We recently had the chance to connect with Lucas Batten and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lucas, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m really proud of building my catalog of music right now. It’s been a little over a year since my first album drop but having a new project really feels like I’m developing myself even more. It’s also satisfying to have a more extensive soundscape that people can explore when they discover me for the first time. I’m also building my chess Elo I’m in the 1400s right now!!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Lucas and I’m a rapper from Mobile, AL. I live in Nashville right now and I just turned 23. I think I bring a pretty solid flow and vibe on every track now which is something that took me years to get confident with. My second studio album, “Mobilian Baby,” comes out September 26, and I’m really excited to show people what I’ve been working on this past year.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was in high school choir, we did a big performance as a group twice a year to showcase the songs we were working on. I wasn’t a very good singer and really just did it because my friends were doing it, so I usually just tried to blend in and be as quiet as possible.
Then, our junior year, our director, Jody Powell, decided to include a solo performance and asked during rehearsals if anyone was interested. I remember raising my hand as a joke because no one else did, and it got a few laughs. I can’t remember the exact exchange, and I think I said I wasn’t serious — but nobody else volunteered after that. So it kind of just became a thing where everyone kept running with it and wouldn’t let me back out.
At that point, I’d kind of shot myself in the foot. He knew I wasn’t one of the top vocalists, so he said I should do “Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf. I listened to it and agreed — I could just grungy-yell it and get away with it, so it got set in stone.
I had all the fellas in a line behind me backing me up, so I didn’t really feel alone on stage. I didn’t tell my parents beforehand that I was doing anything special, so they said they were taken aback when I just started bursting into half-assed singing. I was sweaty and nervous right before, but once I went out, it really just flew by. The only thing I really remember is hitting a little dance at the end and getting an unreal amount of applause.
I did the whole thing more as a joke, but realized afterward that it felt good to entertain people — even if I’m not the most talented with my voice. And now that I’ve been practicing my vocals for 5+ years since then, I think it makes it even better when I can entertain a crowd.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Honestly, stage fright is the only thing I really battle with every time I do a performance. Not so much right before I go on anymore, but more in the days leading up to it. I think about messing up, and there’s always a part of me that wants to cancel or say I’m sick.
But every time I follow through, it reinforces the fact that I actually like what I do on stage — and that there’s really no reason to fear performing. I think being nervous helps somewhat too, but hopefully soon I won’t fear any type of performance at all.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
This album, Mobilian Baby, took me about a year and a half to complete. I think a lot of people want artists to slow-drip singles as a way to draw attention and keep content steady, but I’ve realized that I don’t enjoy that. Having a complete project is what motivates me every day — it feels like it has a bigger purpose.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll probably drop a few singles after this album, but I think albums are a better way to gauge an artist’s progression, and they just feel more solid to me.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m definitely doing what I was born to do. I am an entertainer and that’s where I feel complete. If I can move a crowd or just get them to laugh I feel like I’ve done my job. I think every older member of my family at some point has told me to do something else, whether it’s finishing a college degree or try DJing or doing something more monotonous that’s stable. It took me a few years to realize that I believe in myself, and because of that, I’m more comfortable taking advice and choosing if it aligns with who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/lucasbatten
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucasbatten_/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BroughnutDoughnut
Image Credits
Bitty Burke, Jolie Monet, Jacob Boyer
