NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� The year 2023 was good to Gracie Abrams. She released her debut album. She opened for Taylor Swift. She sold out a U.S. tour, and took that tour to Europe. She started writing new music. And to cap it all off, she got her first Grammy nomination: best new artist.
When dropped in early November, Abrams, 24, was at home, alone.
鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 have anticipated it less, you know. And so it was kind of this really, extremely exciting honor and a really sweet cherry on top to a year of so many gifts.鈥�
Abrams immediately called her mom. But the first person to call her was fellow best new artist and first-time nominee, . (They were 鈥渟creaming on the phone,鈥� she says.) The two are joined in the category by Ice Spice, Victoria Mon茅t, Fred again.., Jelly Roll, Coco Jones and The War and Treaty.
Looking ahead to the Feb. 4 in Los Angeles, Abrams said: 鈥淚鈥檓 really stoked to just cheer really loudly for everyone.鈥�
Her debut album, 鈥� ,鈥� will turn 1 around then.
鈥淭he whole thesis of the record for me was kind of just walking away from versions of myself that I didn鈥檛 recognize anymore,鈥� Abrams said. That comes through on songs like 鈥淩ight Now鈥� (with lyrics like 鈥渓eft my past life on the ground/think I鈥檓 more alive, somehow鈥�) and the deluxe track 鈥淯nsteady鈥� (鈥淚鈥檓 in danger/the girl in the mirror鈥檚 a stranger鈥�). Both reference personal situations and ubiquitous emotions in a way that is typical of Abrams鈥� work 鈥� a combination that makes fans often so clearly feel the lyrics at her shows, where tears are not uncommon.
鈥淭he luckiest thing I鈥檝e gotten to experience from all this, I think, is being able to connect with people that way,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 something really rare about places where you can just show up and be so outwardly emotional with strangers.鈥�
Abrams made the album with The National's Aaron Dessner, at Long Pond, his studio in upstate New York. The wooded setting (as seen in ) was isolated, but different than the bedroom solitude much of her music had been composed in previously. That was freeing.
鈥淚 remember getting there. I had never actually met him, but I stayed for a week and it was immediately kind of like, 'Oh, let me tell you everything as if like you are a licensed psychiatrist,'鈥� she said of their collaboration. 鈥淭he thing that鈥檚 so magical about Long Pond is like nine times out of 10, it feels like we鈥檙e just pulling things out of thin air and they end up in a way that we鈥檙e satisfied with."
Those songs quickly made their way to one of the year鈥檚 biggest stages, as Abrams joined the stacked roster of young performers opening for . Perhaps the pinnacle of that experience for Abrams came in Cincinnati, when Swift invited her onstage for a duet after weather canceled Abrams' set. They traded verses of Abrams鈥� 鈥淚 miss you, I鈥檓 sorry,鈥� with Swift on the guitar and Abrams on the piano.
鈥淚t really was nuts,鈥� Abrams said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing weirder than getting raised up in the middle of a stage on a platform. It felt like the or something.鈥� So far, Abrams' is the only song Swift has performed on the Eras Tour stage other than her own.
Abrams will return to Swift's stage next fall, on 18 added dates in the U.S. and sa国际传媒. Those shows have become a sort of benchmark for her as she looks ahead to 2024, to new music and to this new 鈥� more free 鈥� version of herself onstage.
鈥淭hat environment, her stage and that tour has had massive influence on the way that I鈥檝e wanted to work to maybe one day be able to fill the space better than I did last time,鈥� Abrams said. 鈥淭hat is a superpower, and I want to do that."
By then, she'll hopefully have new music to share. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been more excited for music to come out like by miles and miles," she said, laughing. "I just can鈥檛 quite wait.鈥�
Elise Ryan, The Associated Press
