ANAHEIM, Calif. — Gracie Abrams is certainly shaping up to be the next big thing in Gen Z pop, a subgenre currently led by acts like Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Khalid and Lil Nas X.
The Los Angeles-born and raised artist built her following with a pair of EPs released during the pandemic that included songs she’d written living in her childhood bedroom. The now 23-year-old singer-songwriter just released her debut album, “Good Riddance” on Feb. 24, which was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National. Abrams inherently fell into the entertainment pool thanks to her parents, director J.J. Abrams and TV producer Katie McGrath, but she’s carved her own path with an ability to craft songs that serve as a self-critical analysis of heartache and the growing pains of her early 20s.
Abrams is currently on the road on the Good Riddance Tour, which includes two hometown stops at The Fonda Theatre March 29-30. She’ll also be back in the area, serving as support on Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood for the Aug. 3 and 8 dates only.
At just 13, Abrams started releasing music via Soundcloud. Most of the tracks were simple acoustic covers of older Phoebe Bridgers songs like “Funeral.” It wasn’t until dropping out of Barnard College that things started to fall into place Abrams. After creating a buzz on Soundcloud and Instagram by releasing original tracks, she landed a deal with Interscope Records and in 2019, dropped her first official single, “Mean It.”
Last month, Abrams surprised fans by performing an acoustic set to celebrate “Good Riddance” at Fingerprints Music in Long Beach and she made an appearance at Amoeba Records in Los Angeles two days later.
According to Kara Lane, the live music director at Amoeba Music Hollywood, fans waited nearly seven hours in line before the doors opened to purchase a copy of “Good Riddance” as guaranteed entrance for her performance. The purchase included a commemorated “Live at Amoeba” signed poster by Abrams for fans, too.
“We seriously had fans in line ready to purchase her record as early as four in the morning,” Lane said. “It was raining heavily that day, too, but fans were so excited to get in. I have to say, Gracie’s fans are seriously some of the nicest, coolest fans. They were all so excited to see Gracie, too. Everyone was genuinely happy to be there when the show happened, and the overall experience of having Gracie there was incredible.”
Ahead of her two dates at The Fonda Theatre, we came up with a list of the best old and new songs from the rising pop star to listen to before these shows. In no particular order, here’s the list of our favorites.
“I miss you, I’m sorry”
The nearly three-minute track off of Abram’s 2020 EP “Minor” is a tender ballad on heartbreak with luscious string arrangements and layered vocals. It’s an anthem for fans who know the feeling of returning to the one you love, even if it disappoints you, far too well.
“Best”
This song sets the pace as it kicks off Abrams’ 12-track debut album “Good Riddance,” with hushed vocal lines and a lyrical, brutally honest, self-examination of her breakup. As she sings, “Used to lie to your face, twenty times in a day. It was my little strange addiction,” it’s clear her mistakes — and pain/regret — are on full display.
“Where Do We Go Now?”
One of the singles from “Good Riddance” that was co-written by producer Aaron Dessner, “Where Do We Go Now?,” details the confusion that comes with dropping a romantic partner and acknowledging the growing pains of moving on as she begins to heal.
“Feels Like”
A standout, synth-pop dance anthem off Abrams’ “This Is What It Feels Like” EP that dropped in 2021. This one explores all of the emotions one feels when falling in love. “Feels Like” really does feel and sound like like falling in love for the first time all over again.
“Mess It Up”
This song was released as just a single in 2021 that features Abrams detailing the mistakes made on her behalf with a previous love entanglement and the anxiety and heartbreak that came with it. It’s poetic, soft and honest.
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GRACIE ABRAMS: GOOD RIDDANCE TOUR
When: 8 p.m. March 29-30
Where: The Fonda Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles
Tickets: Both dates are sold out; however resale tickets are available at axs.com
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