If there is one key lesson to take from London-based, Armenian-Canadian singer-songwriter Arabella Lucia, it’s that shrinking yourself to soothe someone else’s fragile ego is officially out. Reclaiming your light – and cranking the amp up while doing it – is firmly in. Her latest single ‘Steal My Shimmer’ serves as a blistering, guitar-heavy declaration of authority, proving that her reputation as an unstoppable force in alt-rock is earned chord by chord.
Written in the wake of an encounter with a male musician whose ego was visibly bruised by her technical chops – complete with patronising digs asking if her Gibson SG actually belonged to her father – ‘Steal My Shimmer’ is a biting clapback delivered with a knowing wink.
Rather than internalising the condescension, Lucia translates the frustration into a high-octane anthem that sits proudly within her self-coined ‘Rockstar Princess’ universe. Visually and musically, it’s a space where an unapologetically feminine aesthetic collides with pure punk attitude, carving out a symbolic niche in an industry that remains frustratingly male-dominated.
Brought to life alongside producer Oskar Winberg, who helps shape the single’s crisp, punchy sonic edge, the track is driven by towering riffs, a driving rhythm section, and a razor-sharp anthemic chorus. It transforms the experience of being underestimated into an explosive celebration of self-worth. Lucia’s distinctive voice moves effortlessly from gritty control to full-throttle intensity, making her message crystal clear: she knows her value, and she has zero intention of lowering it to make anyone else comfortable.
“Steal My Shimmer stemmed from learning that not everyone will celebrate your wins, recognise your skills or acknowledge your merit,” Lucia explains. “It’s an anthem of defiance dedicated to anyone who’s ever been told to shrink their spirit to accommodate the insecurities and limiting projections of others.”
While ‘Steal My Shimmer’ works brilliantly as a standalone rock anthem, it also serves as the explosive launchpad for Lucia’s highly anticipated debut 5-track EP, dropping November 13th. The track marks a pivotal shift in the project’s wider arc, representing the moment her exploration of resilience and agency becomes unapologetically outward-facing.
That electric connection with her audience is already spilling off the record and into live venues. Look no further than her secret show at YUNGBLUD’s Brat Cave – a packed-out, sold-out affair where fans fully embraced the ‘Rockstar Princess’ ethos by showing up clad in tiaras, turning the room into a glitter-streaked, headbanging sanctuary. Paired with standout festival appearances at The Alternative Escape, Bludfest, and Gibson Garage London, Lucia is fast staking her claim as one of the capital’s most compelling new live forces.
Arabella Lucia’s debut EP releases November 13th.
Listen to ‘Steal My Shimmer’ here.
