Sheffield-based singer-songwriter Lucy Knight is an up-and-coming performer, making a name with her emotionally driven music. Her latest release, ‘Seasons’, showcases her growth as both an artist and a storyteller. Lucy offers a unique perspective on both the personal and creative process. In this feature, we explore her writing process, the making of ‘Seasons’, and her creative path, which has allowed her to collaborate with a tight-knit group of musicians.
Whilst ‘Seasons’ is the main thrust of the release, it also includes ‘Cherry Pick’, a track Lucy wrote first, having come from a burst of creativity in her bedroom: “ I wrote it in my bedroom, in a wave of feelings. I didn’t really intend to be something I released, but I think that’s part of it’s charm.”
‘Seasons’ came later, written during the summer of 2024. Both songs came to life during an unexpected series of events that began when Knight played an acoustic set on a friend’s radio station. “Her mum, who works at a festival, heard the songs and recommended me,” Lucy says. This connection led to an invitation to perform at Lakefest, a renowned local festival in Ledbury, Herefordshire.
Lucy ended up performing with John and Leah, from the Cheltenham band Sophie and the Sticks. They had never met before, but as musicians, they were able to combine their talents.
“I didn’t know John and Leah from Sophie and the Sticks very well at first, but once we started playing together, we just clicked,” Lucy recalls. “They’re incredible musicians, and I’m so grateful for their involvement.”
Whilst preparing for this unique performance with John and Leah, Lucy decided it would be the perfect opportunity to assemble a full band to play with her on stage in the future, moving beyond her usual solo guitar setup. Lucy realised that having a band brought her music to another level playing live and wanted to keep this going in the studio when she was recording.
“We went into the studio one day and recorded both songs,” she recalls. “We didn’t over-engineer anything, just letting the musicians feel it out. It felt so right.”
When discussing Knight’s experience of writing ‘Seasons’ and creating a music video, it was great to hear her reflections on this.
The music video for ‘Seasons’ adds another level to her overall creative process. The concept for the video was sparked during a spontaneous encounter at a house party in Sheffield. There, she connected with a mutual friend, who happened to have a lot of experience in film creation. What began as a drunken conversation about making a music video turned into a full-on collaborative project.
“After a week, I texted him and asked if he really wanted to do it. He said yes, and the whole thing came together pretty naturally after that,” Lucy explains. The filming process was intense, taking place over one weekend in Sheffield, with Lucy and Ewan co-directing the project. Another music friend Toby, who had also written the bassline for ‘Seasons’ also appeared in the video as Lucy’s co-star!
The filming schedule involved visiting several locations around the city, each chosen to reflect the point in the music video. The most memorable scene involved Lucy plunging into the icy waters of an open river in November. “We saved the river shot for the last day, and I was nervous because of the cold, but it turned out to be so exhilarating” Lucy recalls. “It was the perfect way to end the weekend.”
When it comes to her songwriting process, Lucy admits that is has evolved overtime. “ I’ve been writing songs since I was 15, and initially, it was all about my personal experiences, letting it flow naturally,” she shares. “But over the years, I’ve tried to experiment with writing from different perspectives and experiences”
‘Seasons’ itself is an example of this evolution, after it was written during a creative burnout. “I was feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and creatively blocked. But in the end, I was glad I pushed myself to write something. Even though I didn’t love it at first, it ended up reflecting the exact feeling of being overwhelmed by life.”
Lucy is currently working on a new single called ‘Ants’, which is nearly finished. She hopes to officially release it soon. She is planning to record this new EP this March, which will feature three new songs she’s written over the past few months.
When asked about dream collaborations, Knight doesn’t hesitate. “Adrianne Lenker, Alice Phoebe Lou, are huge influences for me. If I could collaborate with any of them, that would be incredible,” she says. “Alice Phoebe Lou, in particular, has such beautiful instrumentation in her songs, and I would love to bring that into my own music.”
From writing deeply personal songs in her bedroom to collaborating with talented musicians, her music reflects her emotional honesty and desire to connect with others.
You can check out her music here:
words by: Katie Storrie
Featured image courtesy of Lucy Knight. No changes have been made to these images