Good Grief: Gabrielle Grace Lives Life Unapologetically
Amidst lyrics outlining inner turmoils, the overbearing emotions that come with holding it together until you just can’t anymore, and the joy that comes with life’s most precious moments, Gabrielle Grace writes in a way that feels anything but artificial. Her stories are conversational, and listening to her words feels like listening to the innermost monologues of a close friend. Grace leaves no stone unturned, learning to let go through the release of a well-written song.
PHOTOS BY ZAYNE ISOM
As someone who lives life unapologetically, Grace leans into the silliness of life just as much as she leans into those moments that are tough to talk about. There’s a balance in her music that feels joyous and jubilant as well as heavy and full of emotion. That’s what makes her so intriguing as an artist, though. She can be telling highly emotional stories on stage dressed up as a hot dog for Halloween, and you’re still going to feel the weight of the words she’s pouring out to her audiences, all the while laughing through the set because of how much fun she’s having on stage. It’s a superpower, and it’s one that Grace has perfected. Pleaser sat down with Gabrielle Grace ahead of her show at Drkmttr in East Nashville a few months back, and we learned all about her world as an artist, no holding back.
“Nothing’s that deep. One of my most memorable, and just, like, favorite shows was Halloween because I was able to just let loose,” Grace told Pleaser. “I was just like, ‘ya know what? I’m gonna go on stage in a hot dog suit. Nothing matters.’ Music is supposed to be fun.”
For Grace, there’s just as much of an emphasis on destruction in her words as there is on picking up the pieces. Grief is a common thread woven into her music, and she creates space for humanity with it. She’s not just an artist, she’s a human, too. There are a lot of delicate moments in Grace’s music, ones with anecdotes that ring true for many. It’s good to feel grief, just as it’s a good thing to feel joy. You can’t really have one without the other. Grace has felt grief in many different shades, and she doesn’t feel the need to hide those emotions in her lyricism. It’s relatable, and it’s real–she’s brave for sharing these parts of her.
“I’m unapologetically me. I don’t know how to be something else,” Grace said. “I’m an open book, and I didn’t know my biological dad. He passed before I got the chance to know him. When life hits you, as a songwriter, I don’t know how to not write about those kinds of circumstances. It’s just like, if I’m going to be a person, I’m going to be a person in music. I’m going to be a person at my job. I don’t know what else to do but be myself, whether that be in moments of grief or playing a show and being happy or having a really hard day or a good day.”
Through moments of vulnerability throughout this tour, Gabrielle Grace has found herself feeling less alone in the comfort of those who have experienced similar life events. As she’s toured with songs like “Never Knew You” and “Pink Skies,” she’s found solace in the notion that her music comforts those who have felt and experienced the same matters she has.
“I think unfortunate circumstances brought those things, but it’s been such a beautiful thing to share those experiences at shows. Sometimes people will come up to me and be like, ‘Thank you for talking about that.’ It’s something we all feel, no matter if it’s the grief of losing a friendship, or a breakup, or whatever,” Grace said. “You can make good out of bad things.”
Gabrielle Grace’s music is full of all the ingredients for indie-rock fun, and she carries herself in a beautifully authentic light that absolutely shines through her music. The world needs more people like Gabrielle Grace, and Pleaser cannot wait to see where her music takes her in 2026.
