Interview in Harpers Bazar Australia
In a lengthy interview with Lameah Nayeem from Harpers Bazar, Australia, Grace talked about the album and its writing, as well as about production and songwriting in general. She talked about celebrity and success and gave some background on one of the songs we had not yet heard, “Brand New”. Here, we bring some edited passages from the interview; go to the source to read it all. (Her remarks about the album and “Brand New” can be found on the respective catalogue pages for the album and the song).
The liberating effect of writing the album
"It was really, really intimidating. I was afraid to write this project, convinced it would mentally destroy me. These were feelings I had avoided for years because I knew their depth and power. I thought leaving them untouched would protect me, but I also realised the strength in that vulnerability — how it could create something amazing,” she continues. “So I pushed through for the art. In the end, it was unexpectedly liberating and deeply gratifying, something I never imagined would come from making this project. What mattered most was finally telling secrets."
Production and songwriting
"Production has always fascinated me beyond just carrying a beat. It’s incredible how you can embed a subliminal feeling in a listener — something they might not consciously notice but can still feel. If you want to evoke the chaos of an anxiety attack, for example, you can speed up the lyrics, layer trickling sounds panning left and right, and bring in a deep bass to create that tension. I wanted the album to feel ambient and immersive in that way, ...But for a songwriter, I’m terrible with words."
She writes her farewell to her childhood persona with a mixture of " philosophy, feminist theory, and poetry, ...I wanted to use metaphor to convey both pain and joy beyond words. Honestly, most of the time, we just play chords and mumble gibberish until real words start forming."
On celebrity and success
“[Celebrity is] a fabricated ideal of perfection, satisfaction, or happiness. Whatever that ultimate ‘I’ve made its moment looks like, there’s never a final euphoric feeling of accomplishment. It doesn’t exist. You end up chasing something unreachable, running in circles."
"Legacy and commercial success is completely unproductive to entertain for yourself. If people want to celebrate, hate, or forget my work, that doesn’t concern me. As long as I can look at my reflection in five to ten years and know I’m still making art that’s true to myself and rooted in my values — that’s my ultimate success."