Lenice Raquel performing "Energy" at Doley Vocals sponsored by the EBN.
Brooklyn's newest singer details how a car crash changed her life and heavily influenced her to pursue her passion of becoming a world-renowned singer.
Lenice Raquel, hailing from Brooklyn, New York, will soon join the long list of artists quickly rising to prominence bursting out of the New York music scene.
Raquel was born in America, but is half-Dominican on her mother's side and half-Panamanian on her father's. Her hispanic culture and heritage is constantly on display in her soulful tunes, especially in the song "Know, I." (linked below)
"My mom's whole side of the family sings, my mother sings in church and she has a CD out," said Raquel. "I've always been around music, if I had to describe my sound in three words it would have to be emotional, empowering and deep."
The Park Slope native states that if it weren't for a near death moment, she would have never begun to pursue her dreams.
"It all started two years ago after a huge car crash that I had," said Raquel. "My life flashed before my eyes, I could have died right there. I realized now this is a second chance and I have to seriously start going for my dreams."
The bilingual artist understands that success comes with time and even has a quote stamped on her body to commemorate that sentiment.
"Be patient and trust the process," said Raquel. "I have it tatted on my side, it's the base of every decision, hardship and confusion that I go through. I get stressed and agitated, but I have to remember that it's all leading towards something greater and empowering."
The fervent singer states that her accomplishments don't feel like much of anything as a result of still not reaching the goals she has has set for herself.
"Last show I just had was my most recent accomplishment (Create Your Own Success Performances sponsored by the Elajas Broadcast Network and All Things Hype)," said Raquel. "I'm usually super nervous and not jacking the majority of vocals I'm executing because of my nerves. Before that recent performance, signing to the Elajas Broadcast Network was a whole leap of trusting somebody else to be apart of the team and help this grow. Prior to that, it was me recording and following through with doing it, despite all the fears that I have in myself."
While declaring her Mount Rushmore of artists that influence her style, Raquel also mentions the artist widely advertised to be the "Artist of the Decade" for the 2010's, Drake.
"My Mount Rushmore of artists that have influenced me include Drake, Kehlani, Jhene Aiko and PartyNextDoor," said Raquel. "Drake is who always keeps me grounded in the emotional aspect [of my music]."
Raquel boasts that she has barely scratched the surface of her potential and divulges what truly separates her from the competitive pool of singers in New York and in the music industry overall.
"I have a lot of things I can bring to the table vocally, nobody has fully heard my range," said Raquel. "Moving forward, there's no more playing it safe, I can do it all. If I put my mind to it, I can really get it all done. I feel like when I do fully make it as an artist and person, people will be copying off of me."
Two years ago, Raquel's life flashed before her eyes. Now, the only flashes she sees are the stars as she grinds to be up there with them.