Lydia Luce, an indie-folk singer/songwriter, opened for Andrea von Kampen on the Sister Moon tour in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A Florida girl at heart, Lydia braved the unexpected snowfall in the city in order to capture the hearts of each and every person in attendance through moody melodies and vulnerable storytelling.

Depsite her short time on stage, Luce made an impact with a variety of audience members who lined up to meet her at the merch table. Michigan and even another Florida native came to chat to Luce about the weather (of course!), her music, and see photos of her dog, Bobbie. Some listeners were unexpectedly blown away by Luce’s performance and named themselves new fans of her sound, happy to tell the singer they’ve already followed her on Spotify.

On her website, Luce states that she “hopes to provide listeners with a listening experiences that’s transportive on multiple levels”. We think she absolutely nailed it. Grand Rapids’ Midtown venue is known for bringing artists - big and small - to the intimate environment to share their music on a much more open and honest level than other spaces in the city.

Our personal favorite part of the set was a poem, called ‘Florida Poem’ written and performed by Luce that documented her experiences from living in Florida. Accompanied by the delicate acoustics of guitarist, Chris West, Luce invited the audience to close their eyes and truly envision the world she was creating. “I am alone, but I am never alone”, Luce states to conclude the poem. Her music is undeniably candid, but being able to step into the full experience of Luce’s life as a Florida girl connected us even closer to who she is as a person and a musician.

Now living in Nashville, Lydia Luce is the founder of Lockeland Strings, a community arts organization that puts on monthly showcases of local artists accompanied by string quintet, alongside performances of new contemporary classical pieces from local composers. The next Lockeland Strings event is in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 17th and features Natalie Prass, Catilin Rose, Johanna Samuels, and Lydia Luce. If you aren’t able to make it, Luce will be touring across the east coast United States in May, check out the dates here.

A multi-faceted singer/songwriter, and Florida girl always, Lydia Luce is an artist to be following. She is a force to be reckoned with and truly brings the Florida sunshine with her wherever she goes.

Article and Photo Gallery by Isabel Dowell