Lukas Graham on “7 Years,” Ed Sheeran & the Most Personal Album He’s Made

Lukas Graham has written songs heard billions of times, but his new album, Good Times, may be the most personal music he’s ever made.

In this episode of Spout, Lukas joins Tamara Dhia to talk about the folk roots behind the record, the influence of his late father, raising three daughters and the song he wrote for a dying friend who initially told him never to release it—before later asking Lukas to perform it at his funeral.

He also reveals what Ed Sheeran thought of the new album, why the two have discussed writing a song together in Gaelic, and how opening for Ed gives him a chance to introduce the person behind hits like “7 Years,” “Mama Said” and “Love Someone.”

Lukas gets candid about the strange reality of worldwide fame, why “7 Years” was recorded in one take on an $80 microphone, his experience getting sober, and the spiritual shift that changed the way he thinks about performing and songwriting.

Plus: Taylor Swift, his still-dream collaboration with Adele, manifestation, fatherhood, and why finishing Good Times immediately sent him back into the studio to make more music.

Lukas Graham on the stories behind Good Times, the life behind “7 Years,” and what happens when the songs become bigger than the person who wrote them.

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