Debut solo album Devil at My Heels announces Ginny Luke as a singular new star with stunning musical pedigree, fiercely resonating vocals, and brave, timely lyrics exploring personal liberation and empowerment.

Releasing by KZZ Music/Blue Élan Records on November 1, 2024, Devil at My Heels combines melody, muscle, and message into an irresistible and immaculately executed 12 tracks bristling with anthemic hooks, soaring singing, and Luke’s signature approach to violin as a scintillating rock instrument.

“It’s badass melodic rock with scorching violin,” Luke enthused. “And a declaration of my autonomy and the journey of understanding my human experience.”

A small-town girl from Iowa with a pianist mom and a conductor dad, Luke began music lessons as a preschooler and practiced violin and piano up to eight hours a day throughout her youth. By age 14 she was a concerto soloist and made her Carnegie Hall debut just two years later.

Moving to Los Angeles with hopes of an all-girl band success story gone awry, she was left to navigate the ultra-competitive LA music industry alone. Luke’s years of disciplined study paid off as she was quickly hired to join rock legend Meat Loaf’s band, which led to sessions with everyone from Snoop Dogg and will.i.am to Nicki Minaj and Hozier.

But Luke has always been a songwriter and solo artist, who began releasing instrumental albums as early as age 9. With so much top tier recording and performing experience and a catalog of world-class compositions, it was time to not only showcase her songwriting and singing on Devil at My Heels, but also to share a sexual assault experience as a cathartic and inspiring reclaiming of her identity.

“I want to be in control of the message and the emotional environment I create,” said Luke, an outspoken advocate for women and young musicians. “With this amount of musical experience under my belt, I have a lot to say. And I want women to be more courageous, so I feel like I’m leading by example.”

Produced by Dave Darling (Def Leppard, Brian Setzer) and Zackary Darling (John 5, Eric Gales) and influenced by the likes of Dorothy Martin, former Michael Jackson guitarist Orianthi (who guests on single “Devil at My Heels”), and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Devil at My Heels is an unapologetic alchemy of big riffs, huge hooks, and brave statements. Luke’s vocals ooze sexual energy and Joan Jett swagger, her album further set apart by fiery electric violin that brazenly bucks preconceptions of that instrument.

Devil at My Heels is preceded by sultry standalone single “When the Lights Go Out, ” which celebrates a woman’s power in sexual situations, while follow-up “Devil at My Heels” and its accompanying video capture the delectable dangers of dating a “bad boy,” its robust rock embroidered with cultured string arrangements and Orianthi’s virtuoso interjections.

Further Devil at My Heels standouts include the uncompromising, brooding “Other Side” – a request, if not a demand for physical connection and satiation fueled by gritty guitars, cultured orchestration, and Luke’s acrobatic vocals and exquisite violin solo. “Other Side” is one of two co-compositions on the album with award-winning Irish songwriter Colin Devlin (The Devlins).

“Save Me” showcases a more delicate, nuanced side of Luke’s artistry and vocal timbre. This melancholic yet ultimately optimistic revisiting of a toxic love experience is laced with ethereal backing vocals, rustic violin, and a simmering vocal performance.

“It’s also about abandoning yourself and your boundaries in a relationship,” Luke explained. “I think it’s one of the most honest and therapeutic songs on the record and the most radio-rock, as well as being pretty sad.”

Devil at My Heels mixes up moods with straight-up party songs like the infectious “Yeah Yeah Yeah,” and bluesy barnstormers “Burn” and “Do You Close Your Eyes.” But, displaying the breadth of her experience and artistry, Luke flips the switch once more with the contemplative, confessional “Woman I Wanted To Be.”

“I hope that women identify with songs like “Woman I Wanted To Be” and that people can experience that and reflect on their own life and challenges, or their own pain,” said Luke. “And I hope they can find some answers within themselves from listening to that song and a couple of others on the album.”

Long a star in waiting, Devil at My Heels confirms that Ginny Luke’s time has come and that she has the talent, drive, and vision to establish herself for years to come.

“Good art makes you think, but I also believe that good songs are simple and understandable,” she concluded. “I want people to walk away feeling empowered, courageous, and musically fulfilled, but also feeling either understood or having questions about their existence.”

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