Luz - On Our Radar Q&A: "Posting anonymously helped me find my voice when I was too shy to perform in person"

What’s the lyrical theme of your latest single, ‘The Minute You’re Gone’?

I wanted it to feel completely representative of who I am, even the parts of myself I’m not proud of. No one wants to be the bad guy in a situation, but writing about a mistake I made felt necessary, if I was ever going to move on. It was the most honest reflection of who I was, so it made sense to be the first song back.

There’s a fragile balance between heartbreak and hope in the track – how did you get that right?

I knew the subject I wanted to write about, but the emotion came naturally. When I’m writing, I’ll sing melodies and sometimes it’s just gibberish, but a single word or phrase pops out and suddenly it makes sense of what I’m feeling. It’s like the song reveals what you’re thinking deep down.

You started out posting music online. How has your approach to writing and releasing changed since then?

Posting anonymously helped me find my voice when I was too shy to perform in person. But when my music started doing well online, suddenly there was pressure to keep releasing quickly. I was writing with deadlines in mind, which stressed me out because I need everything to feel honest. Taking time off social media and stepping back helped me reset. Now I’m writing without that pressure again, and it feels much freer.

What can we expect next from you?

I have a few songs already finished and ready to go, which has never happened before. I’ll be releasing them one by one, and I’m hoping to announce live shows next year. Having everything lined up already feels like a weight off my shoulders, and I’m excited for this next chapter.

• ‘The Minute You’re Gone’ is out now.