September 22, 2021: American University’s Student Union Board welcomed R&B artist, Lucky Daye, to a virtual concert on Wednesday in collaboration with The BlackPrint and Black Student Union. Lucky Daye, born David Debrandon Brown, is a New Orleans native, who brings soul and jazz to the R&B genre in a way we haven’t seen. Daye’s passion for music began at a young age, as he grew up heavily involved in church. Daye has always had a gifted voice and in his participation in choir and the church, his family tended to frown upon secular music. His musical talents were confined to church hymns and nursery rhymes during his early years. Lucky’s love for R&B and jazz music was a secret passion the world didn’t know about, but one that was definitely needed.
Before becoming a signed recording artist, Daye established himself as a songwriter and background vocalist. He landed credits on hit songs like Ne-Yo’s “She Got Her Own” in 2014 and co-wrote with Boyz II Men on the song “Believe Us.” Lucky Daye signed with RCA Records and dropped his debut album titled Painted in 2018. This album included one of Daye’s top records “Roll Some Mo” which peaked at #8 on the Billboard charts in 2019 and received the Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album. His Painted album brought in over 60 million streams worldwide and grew his fan base. His song “Shoulda” featuring R&B veteran, Babyface, peaked at #16 on the Billboard charts in 2020. Daye blessed the ears of AU students with a special performance, performing some of his top hits, “Roll Some Mo” and “Love You Too Much.” There was no denying Lucky Daye’s pure talent after his performance. Not only were his vocals on point, but the charm and charisma of his stage presence was captivating and drew me in. Watching Daye perform you could sense the passion and true love he has for music, as I watched him lose himself in a song, I did the same. Lucky’s performance was not just one I heard with my ears, but it was one I could feel in my soul. His set took me through a whirlwind of emotions, spanning from love, to lust, to loss. Lucky’s music describes real-life emotions and experiences. It seems like he has a song for every feeling, whether it be pure romance, a heart-wrenching breakup, or the frustration that comes from miscommunication. Not to mention the feeling of being left “On Read.” Lucky’s voice has a way of making you feel exactly what he wants you to feel. His voice is a mix of old-school R&B with a touch of a new school sound that places him in a lane of his own. His unique voice, alluring stage presence, and the honesty of his lyrics are what left me wishing his set never ended.
Daye followed his performance with a Q&A moderated by the Co-Editor in Chief of The BlackPrint, Festicia Bovell, and the Co-President of The Black Student Union, Zoe Washington. During the Q&A, Lucky Daye revealed how he got his stage name, which came with a pretty interesting story. Lucky explained that his Aunt got upset with him for calling himself “Lucky” instead of “blessed”. Going against the grain and being a bit rebellious, Lucky decided to run with the idea that he was both “lucky” and “blessed” and he eventually became Lucky Daye.
During the Q&A session, Lucky touched on growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the impact his city has had on his music career, “My city influenced my music because it gave me variety. I think I was blessed to be born in a city where people don’t follow the straight and narrow when it comes to music and art. It’s an artistic place. And we hustle real hard.” When asked “What does NOLA do better than any other city?” Lucky Daye didn’t hesitate to say “cook”, which was later followed with “jazz.” Daye left AU students with an amazing performance, but also with a brand new music video for his latest single “Over.” Lucky gave us an inside scoop on the filming process and inspiration for “Over,” which I’m convinced he dropped specifically for AU students, or maybe it was just divine timing. Lucky touched on the inspiration behind the artistic theme of the video and spoke on the importance of taking risks when it comes to creativity. Lucky Daye has been on roll since the release of his first album and has recently collaborated with artists like Masego, Kehlani, Kiana Lede, etc.. Lucky is able to relay real-life experiences and battles with love in a way that everyone can relate to through his music. With amazing vocals, great pen game, and a true passion for music, Lucky’s career is only going up from here. Daye is truly reviving the R&B genre with his unique sound and is one of the most exciting new voices in R&B. We would like to thank Lucky Daye again for an amazing performance. And don’t get it “Misunderstood” there are more concerts to come this semester. Stay tuned!
