One of my favourite things about being a blogger is opening my email. I know – it sounds strange, and most people dread this moment.
I look forward to it every day because there is always something interesting waiting for me there. Better yet, if that is someone worthwhile pitching their new music to me.
Such is the case of Lucy Francesca Dron.
But let’s start with the basics.
Lucy Francesca Dron is a singer/songwriter and guitarist from Brisbane who grew up in a family of musicians. She dubs herself “an introspective artist who revels rather than retreats from the pathos of life”. We rarely see this approach in a world programmed for never-ending hedonism and the constant search for new excitements to numb the feeling of boredom.
When she was heaps young, she started studying classical cello and contemporary voice. Using her grandparents’ garage as a make-shift studio in her teenage years, she began recording lo-fi covers of her favourite indie and alternative artists. She’s attracted quite a following by posting them to YouTube later on.
The artist graduated from the Music Industry College (MIC), where she began writing songs. It’s also there where her first-ever EP, Eloqium, was recorded and produced by her music teacher, Charles Duggan.
Since then, things have only been going in the upward direction. Lucy started gigging regularly around Brisbane, becoming a staple of the local scene. She’s already performed at the city’s most popular music venues, including The Foundry, The Milk Factory, or Black Bear Lodge.
In 2018, she began playing with Abbie Chadiarchi or Tex Keane on drums and her brother Tom Dron on bass. So far, they’ve supported acts like Hope D and The Delta Riggs.
The artist’s style is impossible to classify within just one genre. It’s an eclectic fusion of post-punk, psychedelia, neo-soul, and indie rock infused with echoes of jazz and “packed with an emotional punch”. That last part shines through in the lyrics that come across as raw, honest, and authentic. No wonder. One of the singers Lucy has looked up to since she was 19 is Amy Winehouse.
Declan Byrne from triple j nailed the description of experiencing Lucy’s sound. He said, “…you know when you watch someone dance and, in your head, you’re like, ‘Oh yep, I’d never be able to do that’ and ‘How did they think to do that move’. This is the sonic equivalent as you veer around in this free form, psych, jazz world, and I’m just here watching in awe.”
So far, the artist has released a few singles and an EP, Leftovers. Her previous songs have scored plays on triple j and MTV. She’s also been a fairly frequent guest on the local community radio in Brisbane, the 4ZZZ.
The new track “Last Breath” dropped on 25 March. It’s the first release this year. And it undoubtedly hints at a new direction for the songstress, where the “architecture of sound enters a new expansive era”.
The word “expanse” is key here. It perfectly fits the meticulously controlled vocals and artful tempo. At the same time, it lends itself to the deep-cutting philosophical ponder that is “Last Breath” in the lyrical layer. Ultimately, as the title suggests, it is a song that “explores the possibility of life after death and the experience that comes with facing this question”.
Compared to the muso’s previous records, this one is less up-tempo and more nostalgia-driven. Lucy’s signature jazzy style weaves through the whole song. But the build-up this time feels more structured and thought-out.
The song starts almost like a lullaby. And it maintains this dreamy/flowy vibe until the end. Even despite much more complex sonic layers added one by one throughout the track.
The song’s ending also introduces a dash of intrigue. It’s almost as if the singer posed an unspoken question with her vocal ornament. And we are condemned to wait for the next chapter of her musical journey to find out what that means.
So I do hope that this track is not Lucy Francesca Dron’s “Last Breath” as an artist. And I’m glad her new music landed in my inbox.
Listen to the new single here:
Lucy Francesca Dron, “Last Breath”, 4 min 25 secs
Released: 25 March 2022
Recorded and produced by Cameron Bower and Cody McWaters
Mixed and Mastered by Nick Herrera
Guitars, Vocals and Cello by Lucy Francesca Dron
Drums by Tex Keane
Bass by Tom Dron
Written by Lucy Francesca Dron
Cover photo: image supplied
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