THE APEX TIMES
Steve Lacy says he stopped taking acid after “Bad Habit,” as he prepares to release new album “Oh Yeah?”
In an interview published Thursday, the alt-pop singer reflects on how the breakthrough era tied to his early drug use, mental strain, and the long gap before his next record.
Alt-pop singer Steve Lacy said he used to take acid on Wednesdays, but that he no longer does it because he feels he “don’t have time for that now,” linking his past drug use and personal struggles to the pressures that followed his breakthrough as a recording artist. Lacy’s comments come in an interview with The Guardian published July 17, 2026, as he discusses what he described as the trauma and heartbreak that shaped his work after a breakout moment.
Lacy, who was nominated for a Grammy at age 17, recalled that his rise accelerated with Bad Habit, which he said reached No. 1 in the United States. The single, released during an earlier stage of his career, became one of the biggest songs of 2022, and it was followed by what the interview characterizes as a sold-out tour across North America, Europe, and Australia.
In the same discussion, Lacy said that the visibility and pace of success did not make his underlying struggles disappear. Instead, he described a period of “silence” after the initial hit, framing the emotional fallout as part of what informed his later music. While the interview does not provide detailed medical or legal information, it emphasizes how his personal life and wellbeing intersected with his creative output during and after the mainstream breakthrough.
The interview also addresses the timing of Lacy’s return. His new album, Oh Yeah?, is described as having been released after four years away, marking a more extended absence than some fans may have expected following the profile created by Bad Habit. Lacy’s comments position the gap as tied to how difficult it was for him to translate success into stability, and how recovery and processing personal experiences took time.
Lacy’s discussion of drugs is presented as a practical change as much as an artistic one. When asked about his earlier habit, he said he used to do acid on a Wednesday, but he doesn’t have time for it now. The remark suggests that the routines of touring, recording, and performing demanded a different approach to his lifestyle, even as his emotional challenges continued.
The Guardian interview appears to focus on Lacy’s internal account of the relationship between his songwriting and his life after a chart peak. It portrays his career trajectory as shifting from early acclaim and a major hit into a slower, more difficult period, culminating in a new album release that arrives after a multiyear stretch.
It remains to be seen what additional specifics will be provided as Oh Yeah? reaches broader audiences through streaming, press appearances, and live performances. For listeners, the interview offers a direct narrative from the artist, but it also underscores that the public record about any substance use and personal trauma is still largely shaped by what Lacy chooses to describe publicly.
In the meantime, Bad Habit continues to be positioned in the interview as the turning point that elevated his mainstream profile, while the new album is framed as his next step after a prolonged interval. Lacy’s statements suggest that his creative agenda now reflects both the momentum of a major breakthrough and the lasting impact of the difficulties that followed it.
Why It Matters
- Major chart breakthroughs can accelerate both career opportunities and personal pressures, and Lacy’s remarks connect a mainstream peak to lifestyle changes and long-form recovery.
- The release of Oh Yeah? after a four-year gap highlights how artists’ wellbeing and processing of personal experiences can affect the timing of new work.
- Public discussion of substance use, even when framed as lifestyle adjustment, can influence how audiences interpret lyrics and artist messaging around mental health.
- For music listeners and industry observers, the interview provides a firsthand narrative about how early acclaim (including a Grammy nomination at 17) does not necessarily translate into immediate stability.
- The story also underscores the role of touring and high-tempo professional routines in shaping what artists say they can and cannot do in their personal lives.
Key Facts
- Steve Lacy said he used to do acid on a Wednesday but does not now because he “don’t have time for that now,” in comments reported by The Guardian.
- Lacy was nominated for a Grammy at age 17.
- His single Bad Habit reached No. 1 in the United States, and is described as one of the biggest songs of 2022.
- The interview describes Bad Habit’s follow-on as a sold-out tour across North America, Europe, and Australia.
- Lacy says there was a period of “silence” after the breakthrough period, which he links to trauma and heartbreak that informed later work.
- His new album, Oh Yeah?, was described as finally out after four years away.