To start with, can you tell us who you are, a little about you and what is your favorite flower and why?
I’m Addison Grace, I use they/he pronouns! Overall I just consider myself a queer, 21 yr old musician from Utah. I’ve been singing since I was a kid and writing music since I was 13. My favorite flower is probably a sunflower because I love how big they are and how they find the sun! They’re also my favorite color (yellow).
What was the inspiration behind your first single, Sugar Rush?
My inspiration was me falling for a girl in my history class junior year. When I thought I was still a girl, I had also always considered myself straight. I got close to this girl very fast and suddenly realized that I was in love with her. So I wrote Sugar Rush as a metaphor for my “queer awakening” and what it’s like experiencing such a sweet, nerve wracking, one-sided love.
How do you feel about the reception you and your music got from TikTok?
I think it was a blessing but also a sort of curse. I never want to be considered a “Tik Tok artist” but I’m grateful that the app gave me the exposure and lift I needed to be able to promote my music and art. Either way, I’m addicted to the app.
How long have you been interested in creating music?
I’ve been interested since I was a kid! My mom put me in choir, acting, and dance lessons but music is always what stuck. I have always specifically adored singing. When I was 13 I had “stolen” my brother’s ukulele and started to teach myself with youtube videos. I would practice for hours on end, sometimes my fingers would turn sore and even bleed! After learning how to play a bunch of covers, I slowly started to understand how writing a song went. So I just started and challenged myself to get better each day! That’s how I am where I am now.
You’ve been wonderfully vocal and honest about your personal journey – both in your gender and sexuality and your personal self image. How do you feel this has been influenced by your social media presence?
I think it has both positive and negative effects. Sharing those parts of yourself very publicly allows anyone to say anything. You end up getting people who don’t accept or “believe” you and will say horrific things about and towards you. Though- it’s worth it to me if it means even one person feels more “normal” and right about who they are because of my influence. I’m public about who I am and how I identify because people deserve to feel confident, loved, and not alone in this world.
Do you feel that music created for and by social media is treated differently by other musicians working within more ‘traditional’ spaces?
I think in some ways yes and in other ways no. I think it’s becoming more “normal” to be a musician and also be expected to sort of be an “influencer” too. I’ve definitely felt talked down to by certain music folks because of social media being my start up. Then again, a lot just see it as another path to making more of what the world needs : art. Though, I do understand the criticism towards influencers who just randomly one day decide to make music because they have an insane following that will blindly listen to it, whether it’s any good or not. There’s a difference between making music for the purpose of making art and expressing yourself and making music because you’re bored and want money. It can be really easy to tell who is who.
What’s the most exciting thing you have coming up?
I just barely announced my debut EP project called, “Immaturing”! I’ve been working the last 6 months to record and write all of these songs for this project. It comes out May 6th and is available for pre-save now in the bio of any of my socials.
What’s your go to jam session fuel – drinks, coffee, snacks?
I’m an absolute monster for some Cheez-Its or a Diet Pepsi. I also really love black tea with sugar and oat milk before I record vocals. I also try to drink a lot of water because naturally it’s good to stay hydrated if you’re stuck inside recording or writing all day.
Are there any anecdotes you’d like to share behind any of your songs?
My favorite secret thing you can hear in one of my songs is from my newest release- “Getting Used To.”
The song is about coming to the realization that you’re not a kid anymore but you’re not ready to be an adult. For me that was being 19, having all my friends go to college, and genuinely being the most nostalgically depressed I had ever been. In the intro we put real audio clips of me and my friends in high school. You can hear us at graduation, hanging out, and even just laughing together. I think it’s a really sweet and meaningful touch to the song. It definitely made them cry when they first heard it though haha!
Of the music you have released/are performing now, what type of movie do you think it would be on the soundtrack of? At what scene?
I feel like almost all of my music works for a teenage coming of age film. I really would love to see my music on a queer teen show or movie. Something like “Heartstopper”! I could totally hear “Getting Used To” being in a montage scene of a bunch of friends hanging out or “I Wanna Be a Boy” playing while a transmasc character figures out how they identify. Something like that!
And finally, thank you so much for chatting with us! Now take a second and shamelessly promote yourself! Where can people find updates from you, listen to your music or chat to you?
You can find me as Addison Grace on any streaming platform or @graceful.addison on most social medias. Thanks!
First Published on: https://offtherecordblog.org/
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