Luke K.: Turning Struggles into Soundtracks and Finding Strength in ‘One Shot’
Written by: Keyali Mikaela
Emerging pop-rap artist Luke K. is carving out a space for himself with a sound that’s as eclectic as it is authentic. Drawing from his diverse musical influences—ranging from The Beach Boys and Elton John to Lil Wayne and Drake—Luke’s music blends rap, pop, and rock into something entirely his own. His debut single “One Shot” not only showcases his genre-bending talent but also tells a deeply personal story inspired by his journey to sobriety and self-discovery.
We had the chance to sit down with Luke to discuss his creative process, the personal and musical inspirations behind “One Shot,” and his hopes for the future. From sampling Three Dog Night’s classic “One” to collaborating with Tony Award-winning Adrienne Warren, Luke opens up about how his struggles, growth, and love for music have shaped his artistry. With his poetic lyrics and commitment to making music that connects with others, Luke K. is proving that his one shot is just the beginning.
Credit - Fadil Berisha
Next Wave: You’ve got a pretty diverse list of influences, from The Beach Boys to Drake. How do these artists shape your music, and how do you bring all these sounds together?
The three genres I listen to are rap, pop, and rock; I think my music reflects that. I think my music is an amalgamation of all of the music I listen to because I take a little from each artist who inspires me, but I always add an element of myself in there as well to make it unique. I think all of my songs blend genres, but I’m just trying to make the music that I want to hear that speaks to me. I know that my connections will be genuine as long as I make music from the heart, whether one person or a million people.
NW: If you had to describe your sounds in just a few words, what would they be?
Poetry with a cadence. If I'm being honest, I’m trying to make poetry more than I am music. But combining the two makes it easier to digest and more fun to consume.
NW: How has your personal experience with addiction shaped the way you approach your music? Do you feel like it’s changed your message?
Recovering from Addiction was, far away, the greatest struggle I’ve ever had to overcome, and there is no doubt that it added another level of depth to myself and my writing. But more than that, I’ve found that the most profound lessons I’ve learned through addiction recovery had very little to do with alcohol or addiction itself but more just tools for living life. Because of that, all of my songs reflect a piece of my addiction journey, even if I don’t mention addiction specifically.
NW: Are there any dream collaborations on your radar now that you’ve worked with such big names early on? Who’s at the top of that list?
I could give you a whole laundry list of dream collaborators right now, but if I had to pick my top three, it would be Lil Wayne, Elton John, Adele, and more with David Foster.
NW: What’s the most unexpected artist or song that’s influenced your style?
Pop girly music like Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande.
NW: If you could choose one song from your favorite artist to cover or sample next, what would it be and why?
I have two dream samples from my favorite artists: “House Of The Rising Sun” by the Animals and “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse. I chose them mainly because the meaning and lyrics behind both songs can be directly linked to addiction in one form or another.
NW: Do you have a favorite line or lyric from “One Shot” that holds special meaning for you?
My favorite line in “One Shot” is during the fast part when I say, “And if I bleed or if I die, we’ll then at least I’ll know I tried.” And it’s because I used to think failure was the worst thing in the world, but now I know that not trying is much worse. I’ll be able to live with myself if I give something my absolute 100% and fall flat on my face because I’ll know there’s nothing more I could have done, but I won’t be able to live with myself if I fail to achieve the things in life I dream of because I was too scared to go after them.
NW: In what ways has your relationship with your music changed as you’ve grown and evolved in your personal journey?
I mean, I feel like art reflects life, and the more experiences I have and the more life I live, the more I learn and the more I have to write about. The older I get, the more substance I can inject into my music.
NW: Where do you see yourself in five years? Any dream venues, festivals, or tours you hope to headline?
If recovery has taught me anything, it’s to take things one day at a time, so envisioning five years from now is something I try not to do. I want to try my best today and let the universe take care of the rest. But as far as dream venues or festivals go, I can tell you that my dream festival is Coachella; I mean, growing up, Coachella was always the ultimate, and to think that I could perform at it would be a real “I made it” moment. As for venues, being able to perform at Madison Square Garden would be the highlight of my life. I’m sure most artists feel that way, but having been born and raised in Manhattan, New York, I’ve attended concerts and sporting events at msg my whole life. I love my city and being able to represent my city like that would mean more to me than anything else.
NW: Was there a particular moment or event that influenced the creation of “One Shot”?
Yeah, it was me walking to my boxing lesson listening to Three Dog Night. My boxing lessons always get me fired up and ready to run through a wall, and on the way to spar with someone, I was listening to the song, and the lyrics just started coming to my mind.
NW: Were there any moments in the recording process where you thought, “Yes, this is it, this captures what I want”?
Honestly, no, but I’m so hard on myself that I’ve never recorded anything and was satisfied. I hope I get past this phase of my artistic development, but I feel like I could have done better every time I listen back. It’s gotten to the point where when I’m done with a take, I have to let my manager and engineer tell me which take they want to go with because I would keep re-recording for hours if it were up to me
NW: Can you share more about the decision to sample “One” by Three Dog Night? Why that song, and what did it add to your message?
I feel like “One Shot” exemplifies me against the world mentality that I sometimes have. Honestly, it almost flips the original meaning from lonely to okay with being alone because even if I’m all I have, I’m all I need.
Find Luke K on social media below:
Stream “One Shot” here.
