On September 5th, 2024, acclaimed singer Gracie Abrams performed in Portland, Oregon, marking the beginning of the tour of her newest album The Secret of Us. Just last night, I was fortunate enough to watch Abrams perform live at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving.
As soon as I heard the lead single, “Risk,” this past summer, I fell in love. The album as a whole is compelling to fans of Abrams because it’s so different from her usual style. Most people believed her music to have “sad-girl indie” vibes, but that all changed with the release of The Secret of Us.
With past albums like This Is What It Feels Like and Good Riddance, I can confidently say that Abrams has flawlessly captured the raw emotion that comes with finding one’s true self. Through her delicate voice and painfully relatable lyrics, she takes us through her intimate journey of self-discovery and healing.
In the months between February 24, 2023 (the release date of Good Riddance) and June 21, 2024 (the release date of The Secret of Us), something in Abrams shifted. And it shows in her music. Although the songs in her latest album can still be considered sad, there’s something inexplicably different about them.
While her past albums feel like melancholic whispers, this one feels like a liberating scream at the top of one’s lungs. Abrams can attest to this as she sings, “All I feel is free now,” in her song, “Free Now.”
Being a longtime fan of Abrams, I knew that I had to see her perform this album in concert. And it was just my luck that she was performing right around the corner (“corner” being roughly an hour away) from Fort Worth.
In short, last night was one of the best nights of my life. I got to see my favorite person and scream my favorite songs with my favorite people. It was perfect in every way. To make the experience even better, I was in the pit, which means I was so close to Abrams.
I adore every version of Abrams and her music; the sad, the slow, the upbeat, the fast, and the crazy. She encompasses everything that goes through a typical teenage girl’s mind and I think that’s what makes her so special. Her music is so effortlessly relatable.
And in concert, she was. Even. Better. Her raw voice quality and broad range made for a truly breathtaking experience. If someone were to ask me what my favorite song of the night was, I seriously would not be able to respond; it’s impossible to pick just one. My top three favorite songs that she performed were “Gave You I Gave You I,” “Feels Like,” and “Free Now.”
I would implore you to go see Gracie Abrams in concert (only if you’re a fan, of course), but every single one of her shows is sold out! Including her show tonight in Houston and on Sunday in Austin.
As I got home late last night, exhausted yet exhilarated, I decided that the night was one of the best I’ve ever had.
