Lucy Dacus
Lucy Dacus | |
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![]() Dacus in Seattle, Washington in October 2019 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Lucy Elizabeth Dacus[1] |
Born | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. | May 2, 1995
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2015–present |
Labels | Matador |
Associated acts | boygenius |
Website | lucydacus |
Lucy Elizabeth Dacus (born May 2, 1995) is an American singer-songwriter and producer from Richmond, Virginia.[2][3] She has released three critically acclaimed albums: No Burden (2016), Historian (2018) and Home Video (2021). In 2018, she formed boygenius with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker.
Early life[]
Dacus grew up in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia.[4] She graduated from Maggie L. Walker Governor's School and began studying film at Virginia Commonwealth University but left to pursue her music career.[5]
Career[]
Dacus first performed in New York City in March 2015.[6] Her first single, "I Don't Wanna Be Funny Anymore," premiered in November 2015. Her debut album, "No Burden," was produced in Nashville by her hometown friends, Berklee College of Music graduate Collin Pastore and Oberlin Conservatory of Music graduate Jacob Blizard, and was originally released digitally on CD, and on vinyl via Richmond's EggHunt Records on February 26, 2016. "No Burden" was engineered and mixed by Collin Pastore.[7][8] Dacus was then signed to Matador Records, who re-released the album on September 9, 2016.[9][10][11] In the same year she performed at Lollapalooza, in Chicago's Grant Park and made her national television debut on CBS This Morning.[12] She recorded a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR the same weekend.[13] In October 2016 she played the London Calling festival in Amsterdam, as a replacement for The Duke Spirit, who were forced to cancel.[14]
Dacus's second album, entitled Historian, was released on March 2, 2018.[15] Like its predecessor, it was met with widespread critical acclaim. Writing for Pitchfork, Sasha Gessen praised its nuance and sensitivity: "It’s not an easy album to wear out. It lasts, and it should, given that so many of its lyrics pick at time, and the way time condenses around deep emotional attachments to other people." Rolling Stone rated the album 4/5 stars, as did NME. Historian, like No Burden, was recorded in Nashville, at Trace Horse Studio, in a similar collaborative effort by Lucy Dacus, Jacob Blizard, and Collin Pastore.
In September 2016, Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Kaine stated in an interview that Dacus was a "new favorite."[16][17] In a 2019 interview, Dacus revealed that she had attended kindergarten with Kaine's daughter and that she considers him to be an old family friend.[18]
In 2018, Dacus, along with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, formed the group Boygenius. They released three songs in August 2018 and subsequently announced an EP and tour.[19] The EP, titled boygenius, came out on October 26, 2018.
To coincide with Valentine's Day 2019, Dacus released a cover of "La Vie en rose", the first in a planned series of songs commemorating major holidays.[20]
In 2021, Dacus announced her third album, titled Home Video, which was released on June 25.[21] She performed one of the album's singles "Hot & Heavy" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on April 13.[22]
Activism[]
After Texas' new abortion law went into effect on Wednesday, September 1 2021, Dacus announced on Twitter that all the money she makes at her upcoming shows in Texas "will be going towards abortion funds." She also informed her fans to bring extra money to her Houston and San Antonio shows for the donation to the abortion funds.[23]
Personal life[]
Dacus is friends with singer-songwriter and fellow Matador signee Julien Baker, for whom she has opened several times following their first show together in Washington, DC. She was raised Christian. She describes herself as queer, and that the word closest to her sexuality is pansexual.[24]
Discography[]
Lucy Dacus discography | |
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Studio albums | 3 |
EPs | 2 |
Singles | 19 |
Studio albums[]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [25] |
US Alt [26] |
US Rock [27] |
UK [28] |
UK Indie [29] | ||
No Burden | — | — | ― | ― | ― | |
Historian |
|
— | — | ― | ― | 39 |
Home Video |
|
104 | 9 | 16 | 85 | 8 |
Extended plays[]
Title | EP details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
US Heat [30] | ||
Lucy Dacus on Audiotree Live |
|
― |
2019 |
|
22 |
Singles[]
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US AAA [31] |
MEX Airplay [32] | |||
"I Don't Wanna Be Funny Anymore" | 2015 | — | — | No Burden |
"Strange Torpedos" | 2016 | — | — | |
"Night Shift" | 2017 | — | — | Historian |
"Addictions" | 2018 | — | 48 | |
"Next of Kin" | — | — | ||
"La Vie en Rose" | 2019 | — | — | 2019 |
"My Mother & I" | — | — | ||
"Forever Half Mast" | — | — | ||
"Dancing in the Dark" | — | — | ||
"In the Air Tonight" | — | — | ||
"Last Christmas" | — | — | ||
"Fool's Gold" | — | — | ||
"Isabella" (with Hamilton Leithauser) |
2020 | — | — | Non-album single |
"Thumbs" | 2021 | — | — | Home Video |
"Hot & Heavy" | 24 | — | ||
"VBS" | — | — | ||
"Brando" | 13 | — | ||
"Going Going Gone" | — | — |
Other appearances[]
Year | Song | Album | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | "Lips of an Angel" | Save Stereogum: An '00s Covers Comp[33] | Hinder cover |
Guest appearances[]
Title | Year | Other artists | Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Isabella" | 2020 | Hamilton Leithauser | The Loves of Your Life |
"Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris" | Hayley Williams | Petals for Armor | |
"Graceland Too" | Phoebe Bridgers | Punisher | |
"I Know the End" | |||
"Favor" | 2021 | Julien Baker | Little Oblivions |
As part of Boygenius[]
- boygenius (2018)
- Boygenius (Demos) (2020)
Accolades[]
Year | Association | Category | Nominated Work | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Libera Awards | Best Breakthrough Artist/Release | Historian | Nominated | [34] |
References[]
- ^ "Songwriter/Composer: Dacus Lucy Elizabeth". BMI. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
- ^ "10 New Artists You Need to Know". Rolling Stone. January 25, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ "Discovery: Lucy Dacus". Interview Magazine. April 26, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
- ^ Halthcoat, Rebecca (March 2, 2018). "Lucy Dacus Is Paranoid, In Pain, and Writing Great Indie Songs By Accident". Noisey. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- ^ Scott, Nate (June 23, 2016). "New Matador signing Lucy Dacus talks her startling debut LP (and why we all need to go to Croatia)". USA Today. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Hughes, Hilary (September 13, 2016). "The On-the-Road Education of Lucy Dacus". The Record: Music News. NPR. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Langford, Hilary (February 16, 2016). "After Hype from Rolling Stone and NPR, Richmond Musician Lucy Dacus Keeps it Humble". styleweekly.com. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- ^ Murray, Robin (November 25, 2016). "In Conversation: Lucy Dacus". Clash. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ "Lucy Dacus: No Burden". Allmusic. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (August 10, 2016). "Lucy Dacus is the Author of Her Own Story". MTV.com. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- ^ Berman, Judy (August 8, 2016). "Lucy Dacus On What It's Like to Have 20 Record Labels Fight Over You". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ "Saturday Sessions: Lucy Dacus performs 'I Don't Wanna Be Funny Anymore'". CBS News. July 30, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Boilen, Bob (July 29, 2016). "Tiny Desk: Lucy Dacus". NPR.org. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ "The Duke Spirit Moet Annuleren, Lucy Ducas Is De Vervanger". londoncalling.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Waite, Kelsey J.; Gerardi, Matt; McLevy, Alex; Anthony, David; Erickson, Steve (March 2, 2018). "The Breeders, Camp Cope, and more albums to know about this week". avclub.com. AV Club. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- ^ Guilbault, Kristy (September 19, 2016). "Tim Kaine Says Lucy Dacus is One of His Favorite Artists in New York Times Opinion Column". Paste. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Murphy, Kate (September 17, 2016). "Tim Kaine". The New York Times. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Webb, Dan (February 12, 2019). "Lucy Dacus talks religion and politics". Sungenre. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
- ^ Rincón, Alessandra (August 21, 2018). "Julian Baker, Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers Form Boygenius, Release Three Singles From EP: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
- ^ "Lucy Dacus Covers An Edith Piaf Classic And Pays Homage To Love". Npr.org. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ "Lucy Dacus Announces Album and Tour, Shares Video for New Song "Hot & Heavy": Watch". Pitchfork.com. April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ "Lucy Dacus Plays A Luminous "Hot & Heavy" On 'Colbert': Watch". Stereogum.com. April 14, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ Mamo, Heran (September 2, 2021). "Lucy Dacus Says All Proceeds From Her Texas Concerts Will Go Toward Abortion Funds". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
- ^ Haithcoat, Rebecca. "Lucy Dacus Is Paranoid, In Pain, and Writing Great Indie Songs By Accident". VICE. VICE. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
- ^ @billboardcharts (July 6, 2021). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (2/2)..." (Tweet). Retrieved July 7, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Alternative Albums - July 10, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "Top Rock Albums - July 10, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "Lucy Dacus | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Peaks on the UK Independent Albums Chart:
- Historian: "Official Independent albums chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- Home Video: "Official Independent albums chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ "Heatseekers Albums: November 23, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ Peaks on the Adult Alternative Songs chart:
- "Hot & Heavy": "Adult Alternative Airplay Chart". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
- "Brando": "Adult Alternative Airplay Chart". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- ^ "Mexico Ingles Airplay: April 14, 2018". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "Various - Save Stereogum: An '00s Covers Comp". Discogs. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ "A2IM Announces 2019 Libera Award Nominees". Broadway World. March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
External links[]
- Living people
- 1995 births
- American female singer-songwriters
- Musicians from Richmond, Virginia
- LGBT people from Virginia
- LGBT singers from the United States
- 21st-century American singers
- Queer women
- Boygenius members
- Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies alumni
- Feminist musicians