Luchi’s Songwriting Process Step By Step: Making “The Other Guy”

Every song tells a story, and the best ones tackle matters of the heart! Explore Luchi’s songwriting process step by step, focusing on the creation of his newest Pop anthem, “The Other Guy,” in this interview.

From initial inspiration to its overall narrative, Luchi shares his insights that shaped this catchy track addressing infidelity in a gay relationship.

1 – What is the first step you take when starting to write a new song?

It really varies every time. A lot of the time it’s a concept or idea that pops into my head like a lyrical idea or a melody and then I build from there. Most of the time, I write about what is going on in my life so that’s usually where the inspiration starts, so if it’s falling in love, out of love, or a situation with a friend, I find once I get the idea started, it all comes together quite quickly and easily because I am in that headspace already.

2 – Once you identified the first step, how did you develop the concept for “The Other Guy”? Can you walk us through your thought process?

It was literally just all I wanted to say to him and my realisations of the red flags I had missed. I just wrote everything down that I would say and played with the idea of the comparisons of what he was giving to the other guy and not to me. The song had to build for me from being emotional and vulnerable to strong by the end of knowing that you weren’t going to take this anymore and knowing your own worth. That’s why each chorus builds and the ad-libs at the end are me singing go as the song starts more soft and like it’s been your fault, to the second verse of realising that you were played and there was a darker side to this person and then ending on the realisation that you have to go. I like to take my listeners on a journey through the song and that was my aim for this song.

3 – After establishing the concept, how do you go about writing the lyrics? Are there techniques you find particularly helpful?

I think because I am already in the headspace of what I am writing about, the lyrical content comes quite easily. A lot of the time it’s what I would say to the person and I like to make my songs quite conversational. I will usually brainstorm and write down a load of lines and things that I want to say and then kind of piece them together while singing in an order that makes sense and sometimes I’ll try and word something in a unique way to make it stand out more.

I’d say just getting all the ideas down instead of doing it line by line works better for me and then like a jigsaw you piece each part in where it works and move things around to tell the story the best way you can. Also for me, having a strong opening line that intrigues people is really important as you want people to want to listen to find out more.

4 – Did something happen in your life that pushed you to write “The Other Guy”?

As I said before, most of my songs come from real-life experiences so this one is no different. I was dating someone who was what I would describe as a commitmentphobe, just scared of committing and really just wanted to have me there to gratify their own ego. I know what I bring to a relationship and this person liked the idea of me I think but not the reality of actually having a relationship so after a few months and me wanting to have the chat about where it was going, he said that he didn’t do labels but he liked me and that was all we had to go on. He
told me all these deeply personal stories, basically love bombing me and then I started to question things as he was secretive with his phone and I later found out he was on a dating app and meeting up with other people but lying to me about it. I’m not someone who could cheat and I have respect for myself not to be played with, I will be upfront and honest with someone and I expect the same back so that was what led me to ending the relationship and writing the song.

5 – Can infidelity ever be justified, and how does that view shape the narrative in the track?

To me, trust is the most important part of a relationship, without it what is the point. If you’re in an open relationship and both parties agree then that is different but if you are hiding it from your partner then I don’t think it’s justified. If you have to lie about something, there’s an element of shame involved so just be upfront and honest. When you are playing with people’s emotions and you’re claiming to care about the person, then why would you want to hurt them?

6 – How do you think songs about infidelity like yours impact listeners’ views on trust and relationships?

I guess that it’s a common occurrence so I don’t necessarily think it will change people’s views on cheating but a lot of the time we get songs from the female perspective on cheating and that kind of anthemic break-up song so this is a slightly different take from a male perspective and also a gay perspective. If you’re having to check up on your partner and don’t feel secure, then you have to question whether that’s the right relationship for you. The person I am with now is very open with me about things and it is much better to be able to talk about things and
trust each other so I would say there is hope but also you have to find the right person for you.

7 – How do you maintain a sense of authenticity in your music while aiming for commercial success?

To be honest, I get asked this a lot and for me, I don’t aim for commercial success. Yes, my music is Pop but that’s because that’s the genre I love and feel most comfortable in but I always will write and release what is authentic to me because chasing the current trend or a TikTok viral hit, that’s not going to work in the long run in my opinion. I want to create music that people will still listen to and enjoy long after I’m gone and I feel that the best songs are the ones you can tell come from authenticity. So to answer the question, it’s pretty easy because all I know how to do is be authentic, what you see is what you get with me.

8 – What challenges did you face during the creative process for “The Other Guy”?

I guess the main thing for me was how we were going to make the song into an anthem. There was a lot of work that went into the production from the backing vocals to ad-libs to create a chorus that really lifts you up and I wanted it to be something that people could sing along with. This kind of song could have taken many directions because it could have been more melancholy, and sad vibes but I wanted it to be empowering and a song about finding your worth because that was the situation for me.

So there weren’t necessarily any challenges but me and my producer Chris Stagg took our time to make sure that we did the song justice and thought about every detail to make sure that it was one of those infectious Pop anthems that people could sing at the top of their lungs in the car.

9 – When did you figure out your new single was good to go for release?

When we were in the studio, when people would come in and hear the track, by the second chorus, they were already humming along and that was a sign that we were onto something, and then when I played it for people around me, it was the same so I knew it was something special. I think the post-chorus hook, the “I don’t wanna be” part is a bit of an earworm and I’ve had people singing it back to me which is fun.

To be honest, when I first wrote it, it was intended to be a track on an EP I was working on but when we finished it, I just thought that it deserved its moment as a stand-alone single. I think it is also a nice follow on from my past two singles “Like This” and “Web Of Lies” as I feel it’s showing my versatility as a Pop artist and a different side to my ballads, which don’t get me wrong, I love doing but it’s nice to switch it up from time to time.

10 – Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring songwriters about finding their method for crafting music?

I’d say just do what comes natural to you. Find your authentic voice and tell your story. I always say we may have different experiences in life, but we all feel the same emotions at the end of it so try to hone in on that. Feelings over facts. Also don’t get hung up on trends in music, they come and go so just make music that feels authentic to you and that you love.

Be honest and vulnerable as that’s what connects people to you and you’ll know what feels right for you in your gut. Trust me, I’ve been in board rooms with people trying to mould me and it takes the real out of it all. And also just do it, create music even if no one hears the early stuff, experiment, be creative, see what you enjoy and works best for your style. I have loads of demos in the vault of all sorts of different vibes and genres that will probably never see the light of day but the more you do it, the better you’ll get and you’ll learn.

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