In the last year, Lukey has been prolific. He’s released five singles, four features, a web-based video game and the album he worked on for nearly five years, SPACEBOY. He’s also teasing new music and projects with other Philly artists all over social media.
AS: I want to start off talking about your latest album, SPACEBOY, which I love. Can you give our audience some insight into the process behind the album and the features that appeared on it?
Lukey: Yeah. The process of this project had been a five-year effort. A lot of the ideas and concepts, lyrically and narratively on the project have been me trying to figure out what sounds right, what sticks with me. Especially, during lockdown. I wanted this album to be a diary entry of where I’m at post my previous releases and how I’ve grown and matured sonically.
Features-wise, a lot of the music on the project, having spanned more than five years, is a culmination of all these relationships I’ve formed both online and in the Philly scene that I’m super blessed and privileged to be a part of. I like to think that this album is a representation of every corner of this scene that I’ve been graciously welcomed into.
AS: With song ideas that go back five years, how do you stay organized?
Lukey: I’m a huge advocate of backing up your data. I have hard drives and hard drives on deck. I have a journal and I have a note-taking app called Notion. I have a playlist that I listen to that has 20 different versions of each song, and that’s deliberate so that I can arrive at the destination of the SPACEBOY theme of it all.
AS: The thing that struck me about the aesthetic and music of SPACEBOY is how there’s this duality in the lyrics about both being a part of a community and also still feeling like a guest. Is that reflective of your experience making the album?
Lukey: I feel like so many people kind of struggle with that, of feeling like they want to build this community for themselves, but also never like they belong. That rings true for me too, because as a Filipino-American, Asian American immigrant, first generation, naturally when I grew up, I didn’t have many people that looked like me in the media. I always felt like I didn’t belong in many friend groups. I was a floater.
When I arrived in Philly I felt welcomed by, like, everybody here. Everyone has been just so kind to me here and I still sometimes feel like I don’t deserve it. I don’t take that gift for granted. This city is so gritty, but also beautiful and real. I think that’s really slept on.
AS: Speaking of Philly, what do you enjoy most about this scene and what do you find unique about it?
Lukey: I think we’re all hungry here. Everyone just has this feral desire to make the best stuff. There’s this unspoken, but collective understanding among any person in Philly that, if you’re doing this, it’s because you love it.
I feel like being unapologetic is part of it too. I feel like being unapologetic is part of the Philly attitude. Go Birds. Like, we’re nasty, sometimes rude – not to say that it’s a great thing, but I take pride in being a part of this collective, because we ultimately want to see each other win. That authenticity that comes out of the people here, it just makes things work.
AS: You’ve produced tracks for other Philly artists like Joshua Bation and ANGELCONCEPCION in addition to your own work. I hear you’ve formed a production collective with other artists, can you tell me about that?
Lukey: Unofficially, Joshua Bation, Andrew Mala and I have been producing together as a trio. I’ve worked with them both individually so much before this that we decided to start working as a group. We have a couple songs on a project that will come out later this year, which I’m very excited about.
AS: Switching gears, if you had a friend coming to town for one night, where would you want to take them for a meal and a show?
Lukey: Show-wise, I’d take them to Time on Sansom. I love the energy that comes out of that street, as weird as it gets.
If we’re in Chinatown for a meal, I know Terakawa gets a lot of love for ramen, but I’d take them to Megumi. If we’re in South Philly, I’d take them to Ishkabibble’s right across the street from the TLA. I’d also like to take them to the corner store at 15th and Montgomery, right on Temple’s campus. I just love that place.
AS: Last question, if you had $10 to spend in a convenience store on a road trip, what are you getting?
Lukey: I’ll get a $3 bag of Munchos, white Gatorade and those buffalo chicken nuggets that Wawa has.
Lukey’s latest single Valencia is streaming now. His latest full-length is SPACEBOY which came out in 2024. You can find him on Instagram @lukeychicco and on Spotify or other streaming services. Expect more music from Lukey in 2025.