The German-American singer-songwriter discusses his debut album “All At Once,” the transformative power of “Boston,” and the complexities of identity.
There are two kinds of people in life: those who wallow in circumstances outside of their control and those who make the most of it. German-American singer-songwriter Lucas O’Connor falls into the latter.
Having lived in Nuremberg, Germany, until age 18, O’Connor’s experience was that of an outsider. Known as “The American” at school but as “The German” whenever he visited his second home, O’Connor learned from an early age that it’s impossible to place people into different boxes, an insight that would later profoundly influence his music.
O’Connor learned from an early age that people are multifaceted and complex, which helped him understand himself and his place in the world. Born in 2003, he was exposed to both ’90s and early 2000s culture, making his musical influences similarly multifaceted.
Keeping with these themes, on his debut album “All At Once,” Lucas O’Connor captures the duality of transformation—how life shifts both gradually and suddenly. A poignant exploration of growth, heartbreak, and rediscovery, the album unfolds as a deeply personal narrative. It begins in the depths of loss and heartbreak, only to emerge with renewed self-love and clarity.
The fifth track of “All At Once,” “Boston” is the turning point in this story. Written mid-flight from Munich to Boston, O’Connor’s lyrics crystallize the liberation from starting anew. “Distance brings fondness / But in my case it’s freedom,” he sings, setting the tone for a song that celebrates unburdening oneself from the past.
Inspired by Suki Waterhouse’s dreamy, bittersweet soundscapes, the track balances melancholy with an undercurrent of empowerment. The lyrics, reflective and resolute, culminate in a cathartic goodbye: “And if moving on / Means letting go / Then goodbye, good riddance / Thank you for the show.”
O’Connor’s connection to Boston— and its untainted memories of family and possibility, makes the lights of the city seem to shine ever brighter.
Welcome to Buzz, Lucas O’Connor! We loved your new release, “Boston”! We wanted to ask if “All At Once" explores the duality of transformation. How did this theme come to define your debut album, and how does it reflect your personal journey?
Discovering the core theme and concept of the album was a happy coincidence. As I always do, I was sitting in bed past midnight, reflecting and writing, and then it just came to me. Going through lows and highs, changing course, overthinking everything, discovering new passions, and actively witnessing personal growth is the universal experience everyone says occurs when they leave their teens behind.
I was having that intrinsically human experience where it just feels like everything is happening, well… all at once. This sudden realization was extremely comforting, and the suddenness also alludes to the second meaning of the album title: you feel like the world is throwing everything it possibly can at you, and then all it takes is one little moment for everything to make sense and click into place.
Growing up between two cultures, you’ve said you often felt like an outsider. How has this experience shaped your approach to songwriting and storytelling in music?
I believe that the experience really made me value genuine friendships and connections. With my friends, I didn’t have to pretend to be one thing or the other - German or American - because they just accepted the fact that it’s possible for someone to be both.
What a thought! Ironically, a lot of people from either culture can’t really grasp that concept. In front of others, I would often have to be “only German” or “only American,” and it still happens a lot that people will adopt a “you wouldn’t understand” tone when talking to me. The worst part of the rejection of understanding I mentioned earlier would actually be when topics would shift toward politics. I would be at fault for - or would have to explain - all the craziness going down in America, and of course, vice versa, too.
It really teaches you how dense a lot of people are and how unwilling they can be to understand a situation that is not theirs. I guess in that way, writing songs was a natural progression for me because, at the end of the day — as cliché as it may sound — almost everyone can understand music.
“Boston” is a standout track on the album, serving as a turning point in the narrative. What about the city and that specific moment in your life inspired the song’s themes of freedom and renewal?
After a messy breakup, I took a plane to Boston the following summer to visit my family. I really don’t know how to explain it other than some sort of eureka moment. I thought to myself: “Wait a second, she has never been here, and she probably never will be. Boston is entirely mine”. It felt like winning first prize after a contest that you thought would never end.
Boston also has something innately homey about it. Since I was a little kid, I’ve been going there, and it always felt like a place where anything was possible. It was a city that I only associated with childhood feelings of family and summertime freedom. It was a huge relief to realize that even after all the turmoil I had gone through, that city hadn’t changed for me.
Your music blends influences from rustic acoustic sounds to retro-modern synth-pop. How do you balance these elements to create a sound that feels both nostalgic and contemporary?
There are two factors that greatly contribute to that. On the one hand, my favorite artists have taught me well. The likes of Taylor Swift, Conan Gray, Lizzy McAlpine, and FINNEAS combine both singer/songwriter and more modern, edgy pop sound into their aesthetics and soundscapes. In the weeks before and after my album came out, I had Lizzy McAlpine’s “Five Seconds Flat” on a constant loop, and I feel like that album perfectly encapsulates that feeling of being contemporary yet timeless music.
The same can be said about Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” and Conan Gray’s “Found Heaven.” Though stylistically very different, both albums had a profound impact on the process of making All At Once. On the other hand, I worked together with a producer — the multi-talented Aaron Morton (@aarmormixes) — who has the unique ability to really understand which direction I wanted to go in as a songwriter and a vocalist, a key quality that distinguishes a good producer from a truly great one.
We met through our studies at Berklee College of Music’s online program and have worked together ever since. Aaron is a multi-instrumentalist and a complete production wizard. I would send him lyrics and a voice memo, some songs that inspired me at the time, and he would come up with epic instrumentals that sounded exactly like the sound I wanted, and crucially, they sounded like me. All of this happened with me living in Europe and Aaron in Florida, so just imagine what we’ll come up with once we’re actually in the same room.
What’s next for Lucas O’Connor, and is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?
Well, I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say that I am always writing. It never stops, and neither do I when it comes to planning, scheming, and coming up with new ideas. More content will come soon, though, because I really want to get into singing and filming cover songs. Definitely make sure to follow me on Instagram (@lucasoconnorr) to see when I post my first cover this December!
Finally, as always, I am so unbelievably grateful to anyone who takes the time to listen to my music and dive headfirst into the world I’m building. I have dreamed about becoming a singer and making music for as long as I can remember, and every piece of support, every small gesture, and every compliment is helping me reach that goal. It does not go unnoticed, and I appreciate it so deeply.
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