After impressing me with upbeat numbers, GRAACE is stripping things back with her latest single “Her.” It’s a vulnerable ballad about the challenging feelings that can surface when your ex moves on.
“After a breakup, it’s common to feel the need to check in on your ex as they move on, eventually realising you’ve been replaced,” she said. “Comparing yourself to their new partner, you might view them through rose-tinted glasses, leading to a mix of jealousy, self-doubt, and infatuation. Unsure if you’re jealous, aspire to be like her, or desire to be with her, this universal experience often results in becoming more invested in her than your ex”.
“Her” comes from GRAACE’s new EP afterimage, which drops on August 16. She explained the EP’s concept, noting “Just as an afterimage is the lingering impression of an object seen after closing your eyes, afterimage captures the essence of carrying past relationships into new experiences, incorporating the lessons, heartbreak, and love from those encounters”. Fresh from supporting The Dreggs, she’ll play a string of headlining shows in the capitals to promote its release.
2024 might be the year of The Dreggs. Seven years since releasing their debut single, they dropped their incredible first album Caught in a Reverie. It’s one of my favourites this year. They’ve also just played their first show at the Enmore Theatre, a bucket list venue for the duo from Yarun/Bribie Island. I was so thrilled to be there to share this milestone with the band.
While Friday was The Dreggs’ night, it was really a celebration of local talent. I was unfamiliar with This New Light from Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Sunshine Coast, but he made such a big impression on me. It’s challenging for an emerging artist to fill a theatre with only an acoustic guitar for the majority of the set, but he had me hanging on his every word. His chilled-out folk music was the perfect primer for the evening. He was so sweet too, genuinely humble as he told us how much he’d appreciate us checking out his tunes on Spotify or giving him a follow on Instagram. How could we say no?
I’ve been raving about GRAACE’s music since 2018 (about as long as The Dreggs!), so I was thrilled to finally catch her on stage. Her pop tunes weren’t a natural fit for a night like this, but she owned the stage. I loved watching her dance around as she delivered some of my favourite songs like “Jealous Type” and “Love is Getting Wasted.” Rather than a full band, GRAACE shared the stage with an incredible guitarist. Again, it wasn’t the most natural choice for an alt-pop artist, but I loved seeing her shred. They both got their rock star moment when GRRACE slipped in an unexpected cover of Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” that had everyone singing along.
You could feel the energy shift when Then Dreggs’ stepped out. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such an enthusiastic reception for a local act. Sure, I’ve seen people excited when big names like John Farnham and Jimmy Barnes step out, but those guys are so big that their audience becomes a little diluted by people who’ve simply enjoyed the songs on the radio. When you see an act like The Dreggs, everyone there is incredibly passionate. It’s a beautiful thing to be part of. New songs? Already across them. Old favourites? Everyone was following the band then too so we’re all prepared to sing along to every word.
I knew The Dreggs would sound good, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for exactly how good. The music I loved on their recordings went to the next level on the stage. Paddy Macrae’s banjo was incredible, and the full band brought a new depth to some of those early tracks. These guys are tight. There’s a natural chemistry between Paddy and Zane Harris forged from years of friendship. Their harmonies are second to none. But the whole band gelled together so fabulously. It was a joy to watch the music they created.
They may have a few more rungs on the board than their first support act The New Light, but The Dreggs have a similar humility. They remarked several times that playing the Enmore was something they’ve strived for throughout their career. You could see they didn’t take that moment for granted. They thanked the crowd for their support earnestly and even gifted a fan singing every lyric a merch pack. That pack could have gone to so many people, because every song was a singalong. So many numbers had fans up on their feet, dancing enthusiastically, whether they were on the floor or up in the dress circle. That’s right, even among the seats where people normally want to chill, the show was often a party.
Those party vibes were balanced with sombre moments when Paddy spoke about the duo’s commitment to discussing mental health issues. They’ve explored these issues throughout their time as a band, but perhaps never as eloquently as on the album Caught in a Reverie, a record anchored in grief and what it takes to work through it. It was so powerful seeing these guys using this platform to speak about a topic few men willingly discuss. Hats off to them. Those dark moments were balanced so beautifully with lighter tracks like “She Picks Flowers,” “Keepsake,” and the triumphant final number “Hold Me Closer,” which had us all singing along with its “da da” refrain.
The Dreggs will soon take their show to Aotearoa/New Zealand before closing out the year with a few local dates. Catch them anywhere you can. I promise you’ll have a ball.
It’s been two years since GRAACE released new music, but she’s back with a brand new single. “Jealous Type” is a brilliant return to form, with all the pop vibes you need to dance through your weekend. It’s a timely release from GRAACE, who grapples with coming of age and self-discovery in this song’s insightful lyrics.
“I learned in my early twenties that I wasn’t loving all the versions of myself yet” GRAACE admitted. “I can be a bitch and also be kind. I can be creative and also be lazy. I can be, and do, all of these things. As women, we’re so diverse and I was so sick of being pigeonholed. It feels so much more powerful and in tune with myself than a lot of stuff that I’ve released before. I’ve shielded away from talking about a lot of things in the past, but this time around I wanted to be very candid. I’m accepting that I’m not always the chill partner in a relationship, that sometimes I can become jealous, and that it’s OK to honour those two sides of myself.”
Expect more truth bombs when GRAACE releases a larger body of work later in the year. GRAACE also has a stack of shows coming up supporting Stephen Sanchez later this month and The Dreggs in June.
Graace bowled me over with her heartbreakingly honest EP Self Sabotage last year. She’s back with “Have Fun at Your Party,” a track that picks up where she left off with its aching intimacy.
I love the way this track combines electronic and pop influences. But it’s the lyrics and heartfelt delivery that really strike a chord. It’s so vulnerable and raw, everything I loved about her earlier material with perhaps a little extra polish.
“I was ‘dating’ someone when I started writing this. We went a lot of the first few months together trying to deny how we felt about each other, constantly pushing one away then pulling them back,” she explained. “I wanted the listener to picture me drinking all night because I couldn’t stop thinking about them while they were out, because at the end of the day I was head over heels.”
After spending the last month touring in the United Kingdom and Europe, Graace is in fine form. She has several local shows coming up, including a pair of launch shows celebrating her latest single release.
8 June 2019 – Curve Ball @ Carriageworks, Sydney
29 June 2019 – Falcona 10th Birthday @ The Woolstore, Melbourne
4 July 2019 – Wesley Anne, Melbourne (single launch)
6 July 2019 – Low 302, Sydney
Graace blew me away with her single “Last Night” a couple of months ago. Now I’ve listened to her debut EP Self Sabotage, I’m completely besotted. It contains six special songs that you won’t quickly forget.
“Kissing Boys” has such a tender introduction, but by the time chorus kicks in it’s breezy and boppy, with saturated synths and a great groove. But tap into the lyrics and you’ll hear lyrics of real pain, a story of momentary distractions masking heartache. It’s this heartache that dominates this EP. Painful breakups have fuelled so much great music over the years. Like the very best artists that came before her, Graace has a knack for getting her pain down. You hear it through the insightful, reflective lyrics and her beautiful, pure vocals. It’s been some time since I’ve had my heart broken, but songs like “SOS” and “Me Without You” took me right back there. By the time I came to the exquisite closing track “Spoken Word,” a devastating piece of poetry I could feel tears welling in my eyes.
Artists aspire to make music that moves us. However, most of it washes over us, failing to really make a lasting impact. Graace never puts a foot wrong here. It’s a brave collection of songs that reveals her heart, and in doing so touches the listeners’.
Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia
Sydney singer-songwriter Graace lays it all bare with her stunning new single “Last Night.” It’s an intimate piano ballad which confessional lyrics that are so relatable.
“‘Last Night’ came together while sitting at my piano one night,” she explained. “I realised I’d been writing about the same situation for years but with different people. I was managing to recreate the same scenarios in other relationships because I wasn’t fully in love with myself before committing to somebody else.”
Graace is one of Sony Music Australia’s latest signings. Company chairman and CEO Denis Handlin says “Graace is an extremely talented and unique songwriter and artist who has an incredibly fresh and exciting sound.”
Sony Music Australia will release Graace’s debut EP, Self Sabotage, on October 26.
Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia
