Artist Spotlight: Gabrielle Grace

Gabrielle Grace: It’s funny, I did not plan on doing this with my life, which is cool. I grew up in a very, very small town in Southeast Texas with no musical background in my family at all. Guitar and drums were my first instruments, and I kind of picked up everything by ear or by taking a few lessons. I didn’t really start singing until later on, around 18 or 19, because I never thought of myself as a singer. I didn’t like the limelight.

But long story short, I went to college in Nashville for religion and didn’t even do music. I quickly figured out that’s not what I wanted to do. Living here, I got really inspired. I went to a house show and thought, "Oh my gosh, music is so cool," because everyone was sitting so close to each other, it felt so intimate. I thought, "Wow, I want to be a part of something like that."

Again, I still struggled with the whole artist thing because I grew up in a very conservative, very small musical background.

GG: Yeah, I really struggled to get into the artist side of things. Even after recording my first EP, which I put out in 2021, I still felt like I had no clue what I was doing, because I didn’t study music. That EP ended up hitting number 16 on the iTunes charts, which doesn't really matter now, but it was definitely cool then. I had no clue that could even happen! Of course, it was also COVID, so I had all the time in the world to just figure stuff out. I still don't have it all figured out, but trial and error has helped.

GG: Right! I was also supposed to go on my first tour around that time, which didn’t happen, obviously. But by 2021, I went out for my first little backyard house shows and started booking my own tours. After that first EP, I had a moment of, "What am I going to write about next?" That was a crazy time for me personally. I had found out some intense things my mom had kept from all of us.

GG: I'm an honest person, so I’m not going to write about things I make up. My music has always been about experiencing life and experiencing grief.

So that’s what I wrote that next record about. I put it out in 2023, and now I'm starting to release new stuff again. It's been so cool because I didn’t really expect to be here. And now I’m getting to tour with artists I look up to, which is nuts. And it’s still just little old me, you know?

GG: This has all been crazy and a dream come true, whether I knew I had the dream or not.

GG: Thank you! I really love the song and how it turned out. I started writing it with a chorus idea back in early 2023. I was working at a coffee shop, and the customers were not always kind. At the same time, I was unfollowing people on Instagram just because I wanted to see only my friends’ posts and detox a bit. No harm meant by it. Social media isn’t real, you know?

GG: I was also doing social media work for other artists, so it was a lot. One of the people I unfollowed messaged me about it, and I was like, people are so mean. I’m a people pleaser at heart, and it made me so angry. So I had this chorus idea.

I brought it into a session with my buddy John Klaas, who produced the EP, and my friend Xander Hawley. My husband encouraged me to reach out to Xander, and now we’re even writing again soon. We finished the song on Zoom while Xander was in LA. We had just an acoustic demo, but I knew the song was good. It had that indie rock, grungy girl vibe. I was angry and needed to get it out.

For the visuals, my friends Matthew and Yona helped. I had a Pinterest board, and they totally got the vibe. People have compared it to Severance, which I haven’t even seen, but hey, I’ll take it! *Laughs*.

GG: Yeah, so we planned a shoot, but last-minute plans changed. Matthew had access to a studio warehouse full of film sets. I had major imposter syndrome, it was way too cool. Somehow, we got access to all these sets within our original budget. We mapped everything out the night before and, within three hours, shot a full music video, two visualizers, and tons of content. I love how everything turned out.

GG: This project is definitely a shift. I was nervous about how it would be received because it’s so different. I grew up going to Warped Tour and loving rock and heavier music. Rustin Kelly, Avril Lavigne, all that. So I leaned into it! It feels so good to play live, especially with a full band.

Also, working with new writers and producers has shaped me so much. Growth is important to me. I don’t want to keep making the same record over and over.

GG: Oh, I’m excited for everything. My husband gets to come too, which is amazing. More than anything, I’m just excited to learn. Joseph has been performing for over a decade and they’re just the biggest sweethearts. Watching them perform every night is going to teach me so much.

I'm playing acoustic with a friend, so I’m focused on figuring out how to make a big impact with a more intimate setup. Plus, their fans are the kindest. I opened for them in Nashville in 2023, and it felt surreal. I still have to pinch myself sometimes!

We’re also playing in new cities. I'll be in Spokane for the first time, which I’m really looking forward to.

GG: So many! Hannah Cole is amazing, such a talented indie artist here in Nashville. Michigander just put out a record in February that’s absolutely beautiful. Also, my friends Moony and Abby Holliday are incredible artists and even better people.

I’m also excited to see Ethan Tasch at The Blue Room this week. His record is stunning, super cohesive and super inspiring.

GG: More touring, definitely. I’ll probably extend the EP with a few stripped-down versions, plus a song I just recorded with my friend Seth, a.k.a. Moony. There's more recording and releasing on the way.

My whole year is already booked out, which is amazing, and a little overwhelming, but I’m so thankful. I turn 29 this year, my golden birthday. 29 on the 29th. It feels like everything is aligning. I’m just really excited!

GG: Thank you so much for having me and taking the time. Hopefully we get to meet in person this fall!