World of possibility

>> Singer Lucenda tackles tough
topics in a teen’s own words

KEEN TEEN: Lucenda

by GERARD DEE

Local R&B/hip hop singer Lucenda isn’t your typical teenager. At the ripe old age of 17, she’s already released two albums. Her latest, Simple, Sweet & Street, is a hip-pop showcase for her honeyed vocals and views about everything from violence to the environment.

“I’m not just doing this to be popular and be on TV,” says Lucenda. “I want people to understand what I’m saying.”

What she’s saying is that there’s more to life than being a bad-ass. “I’ve been surrounded by those types of people and I’ve seen it around me and I know it’s really dark and it’s getting people killed. It destroys families.”

Lucenda’s own family life hasn’t always been smooth. She admits that when she was younger, she was headed for trouble. But she also loved to sing, and that’s what sent her in another direction.

”My life back then wasn’t really good. I was just starting to live with my dad when I was 13, so I was a little rebellious. And the only thing that made me feel good was music. My dad saw it and he knew I really wanted to sing, so he gave me the opportunity to record.”

She dropped her first album, Mon Agenda, when she was just 14. That album was loosely based on her life. This new album has much larger fish to fry. For instance, “Goodbye” tackles the subject of suicide.

“It tells young people to be happy in life and try to make things better with your friends and family, and not think about taking your life when you have a problem.”

On “Planète,” another important issue is addressed. “It’s about our environment because there are so many things happening with the Earth right now and I’m really concerned about those things. I want people to realize that it’s not just a joke. We have to be careful, because our kids will have to live in this world.”

Suffices to say that things are good in Lucenda’s world these days. She’s looking forward to finishing her last year of school and hopefully touring Europe in 2008. But mainly, she wants to get her message out.

“I’m not trying to be a parent talking to a child, but I just want kids to realize that life is made to be lived fully, and when you waste your time doing stuff that’s bad, you don’t take the time to take advantage of life.”