Sunny Lukas Breaks Down His New R&B/Pop Single "Deja Vu"
interview
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interview ✦
Born in China and currently based in Dubai, emerging R&B/Pop artist Sunny Lukas has worked to develop a following across Asia and beyond through a mix of smooth, skillful vocals and his penchant for genre-blending productions. Fluent in over seven languages and proficient in five instruments, Lukas brings a broad range of influences into his uniquely textured style—something that comes through clearly in both his music and the way he connects with fans around the world.
With over 30 million streams on global platforms and more than a billion views across social media, Lukas’ reach only continues to grow. His latest single, “Deja Vu”, marks a promising new chapter—one that brings him to Seoul for a round of performances and promotion ahead of his upcoming full-length album. And now, in celebration of his latest work, the dynamic performer is opening up to us about new music, social media, and what’s to come.
Congratulations on your latest single, “Deja Vu”. What inspired the track, and how does it reflect where you're at musically right now?
Sunny Lukas: The main inspiration was self-reflection on my past life growing up and being who and where I am today. I wanted to show my audience a part of me being vulnerable and able to express my emotions when it comes to my personal life. I believe everything that happened in the past has shaped me to who I am today. I feel like “DEJA VU” perfectly captures the moment of me reminiscing about my developing stages as an artist.
As of now, you’ve already worked with major names like James Fauntleroy and Hit-Boy. That being said, have any specific collaborations enhanced your approach to songwriting and production?
Sunny Lukas: For sure. When I first started making music, there was one particular songwriter who has shaped a lot of my sound and influenced my approach to songwriting. His name is Drew Ryan Scott. He is a multi-platinum songwriter. At the beginning of my career, I had zero experience in writing or producing my own tracks, but through working with him multiple times on my first releases, I learned a lot of different songwriting techniques and vocal producing skills when it comes to doing it myself. He gave me a lot of confidence whenever he’s around, and therefore, I started developing my own skills and ways of recording and writing.
On that same topic, you’re also a multi-instrumentalist and producer. How hands-on are you when it comes to building your sound in the studio?
Sunny Lukas: I am definitely 100% hands on all the time. I feel like being an artist, it’s really important to share your work fully with the audience. I would always make the main structure of the song before sending out to co-writers or co-producers to help build upon that. Whether it’s from a guitar melody or piano riff, I prefer planting my own seed then letting others pour water on it and making it blossom.
You’ve been performing in front of massive festival crowds—sometimes over 40,000 people. What’s going through your head when you step on stage in front of an audience that size?
Sunny Lukas: I believe that I’m always a natural stage performer. I’ve always loved interacting with larger crowds and using their energy to feed off of my stage performance. Sometimes the thought might be nerve wracking when you’re literally about to walk out to that amount of people in different places you’ve never been before, however for me it’s just the dopamine levels and adrenaline that makes me super excited whenever I perform.
Your social media content has also generated millions of views to date. In what ways would you say platforms like TikTok or Instagram have impacted your career as an artist?
Sunny Lukas: It definitely have had a massive impact and influence on how I market my music nowadays. I used to super insecure about myself that’s the reason I always resort to social media, because you can always make yourself look perfect, however, social media sometimes can be very distracting and get you off track.
Regardless, I believe social media is super important and you can’t get away with it. I learned a lot on how to market my music on different platforms, and to me it’s just a huge motivation factor. I love creating new and interesting content for new audiences.
Your music blends R&B and hip-hop with influences from different cultures and regions. Do you approach that fusion intentionally, or does it come more naturally from your background and experiences?
Sunny Lukas: Growing up, Justin Bieber was my biggest influence. I’ve always looked up to his music and it definitely have impacted on my sound. But, I believe learning languages and different cultures around the world has helped me become more open minded and diverse as an artist. Therefore, I love to incorporate different languages and styles from different places into my music as well.
You’ve got a full album coming soon—can you share anything about what fans can expect from the project, or how it builds on “Deja Vu”?
Sunny Lukas: This project will be very special and very personal to me, It will showcase a variety of fusion styles in each song, from up-beat Latin influences to futuristic Y2k R&B twists. I am very excited to show my new and existing listeners different sides of who Sunny Lukas is—not only as an artist—but as a growing individual as well. “DEJA VU” is just one of the more personal and slower songs off the album.
