This week, WYSO music director Juliet Fromholt interviewed Dayton vocalist Day Luster ahead of the release of his new single, “Nectar.” Luster previewed the song on Kaleidoscope and talked with Juliet about this musical background and songwriting process. Luster also spoke about the challenges and rewards of staying active on social media, which he says has become an essential part of building a career as a musician.
In his school years, Day Luster says never took music seriously. “Me and my friends would freestyle during track meets, but track was my thing” he said. “My brother did music, so I didn’t want to step on his toes.” Yet he received encouragement from mentors who recognized his talent as a performer:
“It wasn't me that told myself [to pursue music], it was other people that told me. I feel like that was better; I always had problems with confidence. But I did choir and then I did a Black history program. I did different things that put me on a stage or in front of people against my will, I guess... I got to taste what it was like for people to enjoy your presence, or for you to be on stage, to sing and dance or whatever. I think that's really what got me started.”
Since Day Luster decided to start taking music more seriously in 2018, he has appeared at concerts and on albums with fellow Dayton musicians like Luther Suede and YVNN (both former Kaleidoscope guests). In December 2022, he released the single “Gas Me Up,” and the following year, he was featured on “Wah Gwaan Mami” from Luther Seude’s 2023 album Love Over Pride.
In the interview, Day Luster spoke with Juliet about navigating his relationship with social media, which he says has become a necessary evil for most musicians. He began developing his own social media presence during the COVID pandemic, when opportunities for in-person engagement were limited. “I started doing little things in my car, and I started to get more in touch with TikTok,” he said. “And I'm still bad at it, but I got a taste of what it was like to express things on different platforms.” He didn’t sugarcoat the demands of creating new content for social media every day:
“It's horrible—having to make sure you're posting at five o’clock every day, for example—because sometimes, I'm not in the mood to share information or to even be positive, to be honest. It just kind of just depends on what mood I’m in. I just have to get used to already having something ready. Some people do a ‘scheduled drop,’ so you can schedule things to roll out a certain way. So I'm doing more research on that as we speak.”
Yet despite the grind of posting daily, Day Luster sees the value in promoting his music on social media for others to enjoy. “Music is one thing, but it’s kind of just for you until you put it in front of other people so they can experience the things that make you the person you are,” he said.
To learn more about Day Luster, including updates about music releases and shows, follow him at @day_lusteron Instagram.
Text by Peter Day, adapted from a live interview recorded by Juliet Fromholt on January 10, 2024.
