A Chat with Lucy Robinson (10.07.26)
Fresh from the release of her vibrant new single ‘Let Down’, Lucy Robinson joins us to discuss rejecting hustle culture, embracing balance, and finding creativity beyond constant productivity. We talk about life as an independent artist, the joy of making music without boundaries, and why slowing down can sometimes be the most powerful move of all.
OSR: At its core, ‘Let Down’ feels like a rejection of hustle culture rather than simply a song about burnout. Was there a specific moment where you realised that constant productivity had stopped being motivating and had become something much more damaging?
Robinson: So many moments of burnout and frustration have fuelled this song and my rejection to hustle culture. Being a solo indie artist feels like an uphill battle sometimes, like there’s not enough time in the day to do it all – being your own manager, agent, content creator, publicist, stylist, songwriter and also working full-time. I was in this constant state of overwhelm, worrying about everything, putting a lot of pressure on my success in my music and then feeling guilty when I wasn’t being productive. A lot of this pressure came from hustle culture social media content, and generally comparing myself to others online. My creativity went out the window, I was turning down plans with friends to record TikToks, write my weekly schedule, meal prep and go to the gym. How can you write good music when you’re in a state of stress and not actually living any experiences? Now, I’m trying to enjoy the process more, living a life of balance and worrying less about the final outcome. I’m just taking baby steps each day towards my goals and enjoying the ride.
OSR: The irony of ‘Let Down’ is that it’s one of your most energetic and groove-driven songs while tackling such a weighty subject. How conscious were you of creating that contrast between the music’s uplifting feel and the lyrics’ deeper message?
Robinson: It’s definitely my biggest and grooviest tune! Myself and Matt Weir wrote this together – Matt is my producer – he came up with the piano chords, which sounded super bouncy and energetic. From there, we just started to build this really soulful, gospel tune that needed to be uplifting, and then the lyrics started coming out. They were pretty cheeky and funny – calling out Lizzie Truss for a minimum wage for artists and selling my soul for a tenner, and how that’s fair trade. The energy in the room was class, we were bouncing off each other and had a lot of fun making it, and I think that energy really comes through in the music, in the words, the instrumentation and everything.
OSR: You’ve spoken openly about wearing multiple hats as an independent artist: performer, manager, promoter and creative director. How has balancing those responsibilities changed the way you approach songwriting compared to when you first started making music?
Robinson: Unfortunately, it means that I’m not able to write as much music as I’d like to because there’s just so many tasks to get done on top of working full-time. Making a point of dedicating time to write is super important. I think it can be so easy to dismiss and neglect the “fun stuff” like writing and creating, so I have to remind myself that it’s also part of the job and allow myself time to make music. Obviously, wearing these hats comes as part of the package of being an indie artist at this stage in my career. Don’t get me wrong, I actually do really enjoy how diverse the job is, and when you see rewards from doing these jobs, it’s very rewarding in itself. I love being my own boss, and it makes me feel good getting work done and seeing results. A huge inspiration for this song comes from the pressures of being a solo indie artist – being just one person running a business.
OSR: Your music comfortably sits between alt-pop, soul, indie rock and funk without ever feeling like it’s chasing trends. Do you naturally write without genre in mind, or has it taken time to become comfortable ignoring those boundaries?
Robinson: I’ve always found it very hard to stick within a select few genres. I love all kinds of music, so my own music definitely reflects this and is a bit of everything. It’s so fun making music in this way, no limits and no boundaries!
OSR: The musicianship on ‘Let Down’ feels incredibly organic, particularly with the Hammond organ and live rhythm section. How important was it to preserve that human feel instead of leaning into a more polished, heavily programmed pop production?
Robinson: There’s just nothing like real, human musicians killing it on their instrument. The players on this track, including John McCullough, Si Francis, Holly Mullahy, Abbey Peacock, and, of course, Matt, are just experts at what they do. It’s so much more organic and natural and with individual flair. If you actually have a bunch of people who are passionate about their craft play on your track, that’s when you create pure magic.
OSR: Lyrically, your songs often feel conversational rather than poetic for the sake of it. When you’re writing, are you consciously trying to tell your own story, or are you thinking about how listeners might see themselves reflected in your experiences?
Robinson: It’s definitely a bit of both. I think the reason that my music sounds conversational is because I am kind of having a conversation with myself when I write (or with Matt on this track). My songs are very authentic to me – I don’t actually think I could write music if I didn’t feel it. The music genuinely comes from me and what I believe and what I’m thinking. It’s like a self-therapy session, to be honest, when I write music. I definitely do think of my listeners a lot as well. I think, “Are people going to be able to digest this? Are people going to be able to connect to this?”, because that is my biggest goal – to share a feeling and connect with my listeners.
OSR: You’ve built an impressive live reputation over the last few years. Has performing regularly changed the way you arrange or even write songs, knowing they’ll eventually need to connect with audiences in a live setting?
Robinson: Fortunately, I just love writing catchy hooks and singable melodies, so I think a lot of my music does translate well to live. People end up picking up the words and tunes quickly and having a little boogie. When I’m in the studio making the music, Matt and I definitely do think about the audience and how the track will sound in a live setting and how it will land.
OSR: You’ve experienced some incredible career milestones already, from major festival performances to industry recognition. Looking back, which moment genuinely changed your confidence as an artist rather than simply your résumé?
Robinson: I think it’s a combination of everything. To be honest, there isn’t one moment that I thought that’s when my confidence was boosted or anything like that. It’s an accumulation of doing everything from the social clubs and the wee pub down the road to playing Beat Herder Festival main stage and the Dubai Expo for Prince William. There’s so many things you can learn from every single gig. Every gig is different, and every crowd is different – so every gig is an invaluable experience.
OSR: Many artists write about vulnerability, but ‘Let Down’ feels unusually hopeful. Was it important for you to leave listeners feeling empowered rather than simply understood?
Robinson: Yes, 100%. We didn’t want to write a song that was lacking in hope. We wanted to create a lightness about this song, helping to reduce the worry and the intensity that there is around “making it” as an artist, as an entrepreneur, as a parent or whoever you are! This hustle culture attitude is so pressurising, we wanted the song to be energetic, happy and fun and also funny and witty, to remind people to have a laugh and enjoy life.
OSR: When listeners hear ‘Let Down’ a year from now, what do you hope stays with them most? The groove, the message, or perhaps the permission to live life a little more gently?
Robinson: I hope the message sticks with people, and yes, for people to live slower, take it all in, clock off, don’t work themselves to the bone because you can’t take all that money with you when you’re gone.
Many thanks to Lucy Robinson for speaking with us. Find out more about Lucy Robinson on her Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and Spotify.
