Lucky Daye on Creating His New Album ‘Aloud’ and Collaborating With Pusha T and Muni Long: ‘It’s About the Magic’

Ahead of the release of “Aloud,” out today, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is settling into a new label home at Warner Records, working with a wider circle of collaborators and taking more control of his creative process. Even his look signals a shift: When Variety meets him for lunch at Nobu in Atlanta, his hair is styled into a bold, sculptural frohawk that he’s described as part of the album’s new era. The day before, on the set of the video for “Knockin,” his collaboration with Muni Long and the Black punk band Paradox, that era was taking shape in real time.

Two of his managers are on set, along with his chief of staff and Susan “Susy” Oludele, the celebrated natural hair artist responsible for Daye’s evolving look. They’re part of a larger creative ecosystem that, notably, includes a team of predominantly Black women. Daye says being surrounded by them makes him “very, very happy.” “I feel nurtured,” he says, quickly making clear the relationship works both ways.

It’s not one of them fake teams.” That sense of support has extended to Warner. Daye had already begun “Aloud” before signing with the label, but when asked how the new deal affected the album, he doesn’t hesitate: “Every feature.” He credits the label with taking “a huge load” off him and his management team while helping facilitate an eclectic guest list that includes Leon Thomas, Pusha T and Akeem Ali. Still, Daye insists the machinery around the music isn’t what drives it.

It’s not about the money,” he says. He calls himself “Lucky 2.0” — more sensitive to love, compassion and his own feelings, more willing to say what he’s thinking and, perhaps most significantly, less interested in making music rooted in pain. Then you got like.. cadences on verses, which I love, and a simple concept.

The concept of the album – direct concepts and drums, punchlines, ’cause I’m gonna bar things up, so I got to punchline it. But it’s just an infectious melody that I want. I want everybody to just feel.

In my mind, the world forgets fast. So I wanted to create quick commercial breaks to throw them off a little bit. The name of the album is to be “Aloud,” is to be confident, to be happy.