Nashville musician, 'Florida Girl' Lydia Luce hails from Fort Lauderdale. Here’s what to know
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Looking for the right songs to describe your love of the Sunshine State and what it means to be a Floridian? Lydia Luce has the album for you.
The Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist released her third studio album "Florida Girl" last month, an in-depth examination of her life starting from her roots in Florida.
Who is Lydia Luce?
Lydia Luce is a Florida-born, Nashville-based singer and songwriter.
According to the Tennessean, she was raised by a musical conductor mother who helped instill her appreciation for classical music. She also notes the impressionistic songwriting of artists like Damien Rice and Joni Mitchell as her longtime inspirations on her website.
Learn about Luce: Nashville musician Lydia Luce releases vulnerable, experimental pop album 'Florida Girl"
Luce began writing songs of her own in her early 20s, expanding on the musical skills she honed since taking up classical violin as a child. Prior to living in Nashville, Luce received her Masters' degree in viola performance from UCLA and also attended Berklee College of Music.
The singer is best known for hits "Sausalito" and "Love You True," as well as her three albums 2018's "Azalea," 2021's "Dark River," and 2023's "Florida Girl."
Where in Florida is Lydia Luce from?
Luce hails from Fort Lauderdale, a South Florida city just 40 minutes away from Miami.
What is "Lockeland Strings" in Nashville?
Lockeland Strings is a Nashville-based community arts organization that hosts a monthly showcase of local artists accompanied by string quartet arrangements, alongside performances of new contemporary classical pieces from local composers.
According to their website, the organization was founded by Luce in 2016. With past guests including country superstar Kacey Musgraves, Lockeland Strings’ profits go toward nonprofit groups like ACLU of Tennessee and Girls Write Nashville.
“It started as a house show in my living room and grew so quickly,” Luce said. “I love being able to offer a way for people to experience string music without having to pay whatever it would cost to go to the symphony, and I hope to continue doing that for as long as I can.”
Luce's "Florida Girl" released on Oct. 27. What should fans know about the album?
"Florida Girl" is a indie-folk album, a follow-up to her debut LP "Dark River." According to her website, she joins forces with her longtime friends and bandmates Anthony da Costa and Aaron Steele for the album’s production.
“To me this record is about accepting all the different facets of myself, instead of trying to hide the parts that I maybe felt uncomfortable with in the past,” Luce said on her website. “That includes leaning into the fact that I’m from Florida, which is such a weird and mysterious land that people tend to have preconceptions about. It feels really freeing to get to the point where I fully know who I am, and I’m not so worried about what anyone else thinks.”
Luce discusses this further in an interview with the Tennessean, saying the album follows her acceptance of her roots as a Florida-raised Nashville transplant.
"I think for a long time I was embarrassed to tell people I was from Florida," Luce said, explaining to the outlet that her Florida-based family's beliefs differ from hers significantly, but that her love for them is unwavering.
The album also explores Luce's relationship with difficult topics, like eating disorders and relationships with alcohol. She noted that she wouldn't have been able to address challenging topics like body dysmorphia and eating disorders in the past, but she felt good talking about it now.
The track list for the album includes:
Never Enough
Other Side
Your Garden (Intro)
Your Garden
(H)our Glass
Florida Poem
Saline
Florida Girl
Face and Figure
Minute Too Soon
Where can I find her "Florida Girl" album?
For those wanting to check out her latest album and get into the Sunshine State spirit, you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, Band Camp and YouTube. You can also shop her discography on her website.
Contributing reporting: Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Nashville musician Lydia Luce released new album sharing Florida roots
