About
I'm unluca★★★ (ˌʌnˈluːkə stɑː stɑː stɑː), an Amsterdam-based musician who makes heartfelt and playful experimental pop that covers deeply human topics like mermaids, vampires and the intolerable cringe of remembering past selves. I'm a Vocaloid artist, so the vocals in my songs are computer generated (think: Hatsune Miku). I try to combine the real, the virtual and the fantastical to create something that engages both the head and the heart.
Is that like AI?
As a Vocaloid artist, some people think the vocals in my songs are created using generative AI. This is a misconception, I want nothing to do with AI art. Science-fiction writer Ted Chiang wrote a great essay about generative AI in which he points out that, for lack of a better definition, "art is something that results from making a lot of choices" and GenAI deprives your art of meaning and personality by making choices for you.By contrast, one of the things I love about Vocaloid music is how clearly you can hear the artist's intention because the so-called "tuning" of a Vocaloid (manually breathing expression into an otherwise monotone performance) involves an uncountable number of choices and decisions. Just like all other good art, my favorite Vocaloid songs are bursting with personality.
Contact
Feel free to send me an e-mail or message me on bluesky or instagram if you want me to play at your venue, work on your project or collaborate with you on something. Dutch and English are both fine.
Where to listen
My music is accesible on many platforms. Personally, I'd prefer that you listen to it on Bandcamp. On Bandcamp, I use a "pay what you want" pricing model and I'd appreciate it if you sent some money my way, but if your financial situation doesn't allow for that, by all means download it for free! You don't even need to make an account. Soundcloud is where I upload some whacky sample-based music (like a mashup of Get Low, We Are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together and Solo) and YouTube is where my music videos live.
No Spotify?
Like many other artists, I have removed my music from Spotify. It was not an easy decision. Most of my fans use Spotify to listen to my songs and it breaks my heart to take that away from them. However, between a CEO who invests in arms manufacturing, the return of payola, fake artists, ChatGPT integration, the general depravity of the platform economy and big payouts for podcasters who spread right-wing lies while musicians, especially smaller ones, get almost nothing, I can't in good conscience allow Spotify to profit off of my art. My songs are available plenty of other places and I will personally deliver a USB stick to your doorstep if that's what it takes.
Friends
- https://noplexus.com/ - the incredible musicians who took me under their wings.
- https://www.siobhanlemaire.com/ - the best performer I know.
- https://cecilyrenns.neocities.org/ - I never know what the next Cecily project is gonna be and I'm always happy to see it.
- https://marshmallow-manju.weebly.com/ - illustrator I work with a lot, I love her work and cooperation is always smooth.
- https://www.instagram.com/dengdeng.dj/ - photographer and graphic designer for Unwanted Pets who also plays killer DJ sets.
- https://ardemar.art/ - archival artist with a trickster spirit.
- https://pirko.nl/ - DIY god, rapper, performer and secret intellectual.
- https://sydyap.com/ - the future of experimental songwriting, they are mind blowing.
- https://alienheadshitkid.neocities.org - low-poly artist with the best site ever.
- https://cyberbirdxx.cargo.site/ - incredible graphic designer and kind human.
- deerz.one/ - deergirl who makes only the best, craziest things.
- https://robfeather.com/ - catchy, fun, creative "low-resolution" songs.
- https://rein.computer/ - wizard of Nintendo DS modding and permacomputing.
- https://expressivelabs.net/ - former classmates making new vocal synth software, exciting stuff.
Website by unluca★★★