A Star has been born and her name is Gracie Abrams.
Gracie Abrams may not be a household name yet, but if you’ve played Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album on repeat for the last few months, you’ve heard her influence. Heartbreak, emo, 2000’s pop-punk is back in full swing, and if you can’t get enough, check out the inspiration behind the writing of the hit “Driver’s License”.
Olivia Rodrigo wrote “Driver’s License” “how Gracie would write it.”
Olivia Rodrigo has escalated to stardom this past year after a slew of angsty singles and a beautifully composed album that nails teenage longing, heartbreak, and love, but it wasn’t without help. Rodrigo cites Abrams as the songwriter whose style she emulated on the hit that thrust her into the spotlight.
Gracie’s music oozes vulnerability, and Olivia matched her musical peer’s relentless honesty in her songs.
Gracie’s EP, “Minor” has less production than “Sour”, but Gracie’s vocals paired with catchy rifts and lines that leave you breathless proves that Abrams isn’t far behind Olivia’s fame. “Minor” transports you directly back into the thick of the first time your heart broke, and her choruses are best screamed with your friends after a few too many glasses of wine.
Gracie’s voice is powerful, but the real impact comes when she holds back–in the soft stances like “I still haven’t heard from your family / but you said your mom always loved me”, and “Don’t wanna see you again if it’s different / cuz I’ll only see all the things that I’m missing / I should have cut all the ties but I didn’t / I didn’t let go.”
Abrams’ words fall from her mouth effortlessly, as if she’s confessing to her best friend her deepest relationship fears or quoting her own diary pages. Her breathy voice paired with hard-hitting phrases (half-drunk happy) invite even the most reluctant listener into her web.
“I can’t separate my music from my opinions,” Abrams says. “It reflects my way of thinking. You shouldn’t be afraid to talk about what you believe in. I find that very important.”
Gracie Abrams is the daughter of renowned director JJ Abrams, but she has a voice of her own.
From a young age, Gracie had an interest in music. She started writing and composing her songs from her bedroom, classifying her genre as “bedroom pop” but her music is deeper than that genre lets on.
Still, at 22, she has years to elevate her impressive craft. Born to two of the most influential creatives in the industry, it’s clear Gracie inherited her storytelling gift from her parents. Her father is the man behind films like Star Wars and Star Trek, and her mother is a producer who introduced her to artists like Joni Mitchell and Carole King.
Only time will tell where Gracie Abrams will go.
As she begins her first tour with live listeners, Gracie’s career is only going forward. Stream her EP “Minor” wherever you listen to music and prepare to be won over.
