Pop Culturalist Chats with Luke Metzler

Meet Luke Metzler. He’s an up-and-coming indie artist who’s making his splash in the industry, and someone who we predict will be music’s next big thing. Based in Los Angeles, this singer-songwriter has perfected the art of crafting relatable song lyrics from personal experiences. His new single, “Moneytime”, has already become this year’s summer jam. It’s an uplifting pop anthem about following your dreams and enjoying the ride…even when it gets a little tough. Pop Culturalist spoke with Luke about his career, the single, and the beauty of living life and experiencing new things.

PC: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?
Luke: I first realized I wanted to pursue a career in music when I started writing songs. I would say from about ten-years-old, I’ve wanted to write and create songs. Back in the day, I would print out song lyrics to sing when people still printed things on paper. At this point, I didn’t play any instruments, so I wrote songs a cappella. My dad encouraged me to pick up an instrument because he thought it would help my songwriting. I started to teach myself guitar and as soon as I could play two chords, I was writing. Then when I realized that there were people who just wrote songs and performed for a living, I was drawn to that.

PC: What is your creative process like when you’re working on a new tune and how has it changed over the years?
Luke: It hasn’t changed a lot through the years; I just understand it better now. When you’re working on a new song, you can start with any of these things: a lyrical concept or theme, a chord progression, a beat, or a melody. Like with my song, “Moneytime”, it started with a chord progression. From there, I thought of the first line: “Minimum wage got to lose that weight.” That seemed like a colorful, expressive line that painted a picture, and then the melody came in. If you look at any song that I’ve done, I can tell you where each started off.

PC: What was the inspiration behind your song, “Moneytime”?
Luke: I moved to Los Angeles last year. Since then, I’ve been hustling hard to chase my dream of being an artist. I met so many cool people in the creative space who are doing the same. They’re incredibly talented, and I wanted to write a love song to millennials about struggling and dealing with things like college debt and not having financial freedom. It’s a grind to keep your dreams alive. “Moneytime”, at its heart, is a positive song about being able to enjoy that journey, but it also acknowledges that it’s a hard one. It’s a story about two people who are very much in love and they have these big, beautiful dreams, but they’re also really struggling with real-world things.

PC: Speaking of this struggle, if you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be and why?
Luke: If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, I think it would be: try everything that you can and enjoy every bit of it. Growing up, we’re always a little self-conscious of what other people will say. We always think that every action will be judged. Those are hard times for people. It’s hard to put yourself out there. But my parents always really encouraged me to try different things from playing sports to trying out for the school musical. If I could go back and do high school over again, I would be a part of every single club. [laugh] I would try out for every sports team, even the ones I was bad at. The beautiful thing about life and where the richness comes from is through experiences. Giving yourself the ability to experience life to the max, in many different areas, is a beautiful thing. It’s something that we don’t always hold ourselves to and then all of a sudden those opportunities aren’t there.

PC: Besides “Moneytime”, do you have any other upcoming music that fans can look forward to? Maybe a live tour?
Luke: Yeah! Right now, we’re finalizing some live dates in Southern California this summer. I also have a couple of singles that will be released this summer. I can’t say too much but I’m working with Carson Thatcher, who’s a production/writing friend of mine. At those shows, we’ll be playing the new stuff plus some of the older ones like “Moneytime” and “Disco Therapy”.

PC: Do you have a bucket list venue that you’d love to perform at?
Luke: I’d love to perform at The Wiltern Theatre. I pass by it every day and I see who’s performing there. They bring everyone through there. Right now, I share a one-bedroom apartment and to imagine selling out The Wiltern Theatre…that’s a huge goal of mine. I want to sell it out by the time I turn 26!

PC: Who are your musical influences and who would you love to collaborate with in the future?
Luke: The two artists who have had the most influence on me are Chris Martin of Coldplay and Frank Ocean. Chris Martin is definitely my biggest vocal inspiration and Frank Ocean is the greatest artist of my generation. The music he makes is timeless and accessible. If I could collaborate with Frank, that would be a dream come true.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Luke: Big Mouth! That show is so good and it perfectly captures the awkwardness of puberty.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Luke: School of Rock. I’ve seen that film more times than any other film. I can quote the entire thing.

PC: Favorite book?
Luke: This isn’t a cool answer but it’s the Harry Potter series. It’s actually the first book that I read alone. It put me on this path to becoming a voracious reader.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Luke: Great question! My favorite play right now is This is Our Youth. I got to see it in Chicago when Tavi Gevinson and Michael Cera were in it. It was really enjoyable. It was fun to see Tavi act live because I really respect the work she’s done for young girls and women, and what she’s done for them culturally with Rookie Magazine. Her performance in that play was really a highlight for me. I love the script too. It really captures the hard things that we navigate as youths.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Luke: My recently added is so weird. [laughs] There are so many odd things. I’m a big fan of Tchaikovsky. I listen to a surprising amount of Tchaikovsky. I’m actually a really big fan of music from around the world. So Tchiakovsky, Tyler, the Creator, and there’s a song called “Bubble Pop” by Hyuna. It’s an absolute jam.

PC: First album you purchased?
Luke: Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World. The first song I’ve ever performed live was a karaoke version of “Middle”. I love that album and I still listen to it all the time.

PC: First concert you ever went to?
Luke: The first concert that I can remember going to was Counting Crows and John Mayer. I went with my dad and I was scandalized. I was in second or third grade at the time and John Mayer started singing “Your Body is a Wonderland” and the lady next to me, who is probably around my age right now, screamed out “He’s talking about sex”. I was scandalized! [laughs] The first concert that I ever went to on my own was Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, and Panic at the Disco with a girl that I was dating in high school.

PC: Go-to karaoke song?
Luke: “Killing Me Softly”

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Luke: Peaky Blinders! I watched all four seasons in three weeks. That show is so good. I’ve never smoked in my life and it’s not something that appeals to me, especially being a vocalist, but Peaky Blinders makes smoking look pretty damn cool. Cillian Murphy is so cool and so suave.

PC: Hidden talent?
Luke: I am really good at geography. I know a ton of world capitals because I’m kind of a history nerd.

Keep up with Luke by following him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and pick up “Moneytime” on iTunes or Amazon.