Lucky Daye on the creation of his new album out loud and in collaboration with Pusha T and Muni Long: "It's About the Magic"

Lucky Daye is in the season of change. Ahead of today's Aloud release, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter has settled into a new home at Warner Records, working with a wider circle of collaborators and having more control over her creative process. Even her appearance marks a change: when Variety cast her for […]

Lucky is the nanny in the season of change. Ahead of today's Aloud release, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter has settled into a new home at Warner Records, working with a wider circle of collaborators and having more control over her creative process. Even her appearance shows a change: When Variety meets her for lunch at Nobu in Atlanta, her hair is in a tousled style described as part of the album's new era.

The day before, on the set of "Knockin'," his collaboration with Mooney Long and the punk band Black Paradox, that era was taking shape in real time. Two of her managers are on set, along with her chief of staff and Suzanne "Susie" Olodele, the celebrity natural hair artist responsible for Nanny's evolving look. They are part of a larger creative ecosystem that notably includes a team of mostly black women. The nanny says being surrounded by them makes her "very, very happy". Popular in diversity-related stories, Mark Ruffalo tells Trump to 'take away our votes' or 'I want out': 'You don't like me when I'm angry' Donald Trump praises newly merged Paramount-Warner Bros.: 'They're a great company.'

"I feel nurtured," she says, quickly clarifying that the relationship works both ways. "I feel like they let me take care of them the way I want to ... it's a back and forth." Later, he puts it more simply: "A real team. It's not one of those fake teams."

That sense of support has extended to Warner. Daye had started "Dirty" before signing with the label, but when asked how the new deal affected the album, he didn't hesitate: "Every feature." He credits the label with taking "a huge load" off him and his management team, while also helping to facilitate a diverse guest list that includes Leon Thomas, Pusha T and Akeem Ali. However, Daye insists that the machinery surrounding the music is not what drives it. "It's not about the deal, it's not about the money," he says. "It's really about magic."

"Aloud" finds The Nanny chasing that magic from a different emotional place. She calls herself "Lucky 2.0" — more sensitive to love, compassion and her emotions, more willing to say what she thinks and, perhaps most importantly, less interested in making music rooted in pain. "It's true," he says of the new album. "The pain is worse."

Throughout "Dirty," that truth is achieved with a surprising amount of playfulness, from current single "Talk to Me," one of Nanny's favorites, to odd interludes he describes as "commercial breaks." Daye spoke with Variety about letting loose without losing depth, working with Thomas amid the inevitable comparisons, bringing Muni Long and Pusha T into his world, and learning to trust himself without relying on longtime collaborator D'Mile.

This is a very catchy hook. Then you got like songs on verses, which I love, and a simple concept. The concept of the album – the straight concepts and the drums, the punch line, because I want to block everything, so I have to punch it. But it's just an infectious melody that I want. I want everyone to just feel.

In my mind, the world quickly forgets. So I wanted to throw in some quick commercial breaks to break them up a bit. The name of the album is "Loud", being confident, being happy. So if something is holding you back, get rid of it.

It's definitely the most fun because I'm hands-on the whole time. Other albums, I'd like someone to listen and comment as we go along. But this one was like, wait, there's no support. God was like, "You're actually the guy. So do it." It was fun working with a lot of people, seeing the end product of the different pieces you put together and getting to know the people around me at the same time.

That song was special, mainly because it was all emotion. I left the song last and put the emotions first and started telling the story. I miss the time when people told stories. And I guess telling stories is not that easy. [With 'Knockin'] I wanted to put myself in dorm rooms instead of going to college. I never had this opportunity. [Song theme] Your friend is really hot. [Laughs] But as a man, you don't want to cross that line. But still those thoughts are like "dang". I just want to tell you. The perspective of this album is from a man. I've never done it from that angle before. Every other album was born out of pain. This is worse than the truth

Mooney was in the studio next door, and I had just finished working with him that he needed on his album. It was spontaneous. For example, who is going to say bad things? No one can really speak at that level. He is not going to apologize, he means it

I expect comparisons, it's part of the game. That's why it's a game. Give people something to talk about. I think our job is not to let it get to us and take it to heart.

Collaboration was easy. When the label came in, it was, "Whatever you want, you get." “If this song had to feature, who would you get, if anyone?” they asked. Of course I will think of Leon. He is one of my favorite R&B artists right now. When it comes to creativity, when it comes to men's art, he's the first person I want to mention. We brown skin, we get out here, we rock, we sing and we touch our feelings at the same time. But we are still men who love girls. So I felt it was a good match.

I sent him the song, he gave the idea back... we went into the studio and bowed the whole thing. He is self-sufficient. It was great to see him work. It was great to share my ideas with him. I think the fans wanted it.

Pusha is a hip hop legend. When I hear the name Pusha T, I just connect with so many names that I respect and people that have inspired me to want to be successful. Pusha has worked with Pharrell, Jay-Z, Kanye. So for him even being in the conversation was an automatic yes. His voice is iconic. Clipse is symbolic. And he is a Gemini. I'm a Libra, so it works.

De Mile and I love and respect each other. I think we're both like, "Damn, I wish I could work with you right now." But we also know that life has its own processes. I don't know what God will do with him. You don't know what God is doing with me. At the end of the day, I can always know that this is my brother. If I wanted to make a whole album with him, I could make a whole album with him. But I think in this album, God wanted me to look inside myself. This is a feeling you should be sensitive to. I'm just trying to get it. I think I got it