In Return to Berklee, Lucius Looks Back and Moves Forward

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 Process

A 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 their songwriting process, sharing that “Gold Rush” was written in a coffee shop over the course of an hour during their last tour. “Sometimes a chorus will happen at the end and sometimes it’s at the start,” she said. “Definitely more helpful when it’s at the beginning. But go down the rabbit hole—you don’t know what you’ll find.” 

Student questions centered on the band’s creative direction, particularly in their approach to production and songwriting. When asked about planning the creative throughline of a song, Molad responded, “No rules—I don’t think about it ever. The best concept of a record is one we can perform live. Whenever it starts to feel good, it’s working.” Wolfe added that simplicity is key when preparing to record a new album. “How can we perform it live and feel like we are serving it?” she said, emphasizing the importance of translating songs from the studio to the stage.

The Q&A wrapped with the band breaking down a demo of a new track, “Orange Blossom,” boosting and tweaking elements live to show how the song evolved from its earliest form. They then performed a new song from their upcoming album, featuring their signature harmonies, a single acoustic guitar, and a standalone drum from the studio.

Lucius wrapped up the day with a surprise that no one saw coming, especially the student a cappella group On the Vox, who were mid-rehearsal of “Gold Rush” in a stairwell at 150 Massachusetts Avenue when the band suddenly walked in. The moment was captured on the group’s Instagram page, ending A Day with Lucius on a high note.