Cuban-Spanish singer/songwriter Lucy Calcines comes from a family of musicians, and with her joint Spanish and English heritage, she brings a unique authenticity to her sound.
Three years ago Lucy reached the semi finals of TV series, ‘The Voice UK’ with her Remix of the Latin Mega hit ‘Mi Gente’ by J Balvin & Willy William going on to clock up over 25 Million views on Youtube, making Lucy the most watched contestant of 2020 globally.
Lucy Calcines headline the LatinoLife In The Park Festival on Saturday August 5th with a Latin Divas showcase and here she gives us the lowdown on her London hit picks.
What's the best thing about London?
The people, the mix of cultures and the fact that there is always something fun to do, and so many different things going on. It makes it the most fun city!
What's the worst thing about London?
Definitely the weather…it rains a lot.
Where do you go to have fun?
I always love to hang around central London, it's such pretty scenery for any plan! I always meet my friends at Leicester Square Station because it's literally walking distance from EVERYWHERE and it's so close to Chinatown which I love. I love asian food and culture in general so I hang around Chinatown a lot.
Where is the most relaxing place in town?
Kyoto Garden in Notting Hill is such an amazing and relaxing place, taking a walk there always helps me ease my anxiety. It has beautiful Japanese style waterfalls and let's not forget the peacocks! Like, the peacocks alone are iconic.
Where is your favourite place for eats and drinks in London?
It depends on the mood…if I'm in the mood for something simple it’s Nando's, straightforward dishes and you can never go wrong here. But if I'm feeling a bit more fancy, SuperStar BBQ is my favourite place for eats and drinks, literally worldwide. It's the best Korean food I've had and it's such a fun place since it also has a karaoke downstairs. I haven't been for a while so I'm excited to visit it again in August after LatinoLife In The Park!
If I could change one thing about London...
I'd change the weather and how expensive the rent is…haha
What's your favourite venue to go to or play at and what makes it so special?
I am obsessed with coffee so I'm always hanging out with my friends at coffee shops. My favourite one is EL&N London since it's all pink and super cute, it really matches my vibe and aesthetic. If I'm not drinking coffee then you're probably gonna find me hanging out at Westfield Stratford doing some shopping and drinking bubble tea.
And on to where I would like to play, my biggest dream is to sell out Wembley Stadium one day.
The song that reminds me most of London is...
“079ME” by B Young was the tune back in the day, when I was in uni everyone was blasting it all the time so it's hard not to associate it with my uni memories, those were the days!
Tell us a London gem that everyone should know about
Migues Burger in Elephant & Castle is a place that not a lot of people know about, and it has such a good variety of Colombian food. I always go there for the hot dogs, they're amazing, but my favourite thing about it is how cosy it is. It makes you feel like home!
One thing everyone should do in London is...
Go shopping in the Oxford Street and Regent Street quarters. Visit the National Gallery and buy some chicken from a good chicken shop.
Lucy Calcines headlines LatinoLife In The Park Festival alongside Alvarez Funk, Lokandes, the Candela Sound System featuring Angelo Flow, Guala, JDogg, A Nahomy, Georgia Scott and Lisey Tigra and Reggaeton Explosion featuring Faqundo Gonzalez & dembow don, Tatto RD, La Frecuencia, R Louis, Dukus and Yvli on Saturday August 5th. Taking place at Ealing’s Walpole Park, there’s also a Viva Salsa Stage with DJs, Animation and Dance from Talentos Salsa, Latin Fun Machine and more. With food pop ups, bespoke Bars, Folk Dance & Drumming Parade.
Tickets from £6 at https://www.skiddle.com
Getting there: Tube and train to Ealing Broadway (Central, Elizabeth, District line and South Western Railway) + 10 minute walk or a 2 minute taxi drive to the site.
By Bus: 65 & N65, 112 & 226, E1 E9,E10, E2,E7.E8,N7,N11, 207,483,607,E11,N83,N207