We Need People To Dream: An Interview With NYC’s L-Punk

By Staff | May 27, 2026

Blending the ferocious energy of punk with the rawness of emo and the unpredictable textures of alternative rap, L‑Punk erupts as a distinctly chaotic force forged in the crucible of New York City. Fronted by Venezuelan emigre Luijo, the band channels the jarring collision of displacement and urban intensity into a loud, unapologetic sonic universe where dark humor and spiritual yearning clash head-on. Their live performances - whether at hallowed grounds like Mercury Lounge or scrappy DIY spaces - transform audiences into a collective, driven by a rebellion that refuses neat genre boundaries. With a debut album structured like a flickering old television and a fierce dedication to connecting with outcasts everywhere, L‑Punk proves that authentic punk isn’t a closed set but a volatile, living contradiction.

Welcome Luijo! How did your move from Venezuela to New York City in 2021 directly shape the raw, chaotic sound and emotional contradictions of L‑Punk?

Because of a reality collide, I feel i was in a bubble back home in many ways and experiencing the chaos and intensity only New York can provide I became even more aware and connected to myself as never before, since I was a little kid I’ve always dream of playing music and being a “rockstar” and everything just fell into place once i let myself to be as authentic as possible and true to my feelings.

L‑Punk has been described as an entire artistic universe — what would someone see, hear, or feel if they stepped into that universe for the first time?

There are different approaches here and it’s the way the world works in 2026, online and offline. Most of my audience it’s from out of the US, if a person finds me online they will quickly realize that this universe it’s like a blender that mixes action, humor, darkness and it’s loud, weird and unapologetic. Then if you go to a show (which I think is the best way to understand this universe) you are now part of a force that will move, jump and scream and at the end of the set you’ll understand perfectly without even knowing what happened.

Yes, it’s exactly like that.

With influences ranging from punk rock and emo to alternative rap and even experimental sounds, how do you keep all those threads authentic without losing your core punk identity?

Some people understand punk as a very closed way of thinking and when it’s completely the opposite, the “true” punks will say different, I believe there’s multiple truths that can coexist but without getting too philosophical, everything i do starts from punk, there are more threads around it which are also genres and scenes i genuinely f*ck with and understand enough to integrate it into my sound.

Your debut album L‑vision is built around the metaphor of old television channels — what’s playing on the channel that best represents who you are at 3 AM in NYC?

The best channel for this i would say it’s the first track (technically second if we count the intro) it’s called: Me Sabe a Mierda Todo! which literally translates to I Don’t Give a Shit. It’s our anthem, it’s a powerful sentence and there’s so much science over vulgarity behind it, so yeah i’f i’m around the city at 3 AM that’s definitely my mood.

Venues like Mercury Lounge and the Bowery Electric have a deep punk legacy — how does performing in those spaces change the energy of your live show compared to anywhere else?

Both venues were great and memorable shows for us, you can definitely get a little taste of history once you realize where you are standing and this moment i honor it in my mind right before a show, i really like The Strokes, not my favorite band but definitely consider them legends and then playing at Mercury Lounge and to date i consider it the best show we ever played in the city. The energy was immaculate.

You blend emotional vulnerability, dark humor, aggression, and spirituality in your lyrics — which of those four feels the hardest to translate into a three‑minute song?

Definitely spirituality, it’s a topic now a days and you see a lot of “influencers” talking about it, it’s my job to find ways to communicate how important this is to me and how much it changed my life without sounding like a guru telling you to stick an incense up your a$$.

So yes, sometimes it’s not easy but it’s definitely a part of me which i think it brings all together and it wouldn’t be the same without it.

Photo credit: @ontiprod

As a filmmaker and photographer, how do you make sure your visuals don’t just accompany the music but actually become part of the same underground, DIY rebellion?

By keeping it really DIY, just how all this started, having a vision and getting closer to reality through my own method with no short cuts. I have to say this is the part of me that is a perfectionist, i get obsessed with achieving the picture I have in mind and it’s frustrating sometimes to adapt to a different version for matters of time or a day job or other responsibilities, however, I always leave my 100% in every piece.

You’ve mentioned you want to connect with people who feel disconnected from society — what’s one thing you’d say to a kid in Venezuela right now who’s listening to L‑Punk alone in their room?

I would tell him there’s hope, that there’s more people like him, that he can change his reality no matter how rough it is, and this in Venezuela can reach other levels, but still, any shitty reality can be shifted into a better one. but mostly i would tell him to dream, we need people to dream especially coming from where any dream feels impossible. i would tell him there’s no dream that big for a huge dreamer… and also i would tell him to fuck everything.

Anyone you'd like to thank for their support?

i’d like to thank my amazing band for their work and their friendship - Lucho (bass) @iamluchohero, Denis (guitar) @overchucknorris, Arturo (drums) @r2d2ums - my family who has always supported and believed in me, all the people that come to our shows and L-CLAN our community on Instagram which are my real ones!!

Finally you guys, knifetwister records for having me and making such cool questions, really enjoyed the time!!