Interview Questions for the "Summer Flowers" remix

What inspired you to write 'Summer Flowers'?

Hmmm. Most of my songs these days are inspired by a mood or a feeling, sometimes a lyric or concept that I want to explore and build a song upon.  For “Summer Flowers”, I was coming back to the idea of a wildflower superbloom (which I’ve never seen) and was referencing in a song I wrote a few months ago.  From there, the words “summer flowers” conjured up a metaphor about all the delicious experiences of summer romance, and I started to think about all the different meanings someone’s “summer flowers” could take on.

Can you tell us about the creative process behind 'Summer Flowers (Remix)'?

Yes! Well, somewhat. Most of my music these days comes from a little jingle or riff or something that’s bouncing around in my head - I kind of sat down intentionally this time to use tropical sounds and make something with a lot of space and movement in the kick and bass.  And I was thinking about some mixing/production techniques I’ve been trying to learn.  The chorus came together pretty quickly and I was pretty excited, so I kept rolling with it.  Actually the original cut of  “Summer Flowers” was a lot slower, had totally different verses, and was a lot less summer vibe-y.  I wanted to release a song for the summer that was fun, so I decided to remix it and here we are.

What message or story do you want listeners to take away from 'Summer Flowers'?

I’m not sure if there’s too much of a message to “Summer Flowers”, but I hope it’s a lot of fun to listen to and gets people singing along.  I like the lyrics, especially the chorus, and I hope people can relate to the feeling of wanting to get lost in love and take in all the beauty of the summer.

How does 'Summer Flowers' differ from your previous work?

Actually, I’m excited about this song because it’s an upbeat pop song and most of my previous work is a lot more introspective and reflective.  Recently I’ve been trying to write songs that I think are a lot more accessible and universally relatable, and while I don’t think I’m going to be able to completely escape myself and write radio-ready hit singles, I’m looking forward to exploring how to write and produce music that people love to listen to.

Did you experiment with any new sounds or techniques in this single?

Yes. Yes I did, and it was a lot of fun.  I think one of the main things was playing with the kick and bass and getting them to syncopate in a way that makes the chorus feel like it’s constantly swaying.  I also decided to layer 3 or 4 plucks on the chorus and play around with mixing them in stereo, each one with some natural variation in the timing and even the notes - it kind of made for an interesting melody, which is also interacting with the drum beat.  I spent a lot of time thinking about, recording, and editing most of the instruments to fit into the rhythmic architecture of the songs, and I’m really happy with the way the synths work together - and with the guitars at the end.

Is there a personal story or experience that influenced 'Summer Flowers'?

I hope one day there will be! Haha, it’s about to be the summer time, supposedly there are superblooms in Southern California right now, and most of my songs are wistful daydreams anyway…this song is just for anyone who has a romantic summer to look forward to, or anyone who just wishes they did (like me).

How do you feel 'Summer Flowers' represents your growth as an artist?

I think “Summer Flowers” is paradoxically a really important moment in my growth as an artist.  I’ve been releasing music for a long time, and when I was younger I always wanted to make music that really captivated and transported a listener to a magical experience - even if they (as I) were not able to have or get lost in some exciting summer romance, to at least be able to close their eyes and imagine it and maybe love the dream of it.  I don’t feel like I really had the skill, on any level, to make music like that when it was really alive in me - now as I’m almost 35, the idea of a summer romance is more mature and means something different than it did when I was 16.  But my dreams of making music of a certain flavor, a certain type, a certain vibe never really died.  So I think this song is really for people at least 10 years younger than me, which feels a bit weird or “out of my lane”, but at the same time really signifies that I can finally make the music I once dreamed of making! I also think overcoming the obstacles of feeling awkward or out of place about this means something to me - so in a weird way I think making this song feels like progress - like letting go of boundaries because there really isn’t anything harmful about a song like this and I can leave it up to the listener to listen, interpret, and make it into something in their lives if they want to.

What emotions or memories do you hope 'Summer Flowers' evokes in your listeners?

Well, I guess I kind of already touched on most of that, but the song is just supposed to evoke feelings of fun, romance, and summer vibes.  As we get older, we don’t have things like summer break (from school) to usher us into a radically different lifestyle for 3 months, but we still see and feel the seasons change and generally people enjoy the summer - the sunlight, the long days - and I hope Summer Flowers makes the listener think about all those nice things, which really do go hand in hand with romance, new or old.

Who did you collaborate with on 'Summer Flowers'?

No one! Like most of my music, it’s all me - writing, playing, recording, mixing, releasing, and promoting!

Can you share any interesting stories from the recording sessions?

Hmmm…for this one there weren’t so many.  I definitely started with the plucks, added the drums, then the 808/bass line…I definitely remember “feeling myself” more than once during the production, haha.  I really liked the way the chorus was coming together, and I definitely put it on loop and just got up from my chair to dance around and just think “this is awesome”.  So that’s not that interesting maybe, or humble, but worth a laugh.

What are your plans for promoting 'Summer Flowers'?

This release is actually a bit of an experiment for me, regarding promo.  I have learned the hard way that it’s really hard to promote your music on a shoestring budget, and when you do spend what little money you have on ads and other services it usually doesn’t go too far in growing listenership.  So now I’m taking a very homegrown approach and trying to do all my own promo - which I think mostly consists of being consistent - posting on social media every day and maybe putting focused effort into getting on a playlist with wider listenership.  I think the main thing is just to keep being myself and loving my music, and at least providing a window for people to see that happening! which is probably mostly through reels and videos on Facebook and Instagram.

Do you have any upcoming live performances or events to support the release?

I perform across SoCal year-round for hire at weddings, restaurants, wineries, country clubs, private parties, and more - but I don’t have any performances scheduled at this time specifically to support the release.  I am planning to do a release party some time in June! But it’s TBD.

What platforms will 'Summer Flowers' be available on?

I release all of my own music through Distrokid, and it goes to all major streaming platforms! So Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Youtube, Tidal etc should all have it.  Just search “Shivan Luca” and/or “Summer Flowers”!

How does 'Summer Flowers' fit into your upcoming projects or album?

Oh this is my favorite question.  This version of “Summer Flowers” is actually a remix.  The original was a lot slower (and still cool!) and part of about 7 tracks I’ve made for a new album that will probably be released in the winter.  I know that sounds far away, but actually that’s because I have 16 tracks for another album ready to release as well! So I’m not exactly sure if I’ll change my mind on how to organize and release these songs, but “Summer Flowers” is part of a very significant and momentous moment for me, musically.  I am really turning a page on how I release music, what I’m doing to promote it, and what I’m hoping to do with it - and this track is one of >20 that I’m planning to release soon.

What can fans expect next from you after the release of 'Summer Flowers'?

Anyone who listens to the song and likes it has won my heart! And I’ll just keep going.  I have a lot of love for my music and can’t really imagine a universe in which I don’t keep making and releasing music (until I’m dead, of course).   So you can definitely expect those next 20 songs to come sooner than later, and more and more and more as life goes on! Maybe if I’m so lucky as to get married and have kids I’ll get busy and have to slow down, but I think at some pace I will always be making more music.

How can fans best support the release of 'Summer Flowers'?

Just love it.  Enjoy it.  Even if that never makes it tangibly to me, it means a lot to me that anyone would ever love even a moment of my music.  It’s why I got to this place - loving other peoples’ music - and all I’ve ever wanted to was to take part in that space.  Maybe share the song in some way, if you really like it!  And of course, I’m always open to feedback - drop me a line on Facebook or Instagram!

What role do your fans play in your creative process and career?

Well, my mom is probably my biggest fan, and I’ve got great friends and family who have followed my musical journey.  If it wasn’t for the hope that people will hear and enjoy my music, I don’t think I could make it - so my fans play a huge role in my creative process - they keep me going!  And all my songs are about life and love, and of course that’s heavily informed by those I love! So.  In a sense, my work is all about the human experience, which I think is mostly common between people.  It’s my own experiences, and those of my loved ones (who happen to be my fanbase) that I’m writing about, anyway.

Do you have any special messages for your fans as they listen to 'Summer Flowers'?

I love you! Please follow me and keep listening!

Thank you for checking out my new website

I self-released my first EP in 2016, and made my first website shortly thereafter. This new one marks a big step for me. Aside from putting a lot more effort into (and having a lot more control over customization of) the website design, I'm trying to put together a lot of elements of my life (all of which I probably take a little too seriously) and a lot of ideas I've always had excitedly bouncing around in my head. Here, I hope you'll find:

1. my music! maybe most importantly, because that's what the whole personal website thing was about in the first place. And of course news and exclusive content.

2. some vignettes and links to my work as a scientist - I've always wanted to share that better (I can't tell you how many times I've been frustrated at work because I know someone somewhere has worked something out but the information is not clearly annotated or easy to find) and figured I may as well host my opinions, thoughts, and work in the same place as my "other work"

3. ramblings. yeah. I love to think and write and philosophize and imagine futuristic new technologies. I'm hoping to put a little bit of my musings and thought experiments here as well.

Anyway, lots to come, I hope. Thanks again for stopping by, and be sure to check out my new album The Isle of Apples when it comes out 9/15/2023!