Lucky Daye on His New E.P. Table for Two, and How He’s Learning to Put Himself First

If you’re looking for a bit of soul to fill your time at home these days, Lucky Daye is here to deliver. Today, the NOLA-born, L.A.-based R&B crooner is back with a velvety-smooth E.P., Table for Two, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

The six-track E.P. is stacked with upbeat love songs, including features from Ari Lennox on “Access Denied” and Mahalia on “My Window,” sampled from the classic Missy Elliot song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).” When it came to the all-female features on the love-themed E.P., Daye was inspired by Marvin Gaye, nodding at his albums Marvin Gaye and His Girls, and Diana & Marvin with Diana Ross. “But the only way for me to make an album with just one other person is to form a group. And I didn’t think I could do that at the time…unless it was Victoria Monét,” he told Vogue—with an infectious smile that took up his whole face—over a Zoom interview.

Growing up in New Orleans had a big influence on the rising star. Not just in the church, where he was introduced to music, but at his every turn. “It’s a very musical place. You go outside and there’s people trying to dance and sing for money so they can eat dinner,” Daye said. “It’s more than just a hobby for people. It’s a necessity.” His family and friends always helped him to believe in his own voice. “I knew deep down, because they’d point it out, that my voice would be something one day,” he said. “My mom would always tell me that I have a gift that I need to give [to the world].”

As he puts out music filled with themes of romance, Daye is recognizing the importance of self-love as well. “I’ve always been the type of person who, if I’m hungry and only have one plate of food, and somebody else is hungry too, I’d give it to them,” he said. “But I’m learning to put myself first sometimes too.” These days, he does so by relying on his intuition. “I listen to my body,” he said. Writing, cooking, meditating, cleaning, and exercising are among his rotation of go-to activities, with Bruce Lee workouts as his favorite. “But a lot of the time, I just want to turn everything off. Music, work, phone, TV, Xbox…all of it,” he said.

When it comes to a beauty routine, he turns to Olive Oil’s Hair Lotion for his hair. “My goal was originally to have locs…but it just won’t loc. I’ve accepted it. I’m just letting it grow, man. I’m a tree now,” Daye said with a laugh. For his skin, the theme of simplicity carries over, courtesy of a lemon and brown sugar scrub that he makes for himself at home. “I finish off by rinsing with cold water,” he said, to close the pores.

As for his Valentine’s Day plans? He’s realized he’s his own ideal date. “To be honest, I’m going to try and find my new billboards in New York,” he said. “That’s all I wanna do!” Generally speaking, he’s just “excited about being able to sing with other people. Duets are poppin’ right now,” he added. He’s living by the advice he’d give any aspiring artist too: “Don’t believe in anything outside of what you want to believe in. I say take the ‘isms’ and toss ’em.”