Meet the Ōtautahi Teen Turning Talent and Business Smarts Into a Music Empire – Muzic.NZ

At just 18 years old, Ōtautahi-born indie pop artist Lucy Gray is turning heads in the music industry, not just for her catchy music, but for her razor-sharp understanding of how to build a brand, grow an audience, and market herself in a digital age. Next Saturday, 3rd May, Lucy will take the stage as the opening act for none other than Frankie Venter (hailed as New Zealand’s next BENEE) in a highly anticipated Christchurch performance at the Arts Centre’s Altiora. It’s a moment that marks another milestone on Lucy’s fast-moving journey from emerging artist to national breakout. And it all started right here in Ōtautahi.
In just over a year, independent artist Lucy Gray has built a loyal fanbase of over 90k followers, catching the attention of major industry players both here and abroad. She already has label and publishing offers on the table and is widely tipped to be Aotearoa’s next international success story. Her growing audience isn’t just online, it’s turning up in real life too, with fans now singing along to her tracks at shows, word for word. “I’ve wanted to be a popstar since I was four,” says Lucy. “That dream has driven me to pursue music seriously as a craft cause I don’t want to let my younger self down.
Lucy has also taken creative control of her visual identity. Blending dreamlike aesthetics with a flair for the dramatic, Lucy has conceptualised her own music videos for Polar Orbit and Soft Spoken, both of which channel a vintage-meets-modern energy, echoing the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, with a deeper, duskier edge. It’s her vision, her lane, and her story – and she’s telling it her way. Lucy’s drive has been unwavering from an early age. “To me, this is a job – an inspiring one. I have an analytical mind, and I’m fascinated by the psychology of it all – what makes people tick, how they connect with music. I love learning about it,” says Lucy.
Sacha Vee, founder of the trailblazing SOLE Music Academy, respected artist and mentor to many of the country’s top young artists, says Lucy is in a league of her own. “I’ve had the pleasure of educating many talented musicians over the years, but I’ve never seen someone combine raw talent with the kind of work ethic and business smarts that Lucy has, especially at just 18. She knows exactly who she is, who she’s speaking to, and how to reach them. That’s the part most artists struggle with. She is absolutely one to watch,” says Sacha.
Lucy’s strong sense of identity has been there from the beginning. “She’s been incredibly curious, independent, experimental, and passionate – truly her own person from day one,” says her mother Ann Huggett, a Clinical Psychologist at the University of Canterbury.
Lucy’s recent single Soft Spoken, produced by Emily C Browning has already started gaining traction online, further cementing her reputation as a rising star who not only understands the craft – but the business behind it.
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