Some feelings are entirely universal. Everyone knows the pain of stubbing a toe, or the embarrassment of stumbling over your words during a presentation. Still, even more, heartbreaking experiences we can all relate to are the feelings of longing and regret.
Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya (born May 23, 1998) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He gained recognition as the guitarist of the alternative R&B band the Internet, which he joined in 2015. His self-produced debut EP, Steve Lacy's Demo (2017), was met with critical praise and became a sleeper hit. Lacy then guest performed alongside Frank Ocean on Tyler, the Creator's 2017 single "911 / Mr. Lonely", which received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His debut studio album, Apollo XXI (2019), earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album. That same year, he guest appeared on Vampire Weekend's single "Sunflower", as well as Calvin Harris' song "Live Without Your Love", which entered the UK Singles Chart. He signed with RCA Records to release his second studio album Gemini Rights (2022), which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart and spawned the single "Bad Habit".
Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya was born in Compton, California, on May 23, 1998, the son of an African-American mother and Filipino father. He was raised by his mother and grew up with his sister Asia Lacy (Asiatica), with his father being largely absent from his life and usually only visiting on special occasions. When Lacy was ten years old, his father died. Lacy attended Narbonne High School before moving onto a private school.
Lacy first gained an interest in the guitar at the age of seven through the video game Guitar Hero. He met Jameel Bruner, his future bandmate in the Internet, while in jazz band in high school. He produced and performed his first songs on his iPhone, using the app GarageBand, he also used a plug-in for his guitar called an iRig. In 2013, he began a producing role on what would become the Internet's third studio album, Ego Death. Contributing on the production of eight tracks, Ego Death was nominated at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Urban Contemporary Album.
Lacy appeared on Matt Martians' album The Drum Chord Theory and Syd's album Fin after it was announced that the Internet members would release solo projects. He also began producing songs for Twenty88, Denzel Curry, Isaiah Rashad, J. On August 15, 2025, Steve Lacy returned with his first solo single in three years, "Nice Shoes".
Read also: Understanding Lucifer's Role
In an interview with The Fader, Lacy cited Thundercat, Erykah Badu, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Pharrell Williams and the Neptunes as some of his biggest influences, also mentioning Prince as his dream collaborator. Lacy has also listed Weezer, Paramore, and Jimi Hendrix as major influences on his sound. Makeda Sandford of Saint Heron described his sound as "an electrifying yet smooth...
I first listened to Steve Lacy through his “Demos” collection when it was released, and I was still a junior in high school. His song “Deep Red” was significant to me that year as I navigated the pressures of my first relationship and budding general anxiety disorder.
In 2018 Lacy produced for other prominent artists like Solange, Kali Uchis, and even the late Mac Miller on his final (living) project, “Swimming.” This was also the year that Lacy revealed that he had broadened his production equipment to include devices other than his cell phone. In May 2019, his debut album, “Apollo XXI,” was released and went on to receive a Grammy nomination. The album is a story that follows Lacy through a breakup that helps him come into his own.
On his second full-length album, “Gemini Rights,” Steve Lacy dives deep into heartache on a project highlighting Lacy’s honed storytelling and confident production performance. Lacy is a funk-and-indie-rock-inspired artist known to most for his DIY production skills (his hugely popular TED Talk details how he created most of his first songs on a jailbroken iPhone), being openly bisexual, and his presence in a band called the Internet.
Lacy and his bandmates also began working on solo projects, which led to him producing for names like Denzel Curry, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole.
Read also: The Meaning of Aries Zodiac Flowers
It seems his focus has shifted to configuring his storytelling skills and learning to centralize themes rather than showcasing his extensive abilities in production. Lacy has so much room to stretch out and manage his creative experimentation following this album. I’m happy to say that this exercise in creative control has only enhanced his abilities so far.
Overall, “Gemini Rights” is an exciting project for Lacy. For fans of Prince, Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator, this album is a must-listen, and even if you’re not familiar with Lacy’s past work, Gemini Rights is a great entry point.
Singer, songwriter, producer and all-round creative visionary, Steve Lacy is quickly becoming an important voice in music, drawing comparisons to the likes of Prince and Erykah Badu. Steve brilliantly taps into love’s wishy-washy nature on Gemini Rights. Like a typical Gemini, he fluctuates between longing and resentment for his former lovers, showing that parting ways in a relationship is never simple.
The Gemini Influence
Lacy was born on May 23, which places his zodiac sun sign in Gemini. The Gemini sign is represented by the twins, which is generally interpreted as the sign being ‘two-faced,’ and it is ruled by the planet Mercury, which means the principles of communication and reasoning. The story highlights the titular subject of the Gemini experience and how all the planets and their movements are impacting him.
“Pulled the trigger, killed us both”Being Lacy’s personal sign, this song is all about Geminis. Represented by the twins and ruled by the planet Mercury, Geminis are known for their duality and depth of character.
Read also: Criminal Minds: Unmasking the Zodiac Killer's Legacy.
I recall Steve posting his chart (from co-star) but unfortunately his birth time isn’t public info…☉ ♊︎ - the storyteller, messenger, & trickster Mr. Lacy’s is a Gemini, Gemini is ruled by Mercury-hence the symbolism in his latest album Gemini Rights☉ The sun represents what he is learning to be-communicative and adaptable Steve’s sun is conjunct (the planets' energies merge, amplifying the themes associated with both planets.) marsHe can come off assertive and energetic personal note: when I saw Steve live, he was full of energy and very alluring
Steve Lacy has Mercury (planet of communication) in the sign of the bull (ruled by Venus) This means that Mr. Lacy’s words are enchanting Mercury is squaring (conflict and tension) Uranus in Aquarius When it comes to Steve’s communication style, he tends to think differently, therefore, his words set him apart!This can create conflict when Steve experiences misunderstandings. For example: in his song Bad Habit, Steve Lacy sings I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me…
Astrological Aspects
| Planet | Sign | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Gemini | The storyteller, messenger, and trickster. |
| Moon | Taurus | Seeks comfort through pleasure, affection, tranquility, & creativity. |
| Mercury | Taurus | Words are enchanting, but can lead to misunderstandings. |
| Venus | Aries | Love language is centered around action. |
| Mars | Taurus | Enjoys the pleasures that life has to offer, places his energy into what is tangible. |
| Jupiter | Pisces | Attracts luck & fortune into his life by following his intuition & by creating! |
Analyzing "Gemini Rights"
Released in July 2022, the project is both a breakup album and a journey of self-exploration. At just 10 tracks and around 35 mins long, Gemini Rights doesn’t waste time, and every song feels intentional. This album isn’t aiming for perfection; it’s about expression. From the start, he sets the tone for an album that’s not afraid to be messy, personal and direct.
“Mercury,” which served as the debut single released, is a bossa nova production with a driven beat and somber tone. The tone is nearly bleak aside from the beachy guitar; Lacy sings almost in anguish about regret over failing to express his feelings to someone. One of the more interesting lyrical flips on this song is the juxtaposition of “I bite my tongue / it’s a bad habit” in the first chorus to the line, “can I bite your tongue / like my bad habit?” Lacy can’t help but go back and forth between these twin instincts.
My favorite track is “Cody Freestyle,” a song weighed down heavily with synthesizers and a dream-like reverb and fuzz saturating the instrumental track. The story of this song revolves around a bitter separation of Lacy and an ex-lover, in which he dismisses that they are worth anything more than sex. However, there were intense feelings involved in their partnership.
The following three songs, “Amber,” “Sunshine,” and the closer “Give You’re the World,” all show a shift in Lacy’s mindset towards his ex. The lyrics and storytelling show Lacy looking back on old memories fondly, first toward sex and then toward his lover. The instrumentals also follow a shift of lighter instrumentation and jazzy undertones.
The second track, Helmet, is another standout. But the centerpiece of the album is undoubtedly Bad Habit. On the closer, Give You the World, Lacy returns to his guitar roots, delivering a dreamy, almost nostalgic finale. It’s a love song that feels like a parallel universe where things did work out.
Production-wise, Gemini Rights is impressive. Lacy’s attention to detail is clear in every layer, from the lo-fi texture to the crisp base.
“I'm not for sale, man, what the hell?”Aries are passionate, assertive and headstrong. They’re natural-born leaders, stepping up and getting things done when no one else can.
“Two can play the game when it feels so right next to you”Ruled by Venus, the planet of love, Taurus are as sensual as they come, which is why ‘Playground’ is the perfect song for the sign.
“Cause I'm longing for somethin' secure”Cancers, represented by the crab, are known for their emotional sensitivity, protectiveness and fondness for stability.
“I could be your guide, no, you gotta keep it under”Being the king of the jungle comes with unbridled confidence and swagger, a trait Leos are known for.
“Something bad is 'bout to happen to me”Virgos are intelligent, analytical and detail-oriented. They’re incredibly perceptive and can read into all kinds of situations with scary accuracy.
“I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me”Represented by the forever-balanced scales, Libras are known for their charm, kindness and cooperation. However, they can also be indecisive, excruciatingly weighing out all the options.
“You're the one I need”Scorpios are passionate, determined and intense, ready to sting with all their might. ‘Infrunami’ is a song about letting out all that passion and trying to win a former lover back.
“Sunflower in the evening”Sagittarians, represented by the Archer (often depicted as a centaur) are relentlessly optimistic, free-spirited and joyous. They’ve also got a great sense of humour.
“But you're in college now and I'm about to go on tour”For the ever-ambitious Capricorn, we’ve selected one of Steve’s earliest songs.
“Now’s the time to disappear”Those born under the Aquarius sign are known for their fierce independence and rebellious spirit.
“I still, I still love you”Last but not least, Pisces are known for their extreme empathy and compassion, as well as their duality due to their representation of two fish swimming in opposite directions.
Bring yourself and your zodiac personalities to Steve Lacy’s upcoming shows in the Concert Hall from 31 January - 1 February 2024.