Lailah Lancing has witnessed NYC nightlife’s evolution firsthand, crafting her artistry through decades of authentic self-expression. In this interview, she opens up about iconic clubs, creative resilience, and the emotional layers behind her new single “nude” via M13 Music.
1. Lailah, you’ve been in NYC nightlife since the ’90s – what’s the one venue that no longer exists that you wish you could play your new single “nude”?
I have been around a bit lol… If any club could play it, it would be LIMELIGHT, my home away from home. The nights spent running around like a kid in a candy store were priceless! It was a special, magical place. I heard so many songs that I still love and listen to today at the Limelight.
My 2nd pick would be Roxy… it would be awesome to see folks roller skating to “nude!”
2. How does today’s NYC nightlife surprise you compared to when you were first coming up?
It’s so different. I think the phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” was our motto! Things are more accessible to young people today, so we had to get really crafty! Hot glue, duct tape, and safety pins were our best friends.
YouTube and Amazon didn’t exist…we had to use our noggins! I love that my generation was the template for what’s going on today. They take inspiration from us, just like we took inspiration from the older generation.
3. Every artist has defining moments — was there a tough chapter in your creative life that helped shape the artist you are today?
I think my transition was something that most definitely shaped the artist I am. In my youth, drag was the outlet to the “real me.” I was pretty quiet and reserved in public (of course, I was ME around my friends), transitioning allowed me to tap into who I was and enabled me to be my authentic self 24/7… and from that LAILAH LANCING was born!
4. Before hitting the stage, is there something unique you do to get focused or energized?
I don’t know how unique it is, but I just revel in the joy! I don’t get stage fright or nerves… I get anxiety, but the good kind… It’s like a shot of adrenaline. I do an internal hype up… then boom… shoot me out of a cannon onto the stage!
Unless you’ve experienced it, it’s hard to explain, but it’s such a euphoric rush! I think I may be addicted to that high!
5. Performing live, you get instant gratification from the audience, but with a single, you’re putting it out into the void. How are you handling that mind shift?
I’ve always heard people say this, and I know it’s true. It’s like giving birth. It’s something that you’ve taken time with, and cultivated, and then you deliver it to the world, and you wait to see how they treat it because everybody wants their child to be special, and loved, and this is exactly the same feeling.
It’s such a great feeling when it plays, and you see a smile creep up on someone’s face where they’re kind of drinking in that joy, and then when it’s finished, they tell you how much they liked it, and you know it’s genuine because you see it on their face. It’s very different than instant gratification, but it’s just as fulfilling, because you know they’ve heard and understood the message that you’re conveying with your music.
At the end of the day, I just wanna make music that makes people happy and elicits joy.
6. How did it feel to shift from the energy of live crowds to the quieter, more intimate process of recording your own vocals in the studio?
I’ve always been comfortable with that shift because this isn’t my first endeavor in a studio. I’ve done backup vocals for other artists (and have even created some other non-released content), so I think I’ve learned to appreciate both types of performance, whether it’s in a sound booth in a studio or on a stage.
Very different processes, but I think they’re equally as fulfilling. They just hit differently. I think the best part about being on stage is, like you said it’s that instant gratification, and applause and adulation, but in the recording booth, it’s great because if you do something you don’t quite like you can always go back and redo it and make it closer to your vision.
You don’t get that second shot on stage, but I love them equally, and I hope there’s much more of both in my future.
7. When you finally heard the finished version of “nude,” what stood out to you the most?
It was great hearing the sentiments that were in my head that had been put down in dribs and drabs on paper culminate into one cohesive thought. It went from me spitting out adjectives, nouns, and emotions to telling a cohesive story that reflected the way that I felt.
The title of the song seems a bit misleading, and the chorus is definitely metaphorical. The “nude” that I’m talking about is being emotionally nude. The feeling when you strip away all the superficial stuff that doesn’t matter, and you just get to focus on who you are at your core.
Having people connect with that message is amazing. Letting all the inner components that make up who you are be revealed to the world and not caring about anyone’s approval! Just sitting in the essence of you and being good with that feeling.
8. What made you choose the title “nude,” and where did the inspiration for the lyrics come from?
Being nude is associated with being in a vulnerable state, and so many of us are, or feel vulnerable about, so much of our lives. We all have things that we maybe don’t want the world to know about us, because maybe they won’t understand, maybe they’ll judge us, maybe they won’t like us.
“nude” is about stripping the layers that we use as protection and saying HEY! This is who I am. I love me, I accept all the parts of me… even if you don’t! One of my favorite lines of the song is the Bridge, “ I wear my heart on my sleeve. I live as I believe. There’s no mistake. It’s so good when I’m taking…off all my clothes.” Living as authentically as possible feels amazing!
9. If you had to sum up Lailah Lancing’s sound in five words, what would they be?
Fun, fresh, retro, smooth, and exciting.
10. After this release with M13 Music, are you already thinking about new music or projects coming up?
Another single is in the works, and maybe some remixes. I have so much to say and share with the world. Stay tuned.
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Hi, I’m Erick Ycaza — a music blogger with a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. I created this blog to keep you updated with daily music news. Surprisingly, I’ve been writing about music since 2007. If you’re an artist and would like to be featured, feel free to reach out: info@electrowow.net
