Levina Lye on Growth, Connecting with Supporters & Always Following Her Intuition

Born in one of the liveliest boroughs of New York City, The Bronx, Levina Lye has been singing since the age of three and was presented with several awards for her singing ability even in the elementary Catholic school she attended. When her parents relocated to a more peaceful setting in upstate New York, the quiet surrounding helped her cultivate inner feelings of peace, loneliness, happiness and fear and express them through poetry.

At the age of 15, Levina Lye's writing transitioned from poetry to song. Music has become a platform for her to share her experiences with the world while promoting the importance of self-expression and celebrating her individualism.

At 24, her debut EP, 'Pieces of Me', released June 2014 was critically acclaimed by members of the press. ”Fall” has received global media coverage, landing a spot at number 4 on the Coca Cola countdown in South Africa (Vibe FM). The first single “Love is Suicide” was officially classified as the song of the summer.

The other two singles off of the EP, “Fade Away “ and “Abandoned” have landed placements on several sites including The Urban Daily, AllHipHop, Bleu Magazine, The Hype Magazine, SwurvRadio, NME (UK), Raw Roots (UK), Urban Magazine, CNN, MTVu, AllVoices & more. Pieces of Me is available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play, etc.

Levina Lye’s highly praised follow-up 2018 EP 'More of Me', featuring breakaway singles “Your Song” and “What If I,” established her as one of the most talented and consistent singer/songwriters to emerge in the last decade with numerous media outlets considering her as an artist to watch. 

Her latest single "Intuition" can be found exclusively on SoundCloud, as she strives to give her fans more of her until she releases another rollercoaster of a project. Catch up with Levina Lye in her latest Hype Off Life interview, where she gets into growth, connecting with supporters and following her intuition, always. Right now and only on Hype Off Life 👊🏾

It’s been a minute since we last spoke. What’s been new?

My style of writing has changed and elevated. I like to think that as time goes by I only get better as a singer and songwriter but also as a human being. 

How would you say you’ve grown musically, as well as a person over the years?  

Who I am as an artist and a person is one in the same. The only difficulty I truly face is because of the fact that I am an artist people tend to forget that I am a person. It seems at times that people forget that as a human being I do need love and support but as Levina Lye everyone thinks I have it all together and the world is somehow less chaotic for me. In reality because I have such a huge dream I tend to suffer a lot more, things are a lot harder and especially because my team consists of me, it can get very stressful. But, I  believe in my talent so strongly that I let none of this detour me. What is destined for me will always be. 

So, you just released a new single “Intuition” How often do you rely on your’s? 

My intuition never lies to me. Every time I've had a bad feeling about someone I have NEVER been wrong. People only prove me to be right most of the time. So, following my gut is a must for me.

What type of vibe were you going for while making the track? 

I was honestly just speaking my truth. Truthfully the beats I pick speak to me, as a writer I feel it's my place to bring a track to life, to present it as accurately as possible. That feeling I felt while writing to a track, I want my supporters to feel that same way when they listen to it.

“I don’t aspire to be like anyone else. I represent everyone who is unafraid to be human and make mistakes. It takes courage to remain true to yourself, especially dealing with the judgment of others. Through my words, I tell my fans that they are not alone in this struggle.”

Is it based on a true story? 

All of my songs are based on true stories, even the "heart breaking" ones. My music is usually therapy for me as I'm not really an open book with people. I have always said if anyone wants to get to know ME, listen to my music. 

Take us back to a time when you didn’t listen to your intuition. What was the outcome and what did you learn? 

I have been badly burned a few times for not following my intuition. It's a little crazy because I knew the most hurtful things were being done behind my back (lying, betrayal, infidelity) and yet I still continued to try to see the good in people to my very own detriment.

It's a very high price I had to pay for not listening to myself.  I became paranoid, mistrustful of people, unavailable and unreachable emotionally. Once the damage is done, it's impossible to put the pieces back together and go back to being "normal". The truth is "normal" is something I never was but because of my experiences, never will be.

You have a pretty strong and loyal fanbase. What is your favorite way to connect with fans? 

I love my supporters, let me just say that. The love between us is what keeps us connected because they know the love is not only one way. I admire them for choosing to see the best in me.

“Writing for me is my way of expressing all of the things that are sometimes difficult to say, it’s my way of venting but creatively, it’s how I keep my sanity.”

Why do you think it’s important for artists to acknowledge their supporters? 

I'm human like everyone else, I want to connect with people who are like me and they want the same. I have and will always praise those who take the time to acknowledge me and in turn I hope that my true supporters know they always have me. Whether it's  through music or even reaching out to me if they need me, I'm here. I care, I see them, and I deeply value them more than they will ever know!!

What message do you have for your fans? 

My message to my supporters (because I don't like to call them fans) is that I truly care about each of them individually. I actually take time to respond to messages and comments because I want them to know that there is value in their support and that it does not go unnoticed.

Anything else we should know before you go? 

I want to say thank you Keish, sincerely. You have always been supportive of me and I appreciate you on a human level. No one has to take the time out of their day to listen to my music , feature me, interview me but to those that do, you don't know how much it means to me. Your recognition is the fuel that keeps my fire burning on the days when I feel burnt out and for that I will forever be grateful and humble. 

Stream Intuition: HERE
Support Levina Lye's Past Projects: https://song.link/levinalye