let's finish it: conversations with myself album

Aim

I've recorded a 15-track album about recovery from rape. Help me finish it — production, mixing, & mastering — so these songs can reach you.

Hi, I'm Luce.

Last winter, 80 of you helped me record my 15-track album about recovery from rape. And we did it — twelve days in a beautiful residential studio in Bedfordshire, with a team who poured their hearts and expertise into these songs. Drums, bass, cello, violin, layered vocals, piano, my mum singing beside me, a one-take vocal by the log fire near midnight. It was everything I hoped for, and more.

This is me asking you to help carry it over the finish line.

Where your money went — and what we made

I've spent the last while going back through the footage from those twelve days, and I wanted to show you (watch the video!). This is where your generosity went: real musicians in a real room, ideas becoming arrangements, songs finding their identities. There are moments in that footage I'll never forget — the quiet realisations, the goosebumps, the magic. You paid for that. Thank you. Truly.

Where things stand now

The album is recorded (mostly). The raw magic is captured. But a record isn't finished when the last note is played — it has to be produced, mixed and mastered before it can exist out in the world and reach your ears.

Having paid the team for those twelve days (and there was a thirteenth day for guitars), my funds went dry :( . I applied for arts funding to cover this next stage, and this round it wasn't successful — the industry is stretched thin, and so are the funds. So I'm coming back to you, the people who started this with me.

funding sources

We've decided we must fund the finishing now, so we can pick up the momentum again and the album comes out early next year. If we don't, it stalls — into later next year, into a different studio (as Liese is selling Grand Chapel), losing the momentum and team we've built together so far. We really don't want that. In fact, we've already stalled it thus far - it's been 5 months since we were in the studio together. We just need a few weeks of hard work and we can finish it. We're so close.

Why this album matters

When I first tried to write about my experience of rape, the only words I could find were: "I can't find a word that's violent enough." Slowly but surely, when I began channelling anger into song, some things started shifting. In writing about revenge, I could let go of it. In writing about things that brought me shame, I could shed them. In sharing the songs, I found connection — with other survivors, with my mum, my grandma, my younger self, and with fellow gentle souls.

Every time I sing these songs, someone in the audience tells me, quietly, that they too have experienced sexual violence, or know someone who has and feel more connected to their story now. That sharing is vital to recovery. We have to create spaces free of shame and blame, where healing can happen. Finishing this album is how I keep creating those spaces beyond the live room. I can't tell you how IMPORTANT this work is to me - it's my life's mission to heal people through this music. There's no way I'm not doing this work. It also feels so vulnerable and I'm choosing, again and again, to trust.

Fyi, the plan is to build a fanbase and listener-ship around the music once I have the music finished. This way over time I can slowly make back what has been spent on the record, and take it forward into the world to a larger audience - single by single...

Where your money goes

what it costs

This campaign funds the finishing of the record:

• Production and mixing: the work that turns raw recordings into songs
• Mastering: the final polish that makes it release-ready

That's it. This is the round that gets the album done.

There's also a small matter of platform fees which, last time, took about 3.5% of what was raised overall.

(The physical CDs, vinyl, the printed illustrated lyric book and the album launch show are a separate piece — I'm applying for grant funding to cover those — so they're not part of this ask.)

Rewards

There's a way to be part of this at every level:

• Pre-order the album (digital)
• Expanded demos & B-sides pack
• Illustrated lyric e-book
• The Full Digital Experience — album, demos, illustrated e-book and an invite to a private listening party
• Learn to write a song with me, one-to-one
• A song written just for you

And you can pledge any amount without a reward — everything raised moves this forward, even if we don't hit the full goal. Every pound past the target goes straight towards mastering and means less I have to borrow to finish.

However you can help

If you backed round one: thank you (so much!!!) — this is the round that finishes what we started, and finally gets the album into your hands.

If you're new here: welcome. I'm so glad you found this.

And if you can't give right now, sharing this genuinely matters just as much. Talk to one person. Send them the video. That's how this reaches the people it's for.

Let's finish it.

Luce x

Whether it happened recently or a long time ago – or you're not sure what happened – Rape Crisis have lots of information and support that might help. You are not alone. Get Help - you deserve it.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 14th August 2026 at 7:57am