GRACIE ABRAMS: '21' SONG REVIEW
“It was everything I needed to say but couldn’t”
‘21’ is the stunning new single from Gracie Abrams, one of pop music’s most exciting new voices to emerge in 2019.
The song starts out in Abrams’ signature intimate and delicate tone – one that she’s explored before in previous tracks like ‘Stay’ and ‘Mean It’. But in comparison to her earlier singles, ‘21’ develops her sound from wistful and meandering lo-fi bedroom pop into something much punchier and more polished.
Written alongside Sarah Aarons and produced by Joel Little, ‘21’ is Abrams’ glossiest and most sophisticated track so far, without losing any of the warmth or effortlessness of her song writing sincerity.
Out of the first verse the song quickly picks up, layering Abrams’ vocals in lush harmonies and building to a pulsating chorus. The lyrics paint an unflinching portrait of post-breakup melancholy and the love and longing that lingers after the end of a relationship. The confessional lyrics and Abrams’ candid delivery are offset by the track’s dreamy production.
Abrams has likened the process of writing ‘21’ to a therapy session:
“It was everything I needed to say but couldn’t really, before being in that room. Working with Joel and Sarah, all I really wanted to do was sit back and watch them as I think they’re two actual geniuses, but after ten minutes of talking it became apparent to me that they’re such geniuses because of how comfortable and open they make you feel. Once we started writing it just felt like every sentence we spoke made its way into the song.”
Her debut London show at St Pancras Old Church sold out in just 1 minute, and this latest single points towards Gracie Abrams joining the likes of Clairo and Snail Mail to become one of alt pop’s next superstars.