Lukas Nelson Is Bringing Something Different to the Majestic Theatre—Here’s What You Should Know Before the Lights Go Up. ML
Lukas Nelson Finds His Own Voice: “I Wanted the Freedom to Do Whatever I Want”
For years, Lukas Nelson stood in two long shadows — one cast by his father, Willie Nelson, and another by Neil Young, whose band he helped anchor as the fiery frontman of Promise of the Real. But with his latest album, American Romance, Nelson is finally stepping into the light on his own terms.
The new record, released in June, marks his first true solo venture after 16 years of collaboration, touring, and reinvention. Produced by Shooter Jennings, it’s a 12-track journey that moves from wistful reflection to restless wanderlust. It’s also deeply personal, blending classic country textures with the emotional depth of folk and the adventurous edge of rock.
“The whole thing feels like a travelogue,” Nelson says. “My life has been movement — always moving, touring, writing on the road. It’s a romance with both joy and heartbreak, and I think this album captures that.”
Nelson, now 36, says that walking away from Promise of the Real wasn’t about leaving something behind — it was about creating space for something new.
“I loved my band, and I loved playing with Neil Young,” he says. “But after a while, Promise of the Real became so tied to Neil’s music that I felt boxed in. I wanted the freedom to not rock out every time, to explore other sounds and emotions.”
That freedom is everywhere on American Romance. Songs like “Friend in the End” (featuring Sierra Ferrell) shimmer with delicate harmonies, while “You Were It” — the very first song he ever wrote as a child — closes the album with haunting simplicity.
“I wrote it when I was 11,” he recalls. “I showed it to my dad, and he liked it so much he recorded it on his album. That meant everything to me. Including it here was a nod to where it all began.”
Between studio sessions in Nashville and downtime at his home in Maui, Nelson has been plotting what’s next — and there’s plenty on the horizon. He’s working on a movie project, collaborating with Ernest on 30 new songs, and already sketching ideas for another album.
“I can’t stop writing,” he says. “I just finished a song with Ben West and Laci Kaye Booth that sounds like if Radiohead made a country record. That’s where I’m at — just letting the music come however it wants.”
After all, Lukas Nelson has spent a lifetime learning from legends. Now, he’s writing his own story — one verse, one journey, one song at a time.
