lot of skipping, ‘cause I do a lot of working out and do a lot of weight lifting, and my favourite thing to skip to is Bollywood music. It’s fucking sick! Bollywood music, bhangra music – we don’t have a Western rhythm like that. There’s so much energy and it makes me feel so passionate and alive. I was skipping and came in and just started writing that little guitar riff. If you want to be derogatory, people often call you animals and I’m like, ‘call me a dog, call me a shark, you’ve pushed me hard enough, I’m an animal’. I’ll be an animal if you want me to be an animal, I just won’t be a nice one.”
Lucy Spraggan
Like her recent album in 2017, ‘I Hope You Don’t Mind Me Writing’, ‘Choices‘ continues the story of retrieving power and strength, so Lucy is still progressing in life today, and this is relatable to anyone.
Lucy has always shown her talent in storytelling within her songs, whether it is singing about having ‘Tea On Toast‘ or having ‘Beer Fear‘, she has always brought a real perspective. As well as doing this, she can make a song or an album emotive by bringing her personal experiences, ‘Sober‘ and ‘Heartbreak Suites‘ are many of the album tracks that bring integrity which makes her lyrics powerful.
It is a life analysis of the past, present and future, reflecting on her life-changing experiences, such as her breakup, her sober journey, and then creates a choice in choosing to turn her life around. Bold songs which show this are ‘Choices (Don’t Be Afraid)‘ and ‘Why Don’t We Start From Here‘, starting something better.
What makes this album stand out is how influencing it is, how Lucy shares an encouraging message that if something is not making you happy, then take a big step and change, so it is right for you. ‘Choices‘ brings a diverse sound filled with songs of honesty and experiences that gives a vigorous feel to the album.
Why not listen to ‘Choices‘ now?