Gracie Abrams Is Ready To Start Living Again

In April 2023, Gracie Abrams first took the stage as an opening act for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Fast-forward two years, and she’s a headliner in her own right, having released her acclaimed sophomore album, The Secret of Us, in June 2024. A deluxe bonus track — “That’s So True,” written with BFF Audrey Hobert — became her first Top 10 hit in the United States and No. 1 in the UK, kickstarting a 25-country world tour.

Last week, Abrams, 25, slowed things down with an intimate acoustic show at New York’s Brooklyn Paramount to celebrate American Express’ Member Week, which kicks off the company’s 175th anniversary. She performed with her collaborator Aaron Dessner, The National band member who produced Swift’s Folklore and Evermore.

“It feels like home, especially doing it with Aaron,” she tells Bustle after soundcheck, calling from backstage. “Anytime he and I are able to play together, there’s just something inherently comforting about that.”

For the audience, it also felt like home, as Abrams chatted about attendees’ birthdays, college studies, and the weather like it was a casual hangout. She even spotted a new fan in the audience. “Did I just hear a baby crying earlier?” she asked the crowd. (Indeed, there was.)

The March 20 show will likely be one of few cozy moments until the end of summer, when she headlines Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival and New York’s Madison Square Garden for the first time, before finishing her tour in August. “I’m really looking forward to the fall being dedicated to hiding away in the studio and just living so I have new feelings and experiences to write about,” she adds.

Taking a few minutes to chat before the show, Abrams reflects on the last year, working with Selena Gomez, and what comes next.

You’ve had such a huge year, even before “That’s So True” took off. What felt special about that song?

Well, I couldn’t have anticipated it having the life that it’s had. Audrey and I had the greatest time making it. When the song started to catch fire, we were like, “Oh, maybe everyone else is experiencing the thing we’ve been experiencing for the past couple months,” where we’ll walk around the house and accidentally hum it and then stop ourselves because it’s embarrassing.

What’s been your favorite song to perform live on this tour?

I love playing “I Love You, I’m Sorry.” That bridge, when we wrote it, was instantly something I could see being on tour. But I love playing the less popular ones as well and feel very lucky that my audience is equally loud for “That’s So True” and “Camden.”

This week marks the two-year anniversary of The Eras Tour. Now that you’ve had time to reflect on that journey, what’s been your biggest takeaway?

Just how singular an artist Taylor is and how much everybody misses the presence of that tour, especially now, considering how desperate we are to feel joy at that level, witness artistry like hers, and feel community. I miss it as much as everyone else does.

It was a magical thing, watching her turn the biggest venues in the world into spaces that felt intimate. I’m always thinking about how I could possibly do that, because she has a superpower and a very inspiring bar to try to reach.

Do you have a favorite memory or behind-the-scenes moment?

Every time [Taylor and I] would play music backstage. Every time we went to do a mashup or would experiment with different versions, it was like a master class in how to weave narrative together. But at the end of the day, singing music with your friend is the best feeling.

Your collaboration with Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco is so fun. How did you connect with them?

Benny reached out and said he had a song, and it was an easy yes for me. I wrote my verse on the plane so I could voice memo it to him as soon as possible. Having worked with Benny before, I knew it would be a lovely experience, and Selena is an angel. It was sweet to get to know her through this process and watch them roll out this project. I haven’t heard the album yet, so I’m just as excited as everyone else is to know what it sounds like.

I just heard it a couple of hours ago. There are some really good songs.

F*ck yeah.

What’s the fastest you’ve ever written a song?

“Free Now” comes to mind. Most of my favorite songs, [the ones] I’ve connected to most, were written straight through, almost in a dissociative state. It can feel surprising when songs just appear, but sometimes songs take f*cking ages.

When you’re in the writing flow, do you ever stop to think about how personal you want to get?

I definitely don’t. I don’t think about the way a song might be received until I get into the production process. Writing has been a personal outlet since forever, and luckily, that’s remained true. The day I start to get in my head about oversharing, I’ll need to do some re-evaluating because I want to keep songwriting as sacred as possible for as long as I live.

You said you started writing new music the same week that The Secret of Us came out. Can you tease the direction you’re heading in?

I can’t because I can’t even put a label on it myself. I’m just making more and more, and I think it will reveal itself as that continues. The period between albums can sometimes feel uncomfortable because you’re like, “Oh gosh, what’s next?” But I’m inspired by the things we’ve started experimenting with, and that’s a feeling I intend to chase.

As you’ve been on tour, which artists or new music have inspired you?

Doechii. I’ve been a fan of hers for a minute, and her meteoric rise is the most deserved of all time. She’s already cemented herself as a once-in-a-generation talent, and every time she does anything, it’s full-body excitement.

I love seeing you two next to each other on the Lollapalooza poster.

I might pee my pants.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.