Australian artist SAYGRACE is back with her first new project since the release of her debut album Forgive My Attitude back in 2016.
Along with her new EP, comes a new stage name meant to signify her change in musical direction. The 22-year-old singer has matured significantly over the past four years and is ready to showcase her experiences on her new record titled The Defining Moments of SAYGRACE: Girlhood F*ckboys and Situationships.
Grace’s breakout came when she recorded a cover of You Don’t Own Me originally performed by American singer Leslie Gore. The song was re-recorded with rapper G-Eazy where it peaked at number 1 in her home country as well as the top ten on Spotify’s streaming charts. Grace is currently signed with RCA Records, home to major talents such as SZA, Kesha, A$AP Rocky and more.
We had the pleasure of speaking with SAYGRACE regarding all things music before her performance at Mercury Lounge in New York City.
The Knockturnal: I had the pleasure of listening to your new EP today. Could you tell me a little bit more about how you came up with the title and your inspiration behind this new body of work?
SAYGRACE: Throughout the process of writing the music, the main concept that I kept going back to was me going back and speak to younger Grace to talk to her about everything I’m currently facing. From there, birthed this concept of casting a mini-me in my first trilogy of music videos for this new record. This concept of what would you say to a kid version of yourself after everything I have gone through in my early twenties. When it came time to name the body of work, it sounded dope to name it something that sounded like an obnoxiously long children’s book for adults. Girlhood is about this transition between the past few years of my life.
The Knockturnal: What was the inspiration behind your new stage name SAYGRACE?
SAYGRACE: When I first signed to RCA, I was sixteen years old and had no idea who I was. On top of that, I had all these adults attaching their perspectives and opinions on me so that I could not be the true authentic version of myself. I think everything happens for a reason, but I definitely think that SAYGRACE was a way for me to hit reset and become 1000% my authentic self. I liked how the new name is a command and sounds cool, so that was the reasoning behind it.
The Knockturnal: When creating this new album, what was your creative process?
SAYGRACE: Usually it’s me or one other co-writer in the room, but it feels counterproductive to write about things that were not really happening to me. On my first album, I was so young that I would just talk about love because it was easy and relatable in some capacity. On this project, every song is like a page ripped out of my diary; real story, real experiences. I find it hard now to write about anything but that. It’s the most classic phrase ‘write what you know’ and that’s when the best songs come alive.
The Knockturnal: What has been the highlight of your career thus far and what are you looking forward to most in 2020.
SAYGRACE: Honestly, there has been so many highlights and I am just happy to have music out again and to be releasing consistently. I feel like I kind of got locked into this mindset that everything has to be really thought-out and planned and perfect. Now I can go into the studio and write a song a drop it the next day. I really love that freedom. I am excited to go on tour and bring this music to life live.
The Knockturnal: Do you have any dream collaborators that you’d like to work within the near future?
SAYGRACE: Wow, there are so many artists. I really love Ari Lennox right now and Doja Cat is sick. There’s just so many people, I am a very big Kanye fan so that would be crazy, probably a stretch so I’m just throwing it out there.
The Knockturnal: You mentioned how the industry could get kind of overwhelming when you were younger. Do you have any advice for a teenager who is attempting to navigating the music industry today?
SAYGRACE: A lot of the time, people are hesitant to listening to people around them simply because of fear. I would tell them just to remember that you are the artist and you have the power, voice and creative tools to say whatever it is you want to say. Nobody else can really dictate that to you. Of course, you have a team around you to help cultivate what you want to happen, but you have the power in the end.
