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
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
05/01/2026
These Sacred Vows starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Justine Mitchell and Jason O'...
05/01/2026
DANDANCING WITH THE STARS RETURNS TO SHAKE UP SUNDAY NIGHTS
Reigning Rose of Tr...
03/01/2026
A still from OBEX by Albert Birney, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance...
02/01/2026
Freezing Florida: NHL's EVP, Entertainment Bob Chesterman on Taking the Wint...
02/01/2026
NHL Winter Classic 2026: TNT Sports Prepares for First NHL Outdoor Game in Sunsh...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Any Given Day: Cork University Hospital premieres Wednesday 7 January on RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
RT will debut a powerful new six-part documentary se...
02/01/2026
Friday 2 January 2026
All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Announces 2026 Noel Schajris Scholarship The scholarship will cover tuition and housing for one Berklee College of Music stud...
01/01/2026
New year, new games, all with RTX 5080-powered cloud energy. GeForce NOW is kicking off 2026 by looking back at an unforgettable year of wins and wildly high fr...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
RT has unveiled an exclusive first look at the new Dancing with the Stars promo...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
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.
