Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Luke ATME
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
There’s a bunch of first memories I have which strongly connected me to music at first, like watching music videos on MTV when I was just a child and turning on those music channels were the only way to properly visually see the strongest hits, or listening to some old ballads my parents would put on the radio, or even playing random notes on the first keyboard I had been gifted with.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I reckon there was always some strong interest wherever I heard some music being played, I’d be out there trying to see where that came from, what was the background and the instrument used, sort of getting into the groove. But I officially started to create music once I had a small keyboard at about 8 years old and since then I’ve found a way of pouring my soul and passion through random lyrics and songs just as a way of expressing myself.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Last year I released an EP being laid out in Madrid, Spain and definitely representing some urban scene with latin influences. This year I’m literally going for it towards that direction but with some sort of twist and different approach. I am working on different songs in Brazil, where I just moved to in a way to fully dive into the local and uplifting scenario, meeting new creative minds and see what comes out of it organically and spontaneously. The first song as an introduction to this new era will be released early this year, whilst the following chapter will be just as surprisingly to my audience as it will be to me, I don’t want to resemble any expectations but just make it a smooth and fun transaction, so hopefully this can be perceived once it will be out.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
My music ranges from Reggaeton to Pop, exploring Old School R&B and diverting into Hip Hop influences. I can’t quite be retained into one scheme because I’ve grown up listening to a lot of different genres so this all reflects into what I create, but I guess the best way to finalise some conclusion about it is for the public to listen to it and connect.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Spontaneity gave me a whole different angle of viewing how to make music. When I first started I was always trying to get the arrangement first thinking of what chords to use or what could match better with that instrument etc. But that was just too systematic and nowadays I prefer to go with the feeling and then see what comes out of it.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
I’d say that I have everything on me to start writing down some songs as long as I have my phone. That is quite essential and just by having it I’d be able to put down some ideas, because I write most of my songwriting into notes and if I had some melodies to record I’d just voice note it and gather all of those thoughts in there to start with.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I’m such a fan of Tinashe, she’s always had a remarkable sound and she always reinvents herself in such an entertaining and truthful way, she’s great!
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I bet we all mature our attitude and approach to life in general due to our experiences in life, and as an artist for as much as I always try to be cordial and extroverted I can’t quite concern my thoughts or feelings just like that, I always need to be careful with what is being said and how this get seen by the others. So my music is the only way where I can pour all of that into and my personal experience does play a big role in that for sure.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I do want listeners to perceive resilience, manifesting dreams, be themselves but before it all I’d want them to have fun and absorb what can do them any better, that’s very subjective, it always hits differently, but as long as it does in some way, that’s the motive behind it all.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Music itself taught me to give voice to my inner child and be persistent with my vision, despiteless what others might say good or bad about it. I’ve learned to do it for the sake of simply doing it and not directioning it just towards the final result.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Playing at Coachella one day would be a dream come true, going very big above any expectations. More realistically, I’d love to sing at Primavera Sound and Lollapalooza. If one day I’d be asked to perform at the VMAs or the GrammyS those are shows I’ve always assisted since I was a child, so that would be another big dream come to life.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Rihanna and Lady Gaga have always been some strong references for my creative process, so being able to work with them at some point would just mean life to me. There’s loads of other artists though, like Paloma Mami, Muni Long, Feid, Bad Gyal, Troye Sivan which I would love to collaborate with at some point if it will ever occur.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
My music is on all platforms including music videos and visuals, under my artist name Luke ATME, here are some of them:
https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/luke-atme/1341872547
https://www.youtube.com/@LukeATME
https://www.instagram.com/imlukeatme
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I’m in the phase of just creating a lot of new music and following that having the opportunity to tour and take it to as many cities and countries as I can, I want to reach new horizons and raise my adrenaline by challenging myself into new discoveries.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope my listeners can discover as much about me as I can about them, music is a two way road, it needs to be felt and it requires some connection on both sides, so hopefully my audience can connect to it and get that foundation for more and deeper meaning.
