G R A E is an alt-pop artist based in Toronto. After losing her mother at a young age, she and her father bonded through music. She uses music as a tool to process life and heal. Since her debut EP “New Girl” in 2019, she has been featured on Spotify’s Chill Pop, Indie Pop, Chill Vibes, and All New Indie playlists. She is known for her songs “2725,” “Bang Bang,” and “Finding Rhythm.” Her new LP “Whiplash,” released on April 15, features songs such as “Boxes” and “Outta This World.”

How would you describe your new album?
“Whiplash” is an album that encapsulates the up and down roller coaster of emotions I felt while recording. Happy, sad, nostalgic, coming-of-age, love, loss. It explores the ins and out of relationships I was experiencing at the time and the self-reflection I had to do when they ended. Songs like 'Spinning' reflect on the time I spent with my Dad after my Mom had passed and how special our relationship is to me. An album that touches on realities I almost didn't feel ready to face when coming to terms with growing up and transitioning from a kid with posters on her wall to an adult with real-life responsibilities. “Whiplash” embodies what I was going through and dealing with, like a diary, and serves as a form of therapy.

What does this album mean to you?
'Whiplash”' helped me find the artist I was searching for and wanted to become. I finally found a sound I love and am confident in, and this body of work beautifully captures my evolution as an artist. “Whiplash” will forever hold a special place in my heart, not only because it's a debut album, which is a big deal and accomplishment, but also, as the album showed me, I could evolve into an artist I'm proud of and make music I truly love.

Do you have any favorite songs from the album or any that felt particularly significant to you?
“Spinning” is significance because it's about my Dad. When I began the writing process, I looked back on my time with my Dad, how close we are, and how special our relationship is. And how it's something I never want to take for granted because life is precious and short. I remember playing “Spinning” for him the first time, and he teared up. He was dealing with the loss of his father, who had unfortunately fallen sick in the fall of 2020. So much was happening between the pandemic and the loss of my grandfather. I wanted to give this song to my Dad as a gift, to show him how much I love him. Nothing on the album compares really, when speaking of significance. Although every song I write will always hold a special place in my heart.

What inspired the songs on ‘the album?
Relationships, nostalgia, love, loss, life, growing up. My everyday experiences and whatever I was going through and dealing with at the time.

Please describe your songwriting process.
Typically, I'll have an idea that I bring into a session, and we work from there, whether it be just lyrics, a melody, or both. I'll bring the idea to my producer and Willa, and we will start creating the song/vibe. I 99.9% of the time know what I want to write about, and we have what's almost a 'therapy' session where we talk about my life, what's happening, and we write in a document words that could make an interesting storyline for a song. There's been one unique instance where I didn't have much inspiration, and that's how my song “Room In The Desert” was created. We wrote it from nothing about nothing, using cool words, ha-ha. I love writing and having an idea that turns into an actual full song, blows my mind every time.

Tell us more about how you began making music.
When I was 18, I moved to Australia to live with my sister. It was a confusing time in my life; I was going through my first breakup; I hadn't finished high school yet as I dropped out at the time, I didn't want to go to university, and I had no real 'future' plans, no job. My sister is 14 years older, so my Dad sent me there to 'sort my head' and be with family. I did a lot in Australia, took a songwriting course at The Australian Institute of Music (AIM), travelled, went to workshops, and learned many cool things, but the most important thing I did was put all my focus on music. I became obsessed with it. I spent a lot of time getting better at the guitar, and I spent all day writing and posting videos of me doing covers on Instagram. I got a couple of gigs at restaurants, and I remember when I made a hundred dollars, I couldn't believe it. Music was something I always knew I wanted to do if I could manage to pull it off, so seeing that hundred dollars motivated me to keep going because I thought, 'wow, I can get paid for this?,' ha-ha. Around this time, I reached out to a UK producer whom I had previously communicated with, but this time I wanted to take things more seriously, so I told him I wanted to work together. When I got back from Australia, that's what we did. He flew to Toronto, and we started the process; then, eventually, I went to the UK, and we finished creating what went on to become my debut EP “New Girl.” I did that all independently, with the help of my Dad at 18/19/20 years of age; there were a lot of in-between moments, ups, downs, uncertainty, excitement, whatever, but the fact I managed to pull that off is crazy to me every time I tell that story. When “New Girl” was finally mastered, I emailed it to people every day; that's how I spent all my time in hopes of catching absolutely anyone's attention. Eventually, I sent it to someone, who sent it to someone, who sent it to my now manager, and that's how GRAE came to be. It's wild.

How do you think you have grown or changed as an artist since you first started making music?
When I first started making music, I didn't know what I was doing. I was young, and all I wanted was to have a body of work, literally anything. I, of course, wanted it to be good and something to be proud of, but I didn't think beforehand about what I wanted the sound to be. So, I took on the influences that my producer considered cool, without really thinking much about them and the style of music I wanted to create. The difference now is I know what kind of music I want to make, and I incorporate my influences into my sound. I come into sessions with ideas, and I'm involved. When writing my first EP, I never felt like it was the most collaborative effort. I think the producer had in mind what he thought would be cool for me, and I went along with it. Now, I'm not like that. I have a clear direction. It took me a couple of years to get there, but I'm happy I got to a place where I genuinely enjoy the music I'm creating and it comes from me.

Are there specific parts of your life from which you tend to draw inspiration?
It's kind of boring and quite cliche, but romantic dynamics for sure. I'm trying to branch out of that and write about other things. “Boxes,” “Spinning,” and “Room In the Desert” are examples of songs on my album that aren't the topic of romance, but I'm guilty of writing about love and, unfortunately, failed relationships too much.

Do you have any new projects in the works?
All I'm focused on right now is this album and touring with it. Although, my brain likes to be one step ahead, and I'm thinking about the next project. I'm excited about it. I have no idea what it will be yet, but I know it'll only go up from here. In terms of “Whiplash,” I hope to play as many live shows as possible; I love this album and playing the songs live is a blast.

What are your goals for the next few years of your career?
It would be cool to collaborate with an artist I love! I've been thinking about that! I also hope to have a headline tour one day, but right now, I just want to perform. But at the end of the day, I hope the music reaches the audience it's meant too.

Social Media.
@yourgirlgrae

Interview by Flora Medina, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine

GRAE Releasing Her Debut Album, Whiplash