Photo from stereogum.com
By Maria Trejo, Staff Writer
Gracie Abrams launched her music career in 2020 with her first two EP’s Minor (2020) and This Is What It Feels Like (2021). After opening for Olivia Rodrigo for her SOUR Tour (2022) and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (2023), she gained recognition for her emotionally raw songwriting. She went on to release her first studio album Good Riddance (2023) while also embarking on her own small tour. On June 21 this year she released the infamous album The Secret of Us.
The Secret of Us has 13 tracks and three singles: Risk, Close to You, and I Love you, I’m Sorry. On October 18 of this year, Abrams released a Deluxe version of her album with four new songs including Cool, That’s So True, I Told You Things, and Packing It Up. She also included live versions of 3 of her songs in the deluxe album: I Love You, I’m Sorry, I Knew it, I Know You, and Free Now.
This album has such raw emotions that can strongly resonate with most teenagers and young adults. Abrams collaborated with American Musician Aaron Dessner and her frequent co-writer Audrey Hobert, blending the genres of country pop, indie pop and folk. With its heartfelt lyrics and masterful blend of genres, it is no secret that Gracie Abrams has solidified her spot as a rising star with the masterful, emotional, and relatable album, The Secret of Us.
Generally, these songs are something that most people don’t like because they believe they are childish. This couldn’t be further from the truth. When listening to the album I gathered that many people relate on a level where they interpret it as their own story. When you first listen to the album you think about Abrams’ experiences and her stories.
With this album having 20 songs, I was able to really connect with two of them, one being I love you, I’m sorry. The bridge of the song is what made it hit close to home where she sings, “You were the best, but you were the worst as sick as it sounds; I loved you first.” These lyrics made me think about a time in my life when I felt down after a breakup. I was able to take apart the best and the worst from that person and how this song can be taken as a sort of apology especially with the ending lyrics being “I love you, I’m sorry.”
The second song is the one I related the most to. I knew it, I know you. The bridge of this song is the one that made me recognize what had happened in the last two years. This song has such a powerful emotion as a heavy weight being brought on to you. The lyrics “And we don’t even know, oh, each other now.” As I first heard this song it instantly made me think that despite how long you’ve known someone, it doesn’t mean once you stop talking, they stay the same. They changed, and you will never know them in the same way again. This song also made me think about ending a relationship after not feeling appreciated, and that you made the change for yourself, and you didn’t stay in the relationship because you felt obligated to.
Overall, I hope many of you will take a chance to really listen to the album and try to connect with the lyrics whether it’s a romantic breakup or a friendship break up you can interpret it any way you’d like.
