Peg Luke on Her New Single, Grammy Consideration, and AI in Music

Peg Luke embodies a rare blend of artistic mastery and spiritual resonance in her musical journey, which spans classical compositions and deeply emotive performances. From her early inspiration by renowned flautist Jeanne-Pierre Rampal to her prestigious performances at venues like Carnegie Hall and Cadogan Hall, Peg Luke ‘s music resonates with a timeless authenticity and a profound connection to her faith. Her upcoming release, “God on a Bumpersticker,” promises to unveil a narrative-rich journey, blending elements of divine intervention with poignant storytelling. As she prepares to submit this new single alongside her recent work, “Kyrie Eleison,” for Grammy consideration, Peg Luke reflects on her profound experiences in music, embracing both tradition and innovation to convey messages that transcend mere melody, touching the very soul of her listeners.

Read the full interview below

Peg, we know that you are about to release your new single, “God on a Bumpersticker.” Can you give us a sneak peek and tell us what listeners can expect from this song?

Each morning, when I feel well enough, I try to exercise. After stretching, I bring out a small stack of spiritual reading, meditation, and prayer books. I seem to draw occasional inspiration from what I read. One meditation talked about God everywhere, including being seen on such things as “bumper stickers,” hence the idea for my tune, “God on a Bumpersticker.” This tune tells a story, one that is fictional in nature, but I can’t be sure that someone hasn’t lived the storyline.

To give you a sneak peek, I sing about a person who is tremendously tired and has been driving all night in bad weather. They are thinking about how life has “done them wrong.”  They are kind of at the “end of their rope,” and then suddenly they find themselves in a fatal car crash. Most importantly, the last thing that person sees is a bumper sticker on the car in front of them proclaiming the miracle of “God.”  The rest of the song you will need to listen to. I have used a bit of my own “out of body” experience and the testimony of a wonderful friend of mine who was fatally injured in a car crash and was pronounced clinically dead. She told me that she was given “a choice,” and she came back to life! All these testimonies helped me create this tune. I promise you, it is powerful! I can’t wait for you to let it envelope you!

How did you come up with the title “God on a Bumpersticker”?

I have driven a lot of miles in my life.  How about you?  One thing I must admit that I like to do while waiting in traffic is read what bumper stickers people have placed on their vehicles.  It tells me a little bit about them.  I am always fascinated by them.  I think God can come to us at the most unexpected times, and placing “God on a Bumpersticker” is definitely one of those moments.  I think the idea is unique and memorable.  It goes with the context of my tune.

You are planning to submit “God on a Bumpersticker” and “Kyrie Eleison” for Grammy consideration. How does it feel to be in the running for such a prestigious award?

The idea of submitting my work to the Grammy organisation was not even on my radar.  One of my producers casually mentioned to me in one of our conversations that he thought my music should be submitted.  So here we are..

To be perfectly honest with you, this is not my first experience with the Grammys.  Years ago, I was on the “long list” of Grammy nominees.  In the album nominated, I soloed on a J. Clifton William alto flute piece entitled “Padean Fable.” Williams wrote this epic wind ensemble piece from his hospital bed as he was in his final days of battling cancer.  It was a very emotional encounter; not only was I actually wearing one of Mr. Williams rings on my finger, but his daughter was there listening.  It was cosmic.  I also took “Pandean” to Carnegie Hall and performed it there.  A couple of years ago, I was in the final running for an Emmy with famed videographer Jody Spence.  The Emmy nomination pertained to an interview that I did about my Christmas tune, “The Greatest Gift.”.  That was also a very heartwarming experience.  So, this is not my first time in this “circle.” I feel very grateful to have this opportunity again. 

What steps are involved in the Grammy submission process, and how are you preparing for it?

I can’t really answer this question because I am not personally submitting my work.  Other people are, so I trust they are familiar with the process.  As long as I have God with me, I am going to be fine, no matter what the outcome.  It is all kind of magical and unbelievable for me at this point in my career!

How do you see “God on a Bumpersticker” fitting into your overall musical journey and discography?

“God on a Bumpersticker” is a very important chapter in my music career.  I have never really ventured into opera, but I feel this tune is the closest thing I can relate to as an “oratorio” of sorts.  It tells a story a very important story.  The musical style is quite new to me.  I’m not sure it fits into a “genre.”.  The sound of the instruments in the background I credit to my amazing producer, Steve Avedis, and orchestrator and final mix guru, Tom Capek, for creating.  It has an ethereal quality with an 80’s kickback.  It is very original.  I can’t quite explain it, which is why this tune is an important benchmark in my creative musical mind.

You mentioned that your upcoming single “God on a Bumpersticker” will also incorporate AI video. Can you share more about how you plan to use AI in this project and what new elements you hope to bring to your music through this technology?

My media management team, the MPT Agency, is creating the AI lyric video as I do this interview with you.  So, I can’t disclose any of that information yet.  But I do know the cover photo they created of a luminescent God figure is really fantastic!  I look forward to seeing it, just like all of you do!  I think this is just the beginning of my AI journey.  We can fight AI as artists, or we can embrace it.  I tend to want to embrace it and work with it to bring even more meaning to my musical work.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your fans and our audience?

I personally want to thank all the people who take time out of their busy lives to experience my Christian meditative classical music.  I have a lot of love for people today.  Our world needs healing, it needs light, and it needs hope.  This is my calling; this is my greater calling. I am just the messenger!  Look for much more music coming from me in the future, including a reworking of some classical Bach to Cohen to Somewhere Over the Rainbow in 2025.  I will be including many of my own compositions as well, including a special Christmas tune coming to you this November!  It is a very exciting time in my musical career!   Thank you for being a part of it!

As we bring this interview to a close, we encourage you to explore “Peg Luke Prays,” a new weekly series featuring Emmy and Grammy-nominated artist Peg Luke. Through this series, Peg invites listeners on a journey of spiritual exploration intertwined with her exceptional musical talent. This initiative promises to deliver both emotional depth and artistic excellence, reflecting Peg Luke’s dedication to sharing uplifting messages through music and prayer. Stay tuned for more from Peg Luke as she continues to inspire and connect with audiences globally through her profound artistic endeavors.