Worcester’s Lielack is simply put: a band to watch. With a soft blend of pop, emo and punk in their latest release, “Walls” defines Lielack’s Nu-Punk sound. The single features singer-songwriter Kelaska and highlights the uncertainty of letting your guard down as you fall in love. In their latest music video, lead singer of Lielack, Jason Pascucci and Kelaska evoke these “walls” of separation and the frustration of trying to move through the obstacles of your significant other.
I had the opportunity to catch up with Jason Pascucci about the new single below!
—
How did Lielack come together?
We started as a completely different sounding band with a different singer and we played mad/sad music. We decided to part ways and as a result, now we’re making happy music.
What is the Worcester music scene like?
It’s always been more hardcore/metal based…there actually isn’t much of a scene for our genre in Worcester yet…we’re hoping to change that.
Could you explain more about your “nu-punk” sound?
I’d call it a punk-kissed pop. I wouldn’t call myself a great singer at all…but punk has always been more about the attitude anyway…
How did you and Kelaska meet?
Mackenzie Christensen (Black Door Sound) is a producer we’ve worked with a lot in the past, and have been working with him for vocal production for Lielack…I love his work and always ask him to give me a sneak peek on what else he’s currently working on, and he showed me a song he was working on with Kelly (Kelaska) and I was immediately blown away…even more so when she said yes to working with us.
How was it like to collab with a pop artist for a more punk-influenced track? Have you ever done collaborations before in your previous bands?
Collabs are something we’ve never done before but always wanted to do. Guess we had to wait until Lielack really got started…but I think we made something unique here blending the two genres/voices together. It honestly was just so exciting to work on this with her…
How long did it take to film the music video, and do you have a favorite memory from the shoot?
It only took a couple hours…but that is because Ian Urqhart is so damn professional… when we first walked into Seed to Stem I saw this ceramic snake and I said out loud..”man I love this snake..i would buy this if they were open”…a couple hours later there was an accident..we saw one of the lights fall near a table and heard a loud SMASH! We thought for sure the whole table of expensive cool glass stuff had broken but all that broke was that SNAKE! The owners were so cool that not only did they brush it off…they gave me a replacement snake! (we forcefully paid them for the broken one) but now I have like 1 and a half cool ceramic snakes!
What are some bands/artists you’ve been listening to lately that you think the world should know about?
Kid Brrunswick is doing some great things, also, Kelaska’s new solo stuff is absolutely killer! She’s just like….so talented it hurts.
Is there more to expect from Lielack soon?
We are just getting started and we have no plans on stopping…but as far as near term…I think people can expect something to knock them outta their Thanksgiving coma. 
—
Stream the new single “Walls” on Spotify and more!
Follow Lielack Online:
Read more music articles at ClichéMag.com
Images provided by Brian Cunningham
“Top Guy is an extremely personal song to me and I’m glad that it’s my debut single. I went through a difficult time when I was kicked out of the school where I’d spent my past 6 years — all because I stood up for myself and spoke out against the harassment I was facing. I guess the fact that I felt so much oppression and injustice pushed me to vent my feelings in this song. Being young, sometimes it feels like everyone around you has a say in your life and has a right to judge you (even if they’re not always correct) — and to make life-changing judgements about your life simply because they can. I hope that people who listen to Top Guy can feel that I stand with them through my music, and that the best thing you can do is not give a shit about what other people say. In the end, it’s still you who has full control! Just keep doing and being your best and shout back even louder!”
In an effort to help millions of others around the world in similar situations embrace their own individuality and heal from the hate, Ridi and her sister, Vasudhara Oswal, co-founded the non-profit “Stop the B” in October 2020. As co-founder, Ridi shines a spotlight on the fact that it doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is, anyone can face oppression. Through Stop the B, she has promoted awareness around harassment, encouraging people to identify social and emotional bullying behaviors and to become “active bystanders” in order to assist in combating the problem. She’s also encouraged survivors to share their stories and come out of the negative stigma attached to talking about feeling victimized, or of being afraid to be different. Her campaign has earned her the endorsements of footballer Ronaldinho, world renowned independent academics, and an invitation to speak at a UNESCO world anti-bullying forum in Sweden this November (Ridi being the youngest ever of the speakers and peers).
OOMPA is a nationally-acclaimed, Boston-born, poet, rapper, and educator, who is forever representing the queer, black, orphaned, hood kids n’ them. She was named one of 
