In Return to Berklee, Lucius Looks Back and Moves Forward From mood boards to live demos, the alumni band gave students an exclusive look at the process behind their new self-titled album, out May 2.
By
Tori Donahue
April 16, 2025
Berklee alumni band Lucius chat with Rodney Alejandro about the songwriting and production process behind their new record, Lucius.
Kelly Davidson
Berklee alumni band Lucius took a photo with students following a panel about the songwriting and production process behind their new record, Lucius.
Kelly Davidson
When Jess Wolfe BM '07, Holly Laessig BM '07, Dan Molad '04, and Peter Lalish '05 enrolled at Berklee in the mid-2000s, they couldn't have imagined what the next few years would hold. Wolfe and Laessig met through friends at the college, instantly connecting over their shared love of soul music and rock and roll. After graduation, the two moved to New York and, along with Molad and Lalish, formed Lucius to follow their musical dreams.
Lucius's indie-pop sound has left its mark on music festivals, television shows, films, and, most importantly, legions of dedicated fans around the world. Their collaborations with artists like the Killers, the War on Drugs, Brandi Carlile, Nathaniel Rateliff, Black Pumas, and others have propelled them across genres and sonic landscapes. Known for their signature harmonies, emotionally resonant lyrics, and innovative production, Lucius continues to captivate listeners, whether on vinyl or at an electrifying live show.
Earlier this month, members of the band returned to their alma mater for A Day with Lucius, meeting with students in Berklee's music business and music production majors to share stories, insights, and advice. The visit was made possible by the Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI), a program that gives students hands-on experience in the music industry by guiding them through the process of preparing, promoting, and performing at major music festivals alongside top artists.
The Release Strategy Behind Lucius A Day with Lucius kicked off with a morning panel focused on the album release strategy for their upcoming self-titled record, Lucius, set to drop on May 2. The band was joined by their management team, Ben Levin and Katie Lorenz, for a Q&A moderated by BPMI founder and professor emeritus Jeff Dorenfeld.
Wolfe and Laessig shared insights into the album's concept development, from mood boards and color schemes to merchandise and overall creative direction. They spoke about creating a visual world around themes like coming home and domesticity, using design to reflect the record's emotional core. The band also broke down their promotional strategy, explaining how fonts, colors, and logos are used consistently across advertising, performance, and merch.
We're a live band, Laessig said. We always sold merch at the shows and thought of merch as an extension of the stage. Levin and Lorenz discussed the creative collaborators behind the project, including longtime partner Tika Buchanan, who has worked with Lucius since their debut, and photographer Dana Trippe, a new addition the band had long hoped to work with.
Members of the band reflected on their creative evolution from Berklee to the present day. On the first record, we had nothing to compare it to-we wanted to get back to that a little bit with all the knowledge we have as artists and producers, Laessig said. We brought all of that back into this space of just the four of us. It felt nostalgic but grown. It's easy to talk about, which is a testament to its honesty.
Wolfe, Lorenz, and Levin covered a variety of topics addressed in student questions as the session wrapped up, including the budgeting process, selecting a lead single, and the importance of touring. While the band spends ample time performing on the road and at music festivals, Wolfe shared that we've learned how to say no when we have to in order to accommodate families and other creative projects.
Breaking Down the Songwriting and Production ProcessA Day with Lucius concluded with an afternoon panel at the Shames Family Scoring Stage, moderated by Rodney Alejandro, dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division. The session explored the songwriting and production process behind the band's upcoming album. The record features 11 tracks, each contributing to a cohesive sonic narrative that's reflected in the production choices.
We always have a narrative of describing each album sonically, said Lalish. This album was unique-before, Jess and Holly would write, and then we'd do production and demos. This time, a few songs started from scratch.
When asked about creative differences in the songwriting and production process, the members of Lucius praised one another with warmth and humility. Wolfe emphasized the strength of their longstanding relationship, noting how trust and clear communication around boundaries have been essential to their collaboration.
We all play instruments, so it's not about one person, said Lalish. My idea might be a stepping stone to get someone to their idea. We tend to work really well that way. Moland acknowledged that production can be a challenge, but added, you always make it to the other side.
The band then demonstrated the production and creative decision-making process behind their new single, Gold Rush. Molad played the original demo to highlight how the song evolved, showcasing the layered changes that helped shape its distinct sound. Each member reflected on the importance of experimentation in their creative work.
Everything is a stepping stone, said Lalish. When you work with people long enough that you show your work to them, they have ideas that will lead to the next thing, Laessig added. Wolfe walked students through
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
29/09/2026
Oak View Group (OVG) has announced Cisco as an Official Technology Partner, with plans to standardize infrastructure across its venue network on Cisco solutions...
29/09/2026
SportsNet Pittsburgh (SNP) won three honors at the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
Program awards went to Bucs BP in the Sports Program Live category (produced ...
29/09/2026
The Professional Women's Hockey League has announced home openers for all 12 teams for the 2026-27 season, along with a broadcast partnership with CBC under...
29/09/2026
Manifold technologies has been recognized as a contributor to the Media eXchange...
29/09/2026
FuboTV has announced My Local Sports, allowing subscribers in select markets to add their local regional sports network (RSN) as an add-on to a Fubo Sports subs...
29/09/2026
Asian News International (ANI), a wire agency and video news provider based in India, has deployed Grass Valley's AMPP Media Operating System and Framelight...
29/09/2026
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has deployed Ikegami UHK-X600 cameras as part of an upgrade to IP-based production infrastructure. The deployment ...
29/09/2026
REMI, REMCO models will drive the bulk of the broadcaster's NHL productions ...
29/09/2026
Three years in, the facility is supporting more centralized race production, com...
29/09/2026
NBC, Peacock, and NBSN are carrying all four Wild Card series with a production ...
29/09/2026
19 Nonfiction Projects Across All Stages of Production to Receive More Than $1 million in Support as Documentary Film Program Approaches 25th Anniversary
LOS ...
29/09/2026
Two new plug-ins launch alongside updated bundles
Zynaptiq have just announced the launch of two new plug-ins, alongside new and improved versions of two of...
29/09/2026
All-in-one bus processor revealed
Wes Audio's ng product range has come a long way since it was first introduced, and now includes a tasty selection of ...
29/09/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Ikegami announces that the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, has chosen Ikegami UHK-X600 camera systems as part of an advance to IP-based operation ...
29/09/2026
Blendkit Offers 20% Discount to Celebrate Crossing 150K Asset Milestone
Brie Clayton September 29, 2026
0 Comments
Blendkit, the largest 3D asset libr...
29/09/2026
Interactive streaming specialist Ease Live supported more than 76.5 million fan sessions across three major European media operators during this summers FIFA Wo...
29/09/2026
Ease Live has added support for VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) to its graphical overlay technology, opening up new ways for broadcasters, streamers and rights...
29/09/2026
Rise AV has announced the launch of the inaugural Rise AV Awards, a new global awards programme celebrating the women, advocates and organisations across the AV...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Clear-Com announced that First Baptist Nashville has upgraded its production communications with a Clear-Com intercom solution as part of a comprehensive sanct...
29/09/2026
Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K Captured Action Shots for Sketch
Brie Clayton September 28, 2026
0 Comments
Camera's portable design and dynamic range...
29/09/2026
Kean Production Services Deploys AJA ColorBox to Deliver Consistent, Accurate Co...
29/09/2026
Berklee Alumni and Faculty Nominated for the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards A total of 28 Berklee alumni and faculty earned nominations across 20 categories this ye...
29/09/2026
Berklee's K-Pop & Beyond Explores Connections Between K-Pop and Hip-Hop Now in its fifth year, the series brings together artists, industry leaders, and s...
29/09/2026
We tend to think we live in a digital world, with hopes and fears around artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, data centres and the next big technolo...
29/09/2026
Today, in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Apple relea...
29/09/2026
Final Cut Camera, the professional filming app for iPhone, receives a major upda...
29/09/2026
RT lyric fm is proud to announce the annual Choirs for Christmas competition callout. Warm up those vocal chords and join us on RT lyric fm for a celebration ...
28/09/2026
The NHL has announced Adobe as an Official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner beginning with the 2026-27 season. The partnership will provide the league and its...
28/09/2026
MultiDyne will exhibit at CABSAT 2026 (October 5-7, Dubai Exhibition Centre), showcasing an expanded technology portfolio following its June 2026 acquisition of...
28/09/2026
ARRI and HONOR have announced the HONOR Magic9 Pro Max, a flagship smartphone carrying ARRI branding on the device and packaging as the first product-level expr...
28/09/2026
Net Insight has added the Nimbra 1020G to its pan-Asian live media trial network, giving customers and partners in the region a way to evaluate ST 2110 and JPEG...
28/09/2026
Vindral has been named a recipient of a 2026 Technology and Engineering Emmy Award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the category of We...
28/09/2026
Interra Systems will exhibit at CABSAT 2026 (Stand B2-37, Dubai Exhibition Centre, October 5-7), demonstrating its BATON QC platform, ORION monitoring solutions...
28/09/2026
Two years into its new production facility, the TOUR is expanding centralized wo...
In Return to Berklee, Lucius Looks Back and Moves Forward From mood boards to live demos, the alumni band gave students an exclusive look at the process behind their new self-titled album, out May 2.
