Biography
Who is Arca?
Early life and real name
Born Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez in Caracas, Venezuela, the musician spent her formative childhood years in the country before her family moved to Darien, Connecticut. During this time abroad, she began developing an interest in electronic music production, eventually returning to her home country at age nine. She experimented with instruments like the friction drum and began utilizing FL Studio software to craft her initial soundscapes.
As an adolescent living in Venezuela, she released music under the alias Nuuro. This early work earned her modest recognition within the local scene and positive attention from established acts such as Los Amigos Invisibles. Her technical skills grew during this period, leading her to program synthesizers for the Grammy-nominated album Nuestra by the rock band La Vida Bohème. Following this foundational period, she relocated to New York to attend the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University.
Rise to prominence and production work
In 2012, she began releasing material under the name Arca, starting with the extended play Baron Libre. This release was followed quickly by the EPs Stretch 1 and Stretch 2, which showed an interest in hip hop and experimental textures. Her production talents soon caught the attention of major industry figures. By 2013, she contributed songwriting and programming to Kanye West's album Yeezus. That same year, she released her debut mixtape, &&&&&, via SoundCloud.
Her collaborative reach expanded significantly over the next few years. She played a key role in the creation of FKA Twigs' EP2 and LP1, while also becoming a frequent creative partner for Björk. Starting with the album Vulnicura in 2015, she co-produced and co-wrote multiple tracks for the artist, continuing this partnership on the 2017 record Utopia. Throughout this era, she also worked with diverse artists such as Madonna, Kelela, Frank Ocean, and the Weeknd, strengthening her reputation as a versatile and innovative producer in the avant-pop and electronic music spheres.
Solo albums and the Kick series
Arca released her first full-length studio albums, Xen and Mutant, in 2014 and 2015 respectively. These projects established her distinct style, which often blends industrial influences with ambient and electronic textures. Her 2017 self-titled album, Arca, marked a shift in her process as it was the first to prominently feature her own vocals, receiving widespread praise from critics.
Between 2020 and 2021, she undertook an ambitious project known as the Kick quintet. This series of five albums, beginning with Kick I and concluding with Kick IIIII, explored a wide variety of sounds including reggaeton, IDM, techno, and ambient music. The first entry, Kick I, earned a Grammy nomination. Beyond these studio recordings, she has engaged in live performance art, including the Mutant;Faith series at The Shed in New York City. In 2026, she released the studio album XXXXX, marking a new chapter following the completion of the Kick anthology.
Birthday and age
Arca was born on October 14, 1989, which makes Arca 37 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Arca shares the date with 21 other famous people.
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