Grace performs at openening of "Anti Social Camp"
Grace was top billed at the annual Anti Social Camp in New York. Anti-Social is the biggest songwriting camp in the world, arranged by the Anti Social Producers Club, a New York based producers collective. The participants at the camp create new songs in a limited timeframe with 150 creators. This year, 15 select songs was chosen for the first Anti Social Camp compilation album distributed through Amuse Records (About Amuse). This included a full marketing and PR campaign with selected singles.
The venue for performances was “Baby´s Alright", an independently funded & operated music venue in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn New York. Among those who have performed in its 250-capacity show room are SZA, Cyrpress Hill, Lil Yachty, Blood Orange, Charli XCX, Mac DeMarco, James Murphy, David Byrne, Hot Chip, Courtney Barnett, Willow Smith, Jack White and Billie Eilish.
The camp took place over 5 days from Monday June 12 till Friday June 16, 2023.
On the program Monday was the camp kickoff which included an industry showcase (where Grace performed) and Q&A’s with panels of producers and writers, where Grace as part of one of the panels, recorded for the “Switched On" podcast. Among the other performers at the industry showcase were Tow Feet, Walk the Moon, Kota the friend, Tenille arts, Zach Hood, Wolftyla, ANT Soaunders, Poutyface, Chandler Leighton, Emei, New Ryules, Calabasas, Spoult Had, Fresco Trey, TT The Artist, Dezei, Zoe Ko, Haiden, Sofia of Michelle and more.
Grace on a panel for the "Switched On” podcast
Grace took part in a "Switched On" podcast panel, talking about the different roles artists could have in a writing session; Grace here represents the role of the singer:
I had only written that one song for America’s Got Talent. It was the first song that I actually decided to write down. Everything else was – I pretended to be in a movie because I was a very dramatic little girl, and on the show they said – now you do original songs, now that is your shtick, so I was writing them before each performance, and I only had those."
Q: The quality you want in your collaborators? “I would say, after a while of doing this, the biggest thing you always have to remember is that this industry it is such a privilege that we get to work creatively, and we don’t have to be serious. So, I think, just have fun, become friends with the people you work with, and every single time that happens, definitely good things come out of it."
Q: What do you like about collaborating with other people, and when is it not so good, when is it not working for you? “I think we all have our safe crouches that we tend to fall into, that you just can’t control, like – I have a few notes, sometimes when I listen to all my songs, I realise that I kind of sing the same thing, like the same chords every single time. So, it’s always great to have someone else in the room that brings a refreshing mind into it. Because their mind works differently than mine, so their melodies are wired differently. So, I might say something, and they are like – OK, but let’s do it like this is what I am hearing. And I am like – OH shit – I didn’t hear that."
Q: Do you feel like you need to protect that, though – because sometimes having your own melodic sensibility is really important? “Oh yeah! I would definitely say keep your identity. But I would also say, probably, the one thing you have to master is to say no and be chill with it; it’s not really a big deal. But pick and choose – when you are like njea – no, I kind of like what I’ve got. "
Q: What are some of the things that can kill a session? “Definitely sometimes, it’s going great, and then, the song gets stomped. I can’t say how many songs have been really great, and we are like writing and were in it, and then all of a sudden its stale, and the song can NEVER be revived once it passes that threshold; I have had songs that I revisit like three weeks later – like, let’s check up on that idea, and you never can get it back, it's’ just dead. … I am a giver-upper, I say; after a while, you’ve got to let it rest and work on something else."
Q: What do you say when it’s time to give up? “I say let it die. Sometimes even people I work with can be like – oh wait," But I’m like – no, dude, there is no bringing it back. And something better always comes up – or it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s almost like an exercise, warming up. Or sometimes, during lunch breaks, you can make songs about sushi rolls or something."
Q: Who would think writing something about a sushi restaurant would be a good idea? “Dude, I once started writing a song about a Subway sandwich because I was eating it, and we just like riffing, and then it turned into a song about my childhood about something very vulnerable. I would say playing around can definitely lead to good places."
“When I walk into a session with new people, I can definitely tell they are feeling out who I am as an artist. So, I try almost to overcompensate and really let them know; this is chill, this is fine, I don’t need 500 green M&Ms. Let’s have a good time, be friends."
Q: Do you have things in your back pocket ready to go? “Yes, what you (Wolftyla) were saying about the voice memos, for sure. This week I have voice memos on my phone that I have been preparing. I was just in a taxi, and I came up with this song in my mind, but I was really embarrassed, ‘because I didn’t want to be like “hum-hum" in front of him, that’s a little too “I’m a songwriter", so I was like “Don’t forget it, don’t forget it". I was just saying it over and over in my mind – and then I made a voice memo."
Q: One word of wisdom going into sessions in the week? “Just keep it light, keep it fun, have a good tie with it and respect every dimension of the music; it’s all part of a great song; hear people out."