1.    Hello Gracie, can you tell me a little bit about yourself before you became a country musician?

Before I truly dug deep into my artistry and music I was just a young high school girl that lived on the west side of Cincinnati, OH who had big dreams. I wrote silly little songs just for fun and always sang at the top of my lungs. Country music was always a huge aspect in my life, but I was actually also very involved in musical theater for years! My country voice never really fit that genre and as much as I loved acting, I really loved performing as myself more. It’s so cool to look back now and see that I’ve done and am doing exactly what I’ve always wanted to do and be. They aren’t dreams anymore, now it’s my life and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

2.    What was one of the first country albums you ever bought?

There were so many my parents had chosen and picked that I loved and really enjoyed listening to like Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Teri Clark, and so many more. But the first album I begged my parents to go out with me to get was “Fearless” by Taylor Swift. I was the little girl that looked up to her as most young girls. She was doing exactly what I always wanted to do, write songs, record them, and put out an album. I still remember that day when that album came out too. It made me love country music so much more and this time it was because I found that artist and started loving her myself, not just because my parents liked somebody!

3.    What is the background story behind your newest single “3 Minutes?” 

It’s all about women empowerment and women in country music. There was a time for a while, mostly through my teenage years that country music was really only “bro country”. It made me sad that women weren’t being recognized more and being played on the radio because “bro country” was a thing. So I’ve always wanted to find a way to help that change. In college I studied country music and focused on the beauty of women in country. Whether that be artist, songwriters, or music business women I wanted to help out make a change to equalize the playing ground. Women in country music weren’t getting the recognition, so that’s the background of where this song came from.

4.    What made you decide to have a career in country music?

Growing up listening to country and visiting Nashville as a vacation every year with my family was like heaven to me. I loved everything about the music, the business, the culture, the city, the people. It was really easy to make that decision. And after getting the opportunity to feel what it was like to be a touring artist for a day and perform with Keith Urban on his “Raise Em Up” tour, which you can find on youtube if you’d like to watch, that was the moment I knew I wasn’t changing my path and moved to Nashville right after I graduated high school!

5.    How would you describe your music in 3 to 5 words?

It’s Powerful, Smooth, and Compassionate.

6.    What are some of your favorite venues or events to play at?

I love playing at a restaurant called the Opry Backstage Grill. The atmosphere there is so kind, loving, and generous. And if you know me, those are my kind of people! I definitely recommend anyone to go there and eat, or perform, or just to hear good music!

My favorite event I’ve performed at was getting top 5 in Cincinnati’s Nash Next Competition!

7.    What is your process like when recording new music?

Whenever I have a song I love I show it to one of my friends who produces my songs, his name is Austin Shawn, and he just understands and gets who I am as an artist so our ideas and vibes click so well. He creates all the instrumentals behind my voicings and literally makes the song come to life. He’s such a generous friend and has such an extremely talented ear! We always have really great times when I record new music, and “3 Minutes” was one of the most exciting songs we created yet.

8.    What is one of your favorite quotes?

Have courage and be kind always

9.    Is there anything else you would like to share?

Lookout for new material for “3 Minutes” as weeks go by 😉