Artist Spotlight: Lucy Race
Lucy Race went from humming lullabies in Lima to working with Latin Grammy nominees by 14. Now based in Utrecht and collaborating with a Grammy-winning producer, she blends cinematic pop, alt-rock, and Latin soul into something bold and dreamy. Think cherry, lime, and a little bit of fate.
1. You started making music at 12 and were already working with Latin Grammy nominees by 14—were you secretly a musical prodigy, or just wildly determined?
Music has always been a part of myself even before I could understand what that even meant, so when people in the industry discovered me it felt as something “fated” instead of “fabricated”, it felt like something that was meant to happen instead of made up, like the starts aligned for that moment to happen you know?. Even now you could hear stories by some of family members (like my grandma) recalling how since I was a little baby I used to hum myself to sleep, something pretty cute, pretty magical, and completely me.
2. What was baby Lucy like growing up in Lima—did you always know music was your path?
Growing up in Lima was a really interesting experience, I was always the creative, out of the box girl in the crowds I used to hang out with (which were not necessarily like that/ a bit more traditional and grounded), which made me take some time and realizations to understand that all those melodies, lyrics and ideas I’ve always held inside were my biggest strength.
Sometimes while I was younger you could just find me in a corner of the room writing lyrics or humming melodies into my phone while people where clubbing hard, or on other days you could just spot me at a live music restaurant networking and befriending musicians right there on the spot (which were sightly older and more into the industry than me) but their music, and music in general, was literally what got me there, and my intrepid actions what would “accidentally” or not open some big doors for me…. Like being featured on national TV. Yes… all because I asked a musician right on the spot to play live music with him (which he declined of course) but offered me something cooler…
I definitely wasn’t expecting such big of an outcome!
Again everything about me is fated
3. If “Lucy Race” were a movie character, what would her origin story sound like?
It would sound like story of a girl from a small country who’s always been full of ideas , passion and drive, sometimes too big for the traditional and still background she came from. This girl pushed hard to get away from that environment while honoring and appreciating all the experiences she had while living there, because they enriched her, they made her grow and realize as well that she was something else than the “common denominator”.
As soon as she arrived to Europe she realized her story wasn’t meant to be kept or hidden, this girl keep moving forward and collaborating currently at distance with a grammy winning producer from LA who discovered her at the perfect time, this girl knows her story is just starting, and the best is yet to come.
4. You're blending cinematic pop with alt rock and Latin soul—if your sound had a flavor, what would it taste like?
If my music had a flavor it would likely taste cherry with a splash of lime.
The cherry would capture the emotional depth, some romantic pull, and nostalgia I infuse into my sound, like there’s rich and timeless about it- like you’ve tasted it before in another life.
But then lime kicks in, the unexpected twist, the edge, the cinematic boldness and the part of me that refuses to settle and follow the rules. It’s dreamy but it stings a little. It lingers.
I want people to feel something deep and unforgettable after listening, like a flavor they cant quite name, but one they’ll crave again.
5. How does moving from Lima to Utrecht play into your songwriting? Does Dutch weather inspire moody bangers?
I can definitely say that the netherlands has inspired me in a lot of my upcoming tracks, it has added some twist to my last songs, it has upgraded my nostalgic lyrics, it has enriched my bubbly latin energy, and the weather has made my melancholic sounds grow stronger in the best way possible, not just because of the fact of being here, but more because of the experiences I’ve gained which lead me to have a perfect “storm of inspiration” to write about.
And yes not everything I went through was always great, but that’s what sticks about my lyrics as soon as I put them into work and music, that’s exactly what stands out. That I’m doing something real, honest, and raw, because something I would never give to my public is a version of me that’s “make believe” or distanced from reality.
I rather be real, unique and emotional, than unauthentic, molded and practical. With that you can definitely know about myself.
6. You’re working with a Grammy-winning producer right now—can you spill anything about what you're cooking up?
My future songs are going to be a mix of different sounds and buildups my producer and I are working on at the moment, which is something I’m incredibly excited about since we’re going to be taking my sound to the next level and that’s something I don’t have enough words to be thankful about.
7. You’ve rebranded from Lucia Carrera to Lucy Race—what’s the story behind the new name?
The rebrand from Lucia Carrera to Lucy Race is a reflection of my personal evolution and journey. Lucia felt like a name rooted in tradition, something that represented the past and the familiar. As I’ve grown into myself and embraced my true calling, I wanted a name that felt more aligned with the bold, forward-moving energy I’m embodying now. Race symbolizes my drive and determination, racing toward my dreams, my destiny, and the connection I feel with something bigger than myself. It’s a name that captures both my passion for music and my belief that life is a journey, one that I’m ready to take on full throttle.
8. Do you dream in English, Spanish, or lyrics?
That’s the same question my family always asks me, and honestly sometimes I dream in English, sometimes I dream in Spanish, sometimes I dream of people I haven’t even met yet , sometimes I dream with a connection to a city I’ve never lived in before, and with people how’ll change my life forever that are not yet with me. But something that I know is that every single dream is a reality, every single dream spills truths as prophecies and every single dream leads me to my bigger purpose , to myself, to my music, to love.
9. What’s a lyric you’ve written that gives you chills every time you sing it?
First one: Honest, vulnerable , fated towards love and future
“I ask to the stars where you are can you come here to save me?”
Second one:
“With you I’m lost in the magic, with you I can’t seem to get it”
I perform this one Live a lot, the reason behind it… because I know it’s arriving to someone else right after I sing it.
10. If your next single had a visual aesthetic, what would it look like in three emojis?
11. Let’s talk drama—what’s the most “cinematic” moment you’ve had on stage or in the studio?
The most cinematic moment I always get while being on the studio is when someone asks me to do lyric and melodies impro on the spot, because it always leads me to create something I wasn’t expecting to be there before. Also I would confidently say that the moment the producer is playing my sound on the loud speakers I can’t help but get lost in the music in the feeling of it , and I feel right there like in that moment nothing else gets me but that wonderful sound, not even the producer standing next to me or a pal I invited to the session, it’s just me the music and of course Magic .
12. What's one Peruvian sound or rhythm that always finds its way into your music—even if listeners don’t catch it?
I would say a Peruvian sound you could catch is my music, is “loose party feels”, “Peruvian rock” and most definitely if you take your time and check on me you’ll find out my music’s been crafted by iconic, remarkable Peruvian musicians, who’ve left their footprint right on my craft.
13. Who’s on your dream collab list? Living or legendary, spill it.
I would love to have a bit of maroon 5 funkiness, Amy winehouse’s legendary realness meeting mine, Florence’s mysticism, and Justin Timberlake’s groove and charm. Doesn’t that sound Iconic? . I know it does
14. You’ve worked with some serious names already—what’s a piece of advice or feedback that really stuck with you?
A piece of advice that stood out for me is that “you always gotta keep moving forward” and never “takes steps behind in your road”. It stood out for me because it felt real, and I liked that, I liked thinking that whenever you have a goal or dream, there’s no space to be held up, or go back to what you where before having it, and that the only think you have to do is keep moving forward because if you do, there’s no way your dream won’t catch up to you back.
15. Fill in the blank: “When people hear Lucy Race, I want them to _______.”
Feel something real, like they’ve just heard the soundtrack to their own story.
Thank you so much for the interview!
Lucy Race