(December 5, 2025) Philippines born, Bay Area-based singer and songwriter Tracy Cruz has been a SoulTracks favorite for over a decade, and is a five-time SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Award nominee. Most of all, she is a performer who has shown the talent to transcend musical boundaries to create songs that both touch and entertain her listeners.
Tracy uses those formidable skills on her brand new single, “Because of Your Love (for Epifania),” a tribute to her beloved grandmother, Epifania Santos Soto, who had an immense impact on Tracy’s life and is now a cherished ancestor. The family theme of the song is enhanced by the participation of Tracy’s daughter, C.J. Ross, who sings a cameo at the end of the bridge in the song.
The lyrics give a sense of the encouragement that Epifania gave, that helped a girl find her way to adulthood:
You made me feel like I could conquer the world since I was a little girl
You were always there by my side guiding my life, guiding my life
Once again, Tracy Cruz has created a song that takes listeners deeply into her world, and again it works beautifully. “Because of Your Love” is our latest First Listen. Check it out below.
By Chris Rizik
