We had a chat with French bedroom pop artist LUHA about her new EP bedroom talks, singing in English and more
Born in Paris, and raised near Nantes, Léa Beneteau, professionally known as LUHA, comes from a family of musicians— her dad is a guitarist and her brother is also an artist and producer.
Around her 20th birthday, she began to experiment with sounds, and in 2021 she released her debut EP Is It Today or Tomorrow which features her most popular song to date, “Call You Back”.
Last week she released her new EP bedroom talks— a stunning project which effortlessly blends bedroom pop and indie rock, and is entirely produced with her brother Maxime Beneteau. Drawing inspiration from intimate conversations and experiences shared with her brother, bedroom talks expertly depicts the real emotions that accompany life’s ups and downs— exploring themes of insecurity, anxiety, love, and the universal experiences of growing up. Working closely with her brother, she has crafted a solid project worth a listen. Her gorgeous vocals flow beautifully on top of each production, brilliantly showcasing her ability to write captivating songs that resonate with listeners in English.
Read our conversation with LUHA below:
How are you doing LUHA? What are you up to at the moment?
Hi, I’m doing well thank you! I’m happy that my EP came out, I’ve been getting good feedback, that makes me really happy. Otherwise I try to rest because the past few months were really intense and I write new songs in my bedroom.
Love that! You have an amazing voice, when did you start singing?
Thank you so much! I started singing quite young but I was not really confident about my voice so it was mostly me hiding for singing in my bedroom. It’s quite recent that I take confidence about my voice and singing in public but I always loved singing since i was really little.
You’re a French artist, but you sing in English— is there a reason why you chose to sing in another language?
I write in English because my biggest inspirations come from Anglo-Saxon and American indie rock scenes, as well as bedroom pop styles. Since I was young, I’ve been immersed in the music of English-speaking artists, and it forms the major part of what I listen to. It just felt right to start writing and singing in English, and it came to me quite naturally.
The songwriting in English is really impressive though, who are some of your songwriting inspirations?
The first names that come to mind are Julia Jacklin. I absolutely love the way she writes and tells stories. She has something truly unique and touching, and I adore the touch of humour she incorporates into her writing. One of my favourite songs of her in terms of lyricism is “Pressure To Party”. Also I’m a big fan of Phoebe Bridgers and her songwriting. I think she’s absolutely amazing.
Amazing! Will we ever hear a French version of one of your songs?
Oh, that is certainly not impossible! I would actually love to write a song in French. However, I do feel a bit more pressure when it comes to writing in French. It’s a different style of writing, and I believe I need to discover my own approach to it. But definitely, yes!
That’s understandable. What music are you currently listening to?
The past few months I’ve been listening to Big Thief a lot especially the album Masterpiece I really love this band, also I love Joji I am such a big fan of his music.
You’ve just released your new project bedroom talks, which is brilliant, talk us through the creative process. What inspired it?
Thank you so much! It has been quite a journey to create this project. I started working with my brother, Maxime, and we do everything together now. He produces all my music, and he’s also with me on stage. After my first EP, I really wanted to create a project that reflects 100% of who I am. Collaborating with my brother made it possible because it’s crucial for me to make music with the people I love and feel confident with. My brother means everything to me, and we are very close. First of all, we worked on a lot of demos and sound research. Often, I came up with compositions on the guitar, and he started producing them. It took us a while to complete this project because we did everything in his bedroom, sometimes in a less professional manner, haha. We learned a lot, and we are incredibly happy with this project. It has imperfections, but that’s what makes it beautiful and touching. As for the inspirations, I named it bedroom talks because it’s a collection of five intimate stories from my own life, the kind of stories you share in your room late at night. This EP genuinely reflects my experience of life, anxiety, daily experiences, and the profound impact of love, friendship, and the relationship I share with my brother, which served as a powerful inspiration for this project.
Wow, that’s amazing! Sonically, to us we hear a combination of bedroom pop and indie rock, but how would you describe the EP in your own words?
I think it’s definitely a bedroom pop EP and a very DIY EP haha. We wanted to create a sound really intimate and soft but with something more indie rock with blending electric, folk guitars and subtle synth elements. I will say that the EP captures the raw emotions of life’s ups and downs.
What’s your favourite song on the EP?
My initial favourite was “In My Head” because it was the first song we created and we had that moment of realisation like, ‘Okay, we’ve got something here!’ However, now I think “Bro Song” has become my favorite. Initially, it wasn’t meant to be part of this project; we were just making music. But then, I stumbled upon the melody for the verse, and the rest of the song came together quickly. What makes it even more special is that my brother sings in it. The song talks about my family and my brother. It speaks of wanting to go back, of longing to find that comforting family cocoon from when we were young. It talks about slowing down… it’s a very intimate song for me.
Thank you so much for sharing all the little important details with us. What do you hope people will take away from this EP?
I hope that my little EP resonates with and accompanies the lives of a few people. I hope it’s the kind of music they want to listen to during late nights, on the bus, or while riding a bike. Above all, I sincerely hope it evokes deep emotions in listeners.
And do you have anything else happening in the near future?
Yes! First of all a music video is coming in few weeks. We have also a show in July in Paris and I’m working on new songs right now so get ready for new music after summer
Stream the EP below:
