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Time Magazine
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Lukas Nelson Is Ready to Make a Name for Himself
Even if you can't name one song by Lukas Nelson, chances are you've already heard his music. The 36-year-old singer-songwriter (and son of country music mainstay Willie Nelson) has not only been releasing country-roots albums with his band the Promise of the Real since 2010, he and his band have been touring and recording with Neil Young since 2016. Nelson has also written for the screen: In 2020, he won a Grammy for his work on a little film called A Star Is Born, for which he wrote and co-produced several songs, as well as appeared on screen as a member of Bradley Cooper's band. Despite all of these accolades and accomplishments, Nelson has a grander vision for himself. He'd love to graduate from behind-the-scenes player—let's say your favorite country artist's favorite country artist—into a top-billed superstar in his own right. There's no reason to think that he won't meet the moment. Nelson's debut solo album, American Romance (produced by Shooter Jennings, son of Waylon), is brimming with universal observations about love, loss, family, perseverance, and the cycle of birth and death. It's all set against a classic American backdrop of diner counters and truck stops, East Coast turnpike exits and snow-tipped Montana mountains. Led by Nelson's acoustic fingerpicking and aching, reedy vocals, American Romance goes down with the familiar ease of a time-worn Townes Van Zandt record while distinguishing itself enough to stand on its own in the modern-country landscape. Ahead of his album's release on June 20, Nelson spoke to TIME about the long road to American Romance, finding the right way to discuss his lineage, and why he's a 'disciple of Dolly Parton' when it comes to politics. Nelson: Well, Promise of the Real was a band that I started when I was 19. I was always the songwriter, and those guys traveled with me through thick and thin. We became Neil Young's backing band for five years. Then we're trying to do both my songs and Neil's songs and straddle that line. But a lot of the fans that we got were fans of Neil and, of course, my father. Eventually I realized, if I don't establish myself as an artist right now, then I won't be able to. So I just decided to go out and play for my own fans and my own generation and figure out who I am. I had to just become Lukas Nelson. I stopped smoking weed, I became sober. I faced my fear of flying by becoming a pilot. And I sort of let go of a lot of the legacy ideals that I had grown up with and felt pressured by. There's a song on the album—it's the first song I ever wrote, when I was 11, called 'You Were It.' I wrote that before I started telling myself a story of who I was meant to be. That song came to me on a school bus. My dad liked it so much that he recorded it. Then Kris Kristofferson said, "I love that song. Are you going to be a songwriter?" I said, "I don't know." He said, "Well, you don't have a choice." That inspired me to become a musician. But now I'm trying to ask myself: What do I mean musically? How do you feel American Romance might begin to answer that question? I'm working with some of my favorite musicians of our time: Stephen Wilson Jr., Sierra Ferrell, Anderson East. 'God Ain't Done,' I wrote with Aaron Raitiere, who just had a hit with 'You Look Like You Love Me' with Ella Langley and Riley Green. I'm writing a lot with Ernest [Keith Smith], who's written all the number one hits on Morgan Wallen's recent album. I've always believed that I could stand toe-to-toe with anyone as a songwriter. I am a songwriter first and foremost—I play good guitar, and I sing well, and I perform well, but the songs are the most important thing, what brought me to A Star is Born and what really, I think, caused Neil [Young] to take notice. You have artists like Kacey Musgraves, Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers—these are the artists that I respect, and I want to be part of that conversation and musical landscape. I want to have a career that lasts as long as my father's. And when my father played, he played for his generation, and they followed him now up into his nineties. So in order to have that longevity, I have to be smart and play to my own people. I've always known and respected [Shooter] for his musicality. I'd always wanted to work with him. I think now was the perfect moment, because he's established himself separate from his legacy, as an incredible producer. Now I feel like the conversation is less about, 'Oh, isn't it cool that these kids are doing it and their fathers were friends?' That becomes a little bit of icing on the cake. Those who don't know us will probably still look at it that way. And that's something I deal with my whole life. [But] we've gotten past the idea that we are only just the sons of [ Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings]. We have our own careers that we've built. I respect [Shooter's] work ethic. When I started playing with the band, we did 250 shows a year for a good part of 10 years, just in order to prove to myself. I knew I was going to have to work twice as hard. People who don't know me are always going to have an opinion on whether I got anything handed to me, but I know how hard I worked, and so at the moment of my death, that's what I'm going to look at. I can see that Shooter has the same approach. I can imagine you having so many different internal conversations with yourself. Like on one hand, when Kris Kristofferson tells you that you were born to be a songwriter, that's amazing. At the same time, like with any family business, did you feel like there was ever even a choice? I'm so grateful that he gave me that inspiration because it lit a fire. And I had the confidence to say, 'OK, put my head down, ignore everything anyone else is saying and just work, and I think I have some sort of innate understanding of this songwriting thing that I can actually nurture.' I'm really grateful to that 11-year-old boy who understood that the time that he put in then would pay off now. And it has. It was about just closing my ears to any of the chatter and playing guitar eight hours a day and through the night, much to the chagrin of my mother, and just obsessing over songwriting, not giving a crap about parties in high school. I never had one sip of a beer until I was in college. I just focused. The greatest part about being the son of my father, and of my mother [Annie D'Angelo] too, was the inspiration and support. Like Colonel Tom Parker seeing Elvis and saying, "I'm going to focus all of my efforts on that man," he invested and made him a star. So somebody has to champion you, and I was lucky to have that growing up. Yeah, it's a double-edged sword. Say you have no industry connections and want to make it as an artist, you're going to need someone to take a chance on you. Meanwhile, as you've described, say you do come from a family with every connection—someone will still have to personally vouch for you, because people will make assumptions. Now I've gotten to this place where I think I'm clear-headed enough to understand how to talk about it. I didn't really know how to describe what I was feeling. I was in my Beatles Hamburg days—just playing show after show after show. And when people would ask me [about my father], I'd be like, 'I don't even have time to answer that. Ask me about my record.' You know what I mean? I love my dad and he's a good man, and I love my mom and she's a good woman. And my brother and sisters. It's a good family. I'm lucky. Not because he's a successful musician, because he's a good person and a kind person and is in touch with his empathy. That's what I'm most grateful for. How did you end up settling on the album name American Romance? The title came from the song, [which is] like a portrait. This whole album is a bunch of different chapters, kind of in a John Steinbeck Travels With Charley, memoir-like [way] about different moments that shaped me growing up in this country that raised me. The loves and the losses and the heartache, and then the elation. There were moments where I've spent Thanksgiving dinners at a truck stop having the turkey special, and then having the kindly waitress feel bad for me, although she was working too. It's the Walmart parking lots. It's the sirens at night, the rendezvous in the night. There's a thousand different stories I have in hundreds of hours of travel, but I tried to just put it into an album of 13 songs. At the same time, it's an album about the future. I've got a song called 'Pretty Much' that talks about how I envision the hour of my death and what I hope is in store for me in terms of love and relationships. I'd love to be surrounded by my family and them desperately wanting all the information about how I met the love of my life, who's right there beside me, and telling all the different stories about when I fell in love. It's about the future and the past and the present. You split your time between Nashville and Hawaii now, and between Hawaii and Texas when you were growing up. When people ask, where do you say you're from? I was raised by America, by the United States. The roads raised me. I may have been born in Texas, and I spent some time there. I spent some time in Hawaii. But most of my life was spent on the road growing up from Walmart parking lot to motel, to hotel to diner to stage. It's easier almost to say the greater United States than it is to say anywhere in specific. Country music has such a legacy of storytelling about America, encapsulating the good, the bad, the mundane. But 2025 is such a unique time to release a body of work about the country, seeing as the country itself has rarely been more divided. As someone who has traveled it so extensively, what are some commonalities that you think everybody living in the U.S. still shares? That's a great question. I believe that we all share the heart. There's a song I have called 'Turn Off the News (Build a Garden).' 'I believe that every heart is kind, some are just a little underused' is the first line. I think that when we can connect with our hearts, we can open up empathy inside of ourselves. Now, there are exceptions to the rule. Obviously some people are sociopathic. So barring that, I feel like music has the power to cut through the mind and reach the heart. What we can all relate to is suffering in love and relationships and heartbreak. Those things are really universal. My belief is that I can change people's minds more by doing what I do than by standing and making statements. I can put it in my music. I believe that strongly, and I've seen it work. There's a guy named Daryl Davis who is a Black musician, and he has converted over 200 Klansmen, to the point where they give him their hoods because he sat there and talked to them. This guy has some balls. He somehow reached their hearts. I think the only way to change people's minds, if they have hatred, is to try and reach their hearts. I don't think calling them a monster will do it. Some people are beyond changing, I understand that. But music has the power to open up hearts. I know I'm good at one thing, and I do it. I am not a politician. I have friends that span the aisles, as they say. But kindness and compassion are where I try to live from. I look at someone who's suffering, and I always believe in helping that person out. I'm a disciple of Dolly Parton, let's just say.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lukas Nelson to Perform Songs From His New Album ‘American Romance' With Livestream Set
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. Just a few days before he drops his new solo studio project, American Romance, Lukas Nelson will commemorate the release by performing tracks from the LP during an upcoming TalkShopLive by Rolling Stone senior music editor Joseph Hudak, Nelson will walk fans through the process of writing his new album, which was produced by Shooter Jennings and features collaborations with everyone from Americana star Sierra Ferrell to country singer-songwriter Anderson East, with a stream hosted on platform TalkShopLive. Nelson is expected to play two tracks from American Romance, including the album's title song and 'You Were It' during the event. More from Rolling Stone Airbnb Kicks Off New Lollapalooza Experiences, From Private Sets to Backstage Tours These Best-Selling Sony Headphones Are Only $11. Seriously. NBA Finals Tickets: How to Get Last-Minute Thunder vs. Pacers Stubs Online Fans will also have the chance to pick up autographed copies of Nelson's new LP on CD and vinyl during the TalkShopLive stream. Nelson's TalkShopLive event will be simulcast on Rolling Stone, including the livestream below, on June 16, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. 'This album is the first chapter in a whole new era of my life as an artist,' says Nelson in a statement. 'It's a love story to the country that raised me. Diners and highways that carried me through the joy and pain that led to the music you hear now.' Following the release of American Romance, Nelson is set to tour the country this summer, including stops at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Wildlands Festival in Big Sky, Montana; along with the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival in Alya, Wyoming, in August. Best of Rolling Stone The Best Audiophile Turntables for Your Home Audio System
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pop Mart's Perpetually Sold-Out Monsters Make a Comeback: Here's When and Where to Buy the New Labubu ‘Wacky Mart' Collection Online
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. The Labubu craze has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon — in fact, these little monsters (not the Gaga kind) are heading to the market with a brand new collection dropping this week. More from Rolling Stone Amazon's Notebook-Style Kindle Scribe Is Down to Its Lowest Price Ever - But Only for a Limited Time Lukas Nelson to Perform Songs From His New Album 'American Romance' With Livestream Set Airbnb Kicks Off New Lollapalooza Experiences, From Private Sets to Backstage Tours If you've been wanting to get into collecting these celebrity-loved bag charms, a new drop of Pop Mart's already sold-out Wacky Mart Monsters collection is arriving on Kicks Crew on Friday, June 13, at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET. This convenience store-inspired edition features 12 new figurines, sold in guaranteed authenticated blind boxes. The newest Labubus include Cup Noodles, Salad, Yakitori, Chow Mein, Sandwich, Chips, Corn, Milk, Canned Sardines, or Onigiri. The most highly coveted of all is the Microwave Oven Secret Edition, a rare gem with a super slim chance of pulling it — only 1 in 144 boxes (but you can buy a case of all 12 sealed boxes just in case). NEW DROP $19.99+ Buy Now on kicks crew ► Use exclusive promo code ROLLINGSTONE5 for $5 off $60 Labubu orders. The Labubu Monsters usually retail for $19.99 at Pop Mart, but beware that prices on this collection may vary based on increased demand (of which there is a lot of) on resale sites. If all else fails, you can head to one of Pop Mart's 20 brick-and-mortar locations in the U.S. (although the company plans to expand to 200 or more Stateside spots in the coming years, according to Modern Retail). But to sweeten the deal, RS readers can use the exclusive promo code ROLLINGSTONE5 to get $5 off a minimum purchase of $60 in Labubu. Individual push keychains from recent collections like 'Tasty Macarons' and 'Big Into Energy' already start around $50, so it's not too difficult to score this deal. Stars like Blackpink's Lisa, Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian and even Love Island USA's Leah Kateb have been spotted with the collectibles brand's plush figurines on their bags, which are based on Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung's 'The Monsters' book series for children that was 'inspired by Nordic mythology.' Kicks Crew describes this latest whimsical lineup with 'Labubu reimagined as quirky, food-themed characters— like fluffy shrimp tempura, corn-on-the-cob, and a sardine in a can — each bursting with charm and personality.' SHOP LABUBU WACKY MART SERIES ON KICKS CREW Thanks to limited-edition drops of Labubu lines like these (and their sister dolls, Crybabies) from Pop Mart, the figurines continue to sell out in record time, to the point where they've become the unexpected breakout star of Kicks Crew. According to the site, they've seen a staggering 346% increase in Labubu figures and keychains sold from March to May 2025. For being in such high demand (and the random nature of the blind boxes they're sold in), they're even outperforming footwear brands, with sales of Nike and Adidas dropping by 7 to 8% and Jordans rising only by 7%, 'All dwarfed by Labubu's explosive trajectory,' the company reports in a blog post. Check out the new Labubu Monsters 'Wacky Mart' series below, and shop the sold-out Pop Mart collection when it drops on Kicks Crew today at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET online here (and use promo code ROLLINGSTONE5 for $5 or more off). Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now ON KICKS CREW Buy Now ON KICKS CREW Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew Buy Now on kicks crew $474.81 Buy Now on Kicks Crew Best of Rolling Stone The Best Audiophile Turntables for Your Home Audio System
