At any given moment, there’s a good chance that Grace Humphries is scribbling something down in a journal. After all, the 18-year-old singer-songwriter currently carries at least three.
“I’ve got my lyric notebook, my brainstorming notebook and then the notebook where my finished songs live,” she says. “When I feel like my brain’s cluttered, I just start putting down words.”
Luckily for music lovers everywhere (esp. those who can appreciate “smoky country pop”, which is how Grace describes her sound), those words often turn into poems…which turn into verses… which turn into full-on songs. That’s what happened with her newest track, “Why’d You Give Up?” (listen here!), that perfectly captures the feeling of wondering where a ‘ship went wrong.
Because Grace’s musical vibe is so confessional, it’s easy for her listeners to feel like she’s singing right to them. But we sat down with the rising star to get to know the real Grace Humphries—and now we’re spilling on what’s fiction and what’s fact.
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1. She fell in love with music recently.
It’s…false!
“I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember,” Grace recalls. “When I was little, I’d always be in costume, putting on shows for my parents and doing karaoke with a fake microphone.”
Tiny Grace’s signature cover? It was a three-way tie between “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5, “Shower” by Becky G and, ofc, Ari’s “Dangerous Woman.” Safe to say, she’s never been shy about belting out a big song.
As early as 8 years old, Grace says she knew that music full-time was her dream path—and she vowed to hustle to make it happen.
2. She records all her demos in her home studio.
It’s…true!
We’ll be the first to admit: We’re more than a tad jealous of Grace’s ultra-cool personal studio in Austin, TX.
But some would say it’s a necessity for an artist who handles the creation of her own music pretty much start-to-finish (the only thing she doesn’t do solo is production).
“It’s a great place to come up with ideas,” she says, gesturing to her savvy setup. “I’ve got my keyboard right here and these lights that can change color.” (A true GL girl, she picked a purpley-pink as the backdrop for our Q&A).
3. Her latest song is based on her love life IRL.
It’s…false!
Although “Why’d You Give Up?” is a breakup anthem ripe for scream-singing (once you hear the soaring bridge, you’ll get what we mean), Grace says that, in reality, she actually has never had her heart broken.
Yet just because her new track isn’t based on her own dating experiences (“I’m very much introverted when it comes to sharing that stuff”), it doesn’t mean she can’t channel v. real and raw emotions into her writing.
“I love reading about and watching movies about love, and I feel so deeply for the characters,” says Grace, who says “Why’d You Give Up?” is actually based on a romance novel. “Other peoples’ stories really move me—but also make me scared to one day be in a relationship.” 100% relatable.
4. She *never* gets nervous before performing.
It’s…false!
With all the talent she packs into her music, you’d think Grace might be immune to pre-show jitters. She’s still human, though, which means a few butterflies are inevitable, especially when she’s playing a bigger venue.
“A lot of times I don’t get nervous and a lot of times I still do,” she confesses. “To overcome that feeling, I’ll pray and just remind myself, ‘You’ve worked hard, now let’s show them this is what you want to do.”
And the results speak for themselves: Grace spent the year rocking stages everywhere from a local Radiothon to the Today in Nashville show. We’re manifesting The Opry one day…
5. She’s already planning ahead to the holidays.
It’s…true!
Okay, we know spooky season’s just begun…but is it so wrong to look forward to the most wonderful time of the year? Not for Grace, who reveals she’s got something special up her sleeve for snowy season.
“I may be about to record a Christmas song,” she spills. “It’ll be my first one, and I’m so excited.” Us too!
Follow us on IG @girlslifemag for more new music recs!
Let’s freshen up that fall playlist, shall we?
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🎧 Jenna Raine spills the deeper message behind her music
🎧 Presenting your perfect study sesh soundtrack
All photos by @goodjaydesign.
