A Chat with Lulu Leloup (01.04.26)
Lulu Leloup is a jazz and blues singer-songwriter who has unveiled her latest EP, March. Leloup’s sound evokes nostalgia, drawing on 1930s jazz and blues, while staying firmly rooted in the present. The EP is a vintage-inspired, emotionally rich collection exploring love, heartbreak, and the moments that shape us. We chat with Lulu Leloup about all things music below.
OSR: March marks a significant chapter in your career. Can you talk us through the emotional journey that inspired this EP?
Leloup: I describe March as a collection of stories about love, heartbreak, and the things we almost leave behind – every song comes from a personal experience that made me ache and, at times, lose sight of who I was. Writing these songs helped me find my way back to myself. It was a very raw, unfiltered process. At the time, I had no intention of releasing music, so what you hear is a transparent reflection of how I was feeling along the journey. Then, over time, what started as a personal outlet became something I wanted to share. I felt that kind of honesty might resonate with others, and that’s what led me to bring the EP together.
OSR: How did growing up in Montreal and being originally from Beirut shape your musical sensibilities and storytelling style?
Leloup: Both cities have such a strong creative pulse. Montreal definitely influenced my love of jazz – the scene is so vibrant, and the jazz festival is a staple. As for Beirut, it’s a place with many layers. It’s been through so much hardship, yet its vibrancy and love for life never really fade. It’s a place where so much joy and so much heaviness exist side by side. I hadn’t thought of it before, but maybe that’s where my sense of duality and humour comes from.
OSR: Jazz and blues are central to March. What drew you to these genres, and how do you see yourself pushing them forward in your own voice?
Leloup: I’ve loved jazz since I was a kid. I was introduced through musical theatre, so I think storytelling is what drew me in first. There’s also a freedom in jazz (and blues) that I don’t think any other genre quite has. Its improvisational nature invites you to reinterpret a song every time you play it, which can be very liberating as a musician. I still have a lot of unrecorded material I’m working on, and I hope to keep creating within jazz and blues for a long time. They’re such timeless genres with endless possibilities. I really feel like I’ve only scratched the surface. I’m constantly working on my skill set, and the more I learn, the more I realize how much there is still to explore. But I plan to keep refining my sound, and hopefully contribute in a meaningful way to these genres.
OSR: Many of the tracks carry a sense of humour alongside heartbreak. Is this duality intentional, and how do you balance those emotions in your writing?
Leloup: It’s funny ‘cause many of my songs I wrote out of genuine heartbreak. Some of them I wrote in tears. I had no intention to be humorous. But humour did eventually surface, so I must have baked it in subconsciously. I do tend to gravitate towards dark humour—the duality of it draws me, the way it holds space for opposite things at once. Such a great reflection of reality.
OSR: Can you describe your songwriting process? Do you start with lyrics, melody, or a feeling that needs to be expressed?
Leloup: I suppose it starts with a feeling that needs to be expressed. I like that you used the word “needs”, I think that need lets songwriters write from an honest place. If I try to write something I just want to write about, that I didn’t experience or feel first-hand, it rarely works. From there, the process is always different. Sometimes it starts with a lyric, sometimes a melody, sometimes a chord progression. Sometimes I write a song in 15 minutes, other times, an idea might sit for a year and then suddenly come together. I’ve learned not to force anything. I try to follow the idea’s lead, even if it takes me somewhere unfamiliar.
OSR: The title track, ‘March’, has a demo version included. What motivated you to release the raw version alongside the fully produced one?
Leloup: My favourite version of this song is one of the first rough recordings on my phone. It’s not perfect, but it’s raw, and I can hear exactly how I was feeling at the time. With the official version, the song took on a different life, with more of a dark humour twist. I love that, but I also really wanted to capture the original, vulnerable essence of the song. The demo version is my way of doing that.
OSR: Greener reflects a return to your musical path after stepping away. How do personal transitions like this influence the sound and tone of your music?
Leloup: I cherish music more now. It’s something I once let go of, and somehow it found its way back to me, and I don’t want to take that for granted. Coming back also created a sense of urgency to share my music. And that urgency was more for myself than anyone else. As much as I hope people connect with the songs, I really just wanted to create music that I loved and could stand by, without putting pressure on the outcome. I think that approach allowed me to find a more honest and authentic sound, and that’s what you hear today.
OSR: Who are your biggest musical influences, past or present, and how do they appear in your work on March?
Leloup: There were three artists I listened to a ton during the period when I was writing March – Diana Krall, Nat “King” Cole and Mose Allison – they probably had the most direct influence on this work. Diana is my musical idol. There’s a sophistication to her music, but also a simplicity that I’m really drawn to, and that’s influenced how I approach songwriting. I’m not sure I’ve mastered that balance yet, but I certainly strive for it. Nat Cole has that simplicity and sophistication too, and his sense of humour is irresistible. I’d say his playfulness rubbed off on my tone. And I adore Mose. I spend a lot of time transcribing his piano solos. He has such a distinct, cool sound that makes me want to sprinkle blues into most of the songs I write.
OSR: If someone were listening to March for the first time, what do you hope they take away emotionally from the EP?
Leloup: I hope I’m telling stories through my music that people can relate to. We all go through similar experiences, and often the songs we connect with most are the ones where we see ourselves in the storytelling. I hope my music can offer that sense of connection and maybe bring a bit of lightness and humour to some otherwise not-so-fun situations.
OSR: Looking forward, do you envision March as a stepping stone to exploring new genres, or is it a continuation of a sound you’ve been cultivating for years?
Leloup: I do explore other genres sometimes. Some ideas naturally lean that way, but jazz and blues are where I feel most at home. That’s where I can express myself most honestly. The sound on March is something I’ve been developing for years. I’m sure it will evolve as I keep learning and exploring, but I think jazz and blues will always remain at the core of what I create.
Many thanks to Lulu Leloup for speaking with us. Find out more about Lulu Leloup on her Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Spotify.
