Jack Lukeman on AI, Live Music and King of Soho
By “The music business is like playing poker – every new song is a new hand.”
Jack Lukeman isn’t built for downtime. The Irish singer-songwriter has spent decades following his own pace, rarely standing still for long before the next tour, the next song or the next idea pulls him back into motion.
Between a remastered reissue of King of Soho and two headline shows at the Olympia Theatre early next year, Jack Lukeman shows no signs of slowing down. We caught up with him during a rare pause between gigs to talk about songwriting, the enduring appeal of performing live, the rise of AI in music and what comes next.
Kieran: You’re pulling double duty at Forest Fest again this year—performing and hosting. Does stepping into the MC role give you a different perspective on the festival?
Jack: Yeah, I love it. You get to see so many different bands, check out the gear they’re using and watch how they approach a live show. It’s also a great chance to catch up with artists you know, discover new acts and soak up the atmosphere. As an MC, you get to experience the festival from a completely different side, and I really enjoy that. Then, of course, I’m playing on the Sunday with the Big Band and the Gospel Choir, so that’s going to be special.
Kieran: The music industry has changed beyond recognition since you started out. Between streaming, social media and now AI, what do you see as the biggest challenge for artists today?
Jack: AI is obviously one of the biggest issues facing music today. The maths just doesn’t add up. I think there’s a danger that it devalues real music. For those of us who’ve spent a lifetime learning, music is an endless learning curve, and that’s the great thing about it. You’re never really there; you’re always learning, always improving, always trying to get better. I just wonder what happens if a kid can make an album at the push of a button. Why would they pick up a guitar, spend years learning an instrument or put in the time to master their craft?
Kieran: Do you think because of AI there is more value and interest in live music?
Jack: During Covid, I did a live stream every Saturday. Each week it was something different, whether it was Leonard Cohen songs or my own material, and people really embraced it. But I think what they loved most was the fact that it was happening live. There was a sense of jeopardy and immediacy because anything could happen, and people were commenting and reacting in real time. That connection is something you just can’t recreate any other way. The same is true when you’re standing on stage in front of a live audience. Every performance is unique, and that’s what keeps people coming back.
Kieran: Every songwriter has a different process. For you, does a song usually begin with a lyric, a melody or something else entirely?
Jack: Jack: Every song is different. Sometimes you sit down and the whole thing just arrives, but that’s pretty rare. More often these days, I’ll come up with a chorus and maybe some gibberish lyrics—just enough to capture the melody. I’ll record it, listen back in the car or wherever, and then start figuring out what the verses are really trying to say.
There’s no fixed formula. A great opening line can spark a whole song. A great chorus can do the same. Sometimes it’s just a theme, and other times it’s a melody or a chord sequence that makes you think, there’s something in that. I’ve usually got pages of lyric ideas on my phone or in old notebooks, so I’ll go back through them and see what fits. It’s a bit like putting the pieces of a puzzle together.
That’s the joy of songwriting. You sit down with an idea, and before you know it you’ve brought something into the world that didn’t exist before. For me, there’s no better buzz than that.
I’ve always said the music business is like playing poker. Every time you come in with a new batch of songs, you’re dealt a new hand. You never know where they’ll end up or who’s going to connect with them. That’s what keeps it exciting.
Kieran: Your live shows are often described as theatrical, emotional and unpredictable. Has that always been part of your approach, or is it something you’ve grown into over the years?
Jack: It kind of happened naturally. Maybe it’s because I’m quite a dramatic singer with a big voice, but I’ve always tried to break the fourth wall and draw the audience in. I want there to be a real connection between us, because that’s where the energy comes from. When the crowd gives something back, the whole show lifts.
I’ve never really been drawn to theatre for theatre’s sake. I like the looseness of blues and rock ‘n’ roll. But I suppose I do come from a tradition of theatrical songwriting—people like Jacques Brel, Randy Newman and Kurt Weill. I love writing from the perspective of different characters, and songs like King of Soho come from that place. It’s about stepping into someone else’s shoes and telling their story.
Kieran: You’ve just released a remastered edition of King of Soho. What made now feel like the right time to revisit that track?
Jack: It felt like the right time. It’s been 10 years since Magic Days, and King of Soho has gone on to become one of my biggest songs. It still gets a fantastic reaction every time I play it live, so revisiting that era felt like a natural thing to do. Of course, the original track was over four and a half minutes long, which meant it never really got much radio play. Hopefully this new version gives it another chance to reach a wider audience.
Kieran: You’ve got two headline shows at the 3Olympia Theatre coming up next March. What can fans expect from those nights?
Jack: Yeah, next March—I think it’s the 19th and 20th, although I don’t have the dates in front of me! The idea was to make the two nights completely different, which I was more than happy to do. I always enjoy a challenge.
The first night sees the return of The 27 Club, a show people have been asking me to bring back ever since we first staged it in 2012. It’s a celebration of those extraordinary artists who all died at 27—people like Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse and so many others who left an incredible legacy despite such short lives.
I suppose The 27 Club was always about being a bit of a ringmaster, really—interpreting the stories behind the songs as much as performing the songs themselves. That’s a different character, and it’s one I enjoy slipping into every now and again.
The second night is Greatest Songs, featuring the SUSO Gospel Choir and some special guests. It’s a celebration of the songs people have connected with most over the years, drawn from right across the albums. We’ll actually be giving everyone a bit of a preview of that show at Forest Fest on the Sunday.
Greatest Songs is a much more personal show because it’s all my own material. It goes right back to Metropolis Blue and all the way through to the latest Echo On album, so it’s really a journey through the songs and the stories behind them. I’ve built up a decent catalogue over the years, and those songs have really found a life on stage, so it definitely won’t be a shoegazing affair.
Kieran: What can fans expect from you after the 3Olympia shows and Forest Fest?
Jack: I’ve got some really good new songs that I’m itching to get out there, and I want to put together a new set so I can take them on the road. Hopefully in the new year it’ll start building towards new music and, ultimately, a new album.
With two very different 3Olympia Theatre shows on the horizon and new material beginning to take shape, Jack Lukeman is entering another busy stretch defined by movement, reinvention and live performance. From revisiting The 27 Club to reworking his catalogue for Greatest Songs, it’s a reminder of an artist who continues to find fresh energy in his own history while always looking forward to what comes next.
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Catch Jack Lukeman at Forest Fest
See Jack Lukeman Live at the 3Oylmpia Theatre
Friday 19 March 2027 | The Immortal Songs of The 27 Club | Tickets
Saturday 20 March 2027 | Jack Lukeman, Greatest Songs – Featuring the SUSO Gospel Choir and special guests | Tickets