Kelsey Lu
Biography
Born in North Carolina, Lu studied cello at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts before developing a career across experimental music, contemporary performance, and popular music. Lu gained early attention with Church (2016), a live-recorded EP centered on cello, voice, and looping techniques, followed by the debut full-length album Blood in 2019.
Lu has collaborated with artists including Solange, Blood Orange, Florence + the Machine, and Yves Tumor. The practice has also expanded into film scoring, including music for Earth Mama and the Netflix documentary Daughters. Hydroharmonia developed sound baths and audiovisual work inspired by nature, meditation, and immersive listening. In 2026, Lu released So Help Me God, a second full-length album exploring spirituality, identity, transformation, and experimental sound.
Lu has publicly described herself as a Black, queer woman and has discussed her bisexuality. These perspectives inform a body of work that moves between intimate expression, experimental composition, visual art, and performance.
BQW Impact
Lu's career contributes to the visibility of Black queer women within experimental and contemporary music. Her work connects classical musical training with genres and forms that have historically been treated as separate, creating space for a Black queer perspective within composition, popular music, film, and performance.
Lu's multidisciplinary practice also demonstrates the breadth of creative paths available to Black queer artists. Her work across albums, audiovisual projects, collaborations, and film scoring places Black queer identity within an expansive contemporary musical practice rather than a single genre or artistic category.
Notable Works
Church (2016)
Debut EP recorded live in a single take at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, combining Lu's cello, voice, and looping techniques.
Blood (2019)
Lu's debut full-length album, blending experimental pop, R&B, electronic music, and classical influences.
Hydroharmonia (2020)
Ongoing audiovisual project exploring meditative sound baths, nature, and immersive listening.
So Help Me God (2026)
Lu's second full-length album, released in June 2026 and featuring collaborations with artists including Sampha, Kamasi Washington, and Kim Gordon.
Learn More
Official site for Lu's music, projects, and creative work.
Official music catalog and current releases.
True Panther Records, Kelsey Lu
Label profile and documentation of Lu's early releases.
Institutional profile documenting Lu's multidisciplinary artistic practice and New York base.