Gracie Abrams, known partially for her father J.J. Abrams, a director of the Star Wars sequel trilogy , but mainly for her collaboration with Taylor Swift and hit songs such as “21,” “I Love You I’m Sorry” and “Close to You,” released a Deluxe version for her album “The Secret of Us” Oct. 18. The album not only surpassed the original album’s emotional depth but marked a transitional period for Gracie as a songwriter and performer.
“The Secret of Us (Deluxe)” contains four new songs: “Cool,” “That’s So True,” “I Told You Things” and “Packing It Up.” It also features live versions of her previous tracks “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” “I Knew It, I Know You” and “Free Now.”
“Cool,” comments on ambivalent feelings towards moving on from an ex and seeing them with a new lover. “That’s So True,” reflects on the messiness and jealousy of a breakup and the path to emotional recovery. “I Told You Things,” expresses a more vulnerable side of Gracie where she recalls intimate moments and let down of a relationship, while “Packing It Up” leaves the album on a more hopeful tone in which the speaker experiences an unexpected love, showing that love can appear in surprising ways.
In her new album, Gracie no longer just sings about failed relationships but analyzes, understands and grows from them. She is no longer stuck in the past, as she was in her previous albums where the listener would get caught up in Gracie’s disappointed and self-reflective words.
The album not only signifies a change in Gracie’s lyrical voice but also performance. During a Vevo live performance series, Gracie opened up about feeling insecure of her voice and how that tied into a larger aspect of performance anxiety. In the Eras Tour October, however, videos of Gracie singing “The Secret of Us (Deluxe)” highlight her growth and confidence as she no longer shies away from the microphone.
Gracie performs “That’s So Cool” for the “Eras Tour” Oct. 18. Her album,“The Secrets of Us (Deluxe),” marks a significant step forward in Gracie’s journey, not only in her career but also in overcoming her personal fears. (Photo/Emma Delgado)
