Gracie Val: Tracks That Shaped My Sound

Gracie Val, a remarkable singer/songwriter, possesses a musical prowess that extends beyond her tender age. Singing has been an intrinsic part of her existence, akin to breathing, and her journey in music spans an impressive 12 years. Audiences have been captivated not only by Gracie's remarkably mature voice, resonating with an overwhelmingly rich tone, but also by the authenticity and genuine warmth she exudes on stage. Her performances are not just musical encounters; they are akin to heartfelt conversations with friends.

As Gracie Val continues to grow both in years and on stage, her songs emerge as poignant reflections of her vulnerability, offering an intimate glimpse into her heart and mind. With lyricism taking center stage, Gracie weaves intricate and poetically metaphorical layers into her music, providing listeners with an enigmatic landscape to explore and interpret. A distinctive blend of folk's intricate lyricism, jazz's melodic improvisation, and the catchiness and emotional vulnerability of a pop ballad characterizes Gracie's unique musical style. Influenced by artists like Lizzy McAlpine, Taylor Swift, Noah Kahan, Billy Joel, the 1975, and Gabrielle Aplin, Gracie Val is a rising star whose artistry transcends her years.

Love Me Wrong - Isak Danielson 

I first discovered Isak Danielson when I was around 13 but had only listened to his most popular, viral song, “Broken” and didn’t end up looking too much into the artist himself. It wasn’t until I was 17 and came across his song “Power” and his album “Remember To Remember Me” that I became absolutely obsessed. “Love Me Wrong” really struck a chord with me but honestly the whole album is impeccable. I really wanted to recreate the way his piano driven songs build up instrumentally, using orchestral strings and powerful drums. His voice is also so rich and distinctive, full of emotion, and I often get told that my emotion particularly when I sing live is a memorable trait of mine, so he’s a good musical inspiration to have!  Not many songs can make me feel quite as strongly as Isak’s do and I will keep trying to reach that level of incredible production!!

I miss you, I’m sorry - Gracie Abrams 

I actually didn’t know this song when I wrote “Nervous” but I didn’t record the single until about 16 months later, at which point I’d become a big fan of ( the other )Gracie. So this song ended up being a huge inspo when I was in the studio, particularly the way that her vocals at the very beginning are so dry and raw yet so clear, and the way that’s paired with the soft, gentle piano. I really did take inspiration from that at the beginning of “Nervous”. I liked that the soft piano allowed for her lyrics to really be heard and for me that’s vital because I place such a heavy focus on writing cryptic, poetic and complex, wordy lyrics. I loved the build up of her voice in the chorus in that song, too. Gracie, similarly to Isak, holds a huge amount of emotion in her vocals, and that’s something really real and special. 

Dangerously - Charlie Puth 

Ahhh a pop classic, in my opinion. I’ve loved this song since it came out but I had a particular obsession with it in the autumn of 2021, when I wrote “Nervous”. The anger and pure passion in Charlie’s voice captivated me to the point where I could feel it within myself. When I wrote “Nervous” I had so much confusion and frustration built up inside me and I just needed to use my voice to release that, which “Dangerously” encouraged me to do. It’s also just an absolute cinematic-style masterpiece in terms of production. There’s definitely a running theme here isn’t there! Again, it’s the orchestral strings, the loud, almost battle-like drums. There’s not a lot of variation in the level of aggression on the drums, they’re just consistently aggressive which is PERFECT for this song and I wanted to magpie that for the chorus and bridge especially of “Nervous”. 

Give Me A Reason - Jillian Rossi 

This one is a bit rogue because Jillian isn’t a massive artist, but she’s incredibly talented. This song, along with a couple of others I have in my playlists are so compelling. Her tone is rich and her vocals are SO strong. The pace and beat of the song means it becomes such an earworm because of how catchy it is and, of course, the echoey drums are a fave feature of mine. The dramatic pauses, change in octave, vocal passion and really full, built up instrumental were all things that I wanted “Nervous” to try and encapsulate. 

Godlight - Noah Kahan 

Now THIS was pre-stick season era which feels like a lifetime ago because that album, which is a masterpiece, has become so defining for Noah as an artist. But this song, although not really sounding a lot like “Nervous” at all, is one I wanted to finish on because it represents for me the sort of vibe I want my music to capture going forward. I love how this track keeps the vocal passion, build up and orchestral drums that I LOVE but also uses the guitar and the more folk/rock tone of Noah’s vocals to create a hybrid of the traditional “pop ballad” and make it more “granola” and “mountain-y”. I personally adore it and as honest, poetic lyrics are a huge thing for me in my writing, I really admire Noah’s songs not just for their musicality but for their words.