Discovering: Lui$a

“I want to influence the youth to produce and create, to accept their flaws, and unleash their creativity through art.” – Lui$a

Today, we are introducing a new series on Everything GOOD Mag we’re calling “Discovering” where we introduce to you essentially “undiscovered” music artists you are now discovering through this series. Every musician in this series will be introduced to you by way of an interview. Included with the series is a playlist by the same name available on Spotify and Apple Music. Every Friday will be a new artist and the playlist will be updated each time with two songs by the artist that is being discovered that Friday.

In Everything GOOD’s Discovering interview, get to know Lui$a as we talk 2020, the 80s, and her debut EP Limelight.

The first Discovering music artist is 17 year old singer/songwriter Luisa Boshnjaku who goes by the stage name Lui$a. Becoming a musician was inevitable for her being that both of her parents are musicians, her mother a soprano singer and her father a music producer and composer. Lui$a takes after both of her parents, not only does she have the singing talents of her mother but she’s also a pianist and producer much like her father. Being born into a musically talented family with a father in the music industry has set Lui$a up for success and has helped her build a solid foundation in her music career. Lui$a’s parents have been her mentors and continue to help her tremendously musically. Her father, Florent Boshnjaku worked alongside Lui$a as a producer for her debut EP, Limelight. In the interview, when asked how it is working with her father she used the word “phenomenal”.

As a toddler, Lui$a started singing and she hasn’t stopped since. In 2014, at the age of 9 she started performing and also posted her first cover on Youtube singing “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse which is still up on Youtube (it’s the most adorable thing you’ll see today!) Fast forward to 2019, Lui$a begins releasing music on Soundcloud. She first released instrumentals and then her first single titled “Finna Dye ur hair back to brown now lmfao”. At the beginning of 2020 before we all knew what was to come, Lui$a dropped her first self written single “BLUE” and in March at the beginning of the pandemic before we really knew what was happening released “Gemstones” which has been remixed by DJ/Producer, Cricket. Throughout her career Lui$a has already been featured in several magazines and other platforms such as VFILES PASS THE AUX.

Lui$a isn’t just passionate about music, she also has a passion for fashion. She loves experimenting with her style and from her bright pink hair down to her platform shoes she isn’t one to dim her light or conform to what everyone else is doing, she isn’t afraid to be herself. Her style is just like her music; unique, bright, and edgy. With fashion influences like Dennis Rodman, David Bowie and Rina Sawayama that only makes sense! When it comes to her music Lui$a names her influences as being Rina Sawayama (she’s a huge fan), Sade, A$AP Rocky, Jun Fukamachi, and A Tribe Called Quest. This is where the funk, soul, R&B, and dance-pop sound in her music comes from which also correlates with where she was born and raised. Lui$a was born in Long Island, New York and lived in Queens. Her parents immigrated from Prishtina, Kosovo to the United States and years later she moved with them back to Kosovo where she now resides. Lui$a incorporates both cultures into her music and describes them as being “like the moon and the sun”, Prishtina being dark like the moon and Manhattan being more bright and vibrant like the sun. Growing up in two totally different cultures has been like having the best of both worlds for Lui$a. She’s not only able to be versatile in her music but she can appreciate the differences in people’s style and way of life making her a well rounded person.

Limelight, Lui$a’s debut EP that was released in June of this year, is inspired by “Limelight” a club in New York City that opened in the 1980s. Limelight had several locations, Atlanta and NY being the most famous locations of them all where icons like Andy Warhol, Madonna, Grace Jones, and Jean-Michel Basquiat were attendees. Lui$a hopes to pay tribute to these different artists and each of their different styles as well as to Limelight’s history itself with Limelight. Like the 1980s club, Limelight can inspire listeners to have fun and express themselves freely. The EP was recorded at Dreamhouse Studio in Prishtina, Kosovo, written by Lui$a and co-produced alongside her father.

Read the interview below.

Everything GOOD: Your debut EP ‘Limelight’ released June 11, 2021, congratulations on that! Tell us the process of creating and releasing this project, what made you say yes these are the right tracks and this is the right time to release them?

Lui$a: Thank you! I began working on this project probably two years ago, I was 15 when I wrote “Daily” as the lead track and then continued writing the other songs for the EP the following year. All of the songs are written by me and produced by my father and me. It was great to have a theme for the project, that helped me dictate the sound of the songs and give them that certain “spice” they needed. Limelight was supposed to be an album/mixtape (I had some songs added and some taken out to fit the theme of the project), but since I am a new artist, it was better for me to release Limelight as an EP.

EG: The sound of Limelight has an 80s pop feel and makes you want to dance even with the track “Obsidian” that has a slower tempo and rock vibe it still goes perfectly with the other tracks on the EP, they all flow well with one another. What was the inspiration for the sound of Limelight?

L: With this EP, I wanted to show my versatility as an artist, so I came up with a project that has a backstory which is super interesting and has an incredible list of songs! “Limelight” used to be a club in New York where everyone felt free to express themselves.I hope to acknowledge (with this project) the artists, models, painters and musicians that all made Limelight a comforting space for the attendees like Madonna, Grace Jones, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. Each song tells a different story, gives a different vibe and has a different sound, just like the “Limelight” attendees.

EG: What is it like working on music with your father?

L: Honestly, it is surprisingly phenomenal! Not only does he help me with work and such, he gives me great advice about the music industry (him also being in the industry for 35 years) and the profession in general. My dad has inspired me to keep working and express myself as an artist in general!

EG: This may be a tough question but do you have a specific favorite on the EP?

L: Obsidian is my personal favorite! The live guitar in there is SPECTACULAR and it has one of the best lyrics I’ve written that year hands down!

EG: Another tough question. If you could choose any artist that is alive to be featured on a song of yours, who would it be?

L: It definitely has to be Rina Sawayama, she is one of my main inspirations in music and I think our style would fit really well! I’m speaking a Lui$a and Rina Sawayama collab into existence, I already have a song in mind that I would love to feature her on!

EG: What music is on repeat for you right now? Any particular artists you listen to daily?

L: I have this thing where I love listening to my discover weekly playlist on spotify because I come across so many new artists and new genres I’ve never heard of! I’m really into Remi Wolf and Fana Hues at the moment and have been listening to Tulsa Jesus Freak by Lana Del Rey an insane amount of times these past 5 days.

EG: Describe your music using only 3 words.

L: Off the wall, versatile and dreamy.

EG: What have you learned about yourself as a musician and also just as a human being in general from 2020 to now?

L: I am capable of so much more than I thought! I found out that I actually enjoy my own company, I have set a 3-4 hour alone time in my room to help my creative juices flowing (as I should). I grew so much from the past year as a human being and as an artist. I love what I do and cannot wait to share more of my art with you!

EG: What message do you hope to send through your music?

L: I want to influence the youth to produce and create, to accept their flaws and unleash their creativity through art.

EG: What can we expect next from Lui$a?

L: I am going to release a music video/visual really soon and some other projects after that! I will hopefully start working on my debut album next year, I already have the concept in mind for the next era and I cannot wait to share it with you all when the time is near!

Listen to Lui$a’s debut EP Limelight.