“It was written so close to going through cancer and the hardest time of my life – I can really hear the intensity of that time”: La Luz’s triumph over tragedy is testament to Shana Cleveland’s singular determination – and her unending love of Strats

Shana Cleveland of La Luz performs at Saturn Birmingham on June 05, 2023 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Back in 2012, La Luz burst onto Seattle’s indie music scene with a quasi-nostalgic sound that teeters between garage rock and surf rock, complete with sun-kissed harmonies and that unmistakable surf guitar twang.

Fast-forward 12 years to last year’s News of the Universe – a record of complementing contrasts, cocooned in an aura of eeriness, dark psychedelic goodness, tenderness, and a newfound confidence that comes with traversing the fine line between navigating the indie label sphere of the industry while still maintaining a core DIY ethos.