Spindle Radar: Grace Davies Goes Back To Her ‘roots’ With Latest Release

Grace Davies is an emerging singer-songwriter that is gearing up to set the music world on fire. Having made her debut in 2020 with her EP, Friends With The Tragic, the talented artist created a buzz with her impeccable voice and introspective lyrics. The record not only showcased her vocal talent but established her reputation as a deft songwriter. Grace went on to capture audiences in 2021 with her tracks ‘i met a boy online’, ‘testosterone’ and her cover of The Goo Goo Dolls ‘Iris’ – which played on MTV’s Catfish UK and Love Island 2020 series finale respectively.

Grace is back and ready to continue her upward trajectory with her new single ‘roots’. The breathtaking track first made waves during her X-Factor audition back in 2017. The track continued to make waves throughout her time on the competition series and sparked a strong following. After years of fans revisiting her iconic audition on social media, Grace decided it was time to make an official studio version of the record. With the beloved single officially making the rounds and the forthcoming release of her new EP, it’s safe to say Grace Davies is showing no signs of slowing down. We were able to chat with the songstress about everything from the release of ‘roots’, the track’s emotional message, future releases and more. Read the full interview below.

Grace! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. How’s October treating you so far?

Thank you so much for having me! October has been a wild one for sure haha. Lots to be happy about but also lots of busy days and late nights working… But I’m making sure to celebrate in between!

Congratulations on your new single ‘Roots’! What inspired the creation of this record?

Thank you so much! I wrote Roots back in 2017 when I’d just moved out of my hometown to north London and I was so in love with the idea of doing music full time and leaving a town I felt I’d exhausted. It’s a love song which lyrically I left pretty open to interpretation, but to me it’s about my love for music and the house that felt like my fresh start and the beginning of a special journey.

We need to discuss the incredible visual for the single! It’s got that emotional but euphoric Alice in Wonderland feel to it. Can you take us through the creative process for the visual?

I’m so glad you like it! Alice In Wonderland was defo the vibe. I had so much fun working on this with my director Katya Ganfeld and we really wanted to visually represent me outgrowing my home. Obviously I start the video off in a huge empty home and scene by scene the rooms get smaller and smaller like the walls are closing in on me until I eventually burst out into freedom (cue the incredible fireworks). I think it perfectly represents what the song is about.

Will we be getting any more visuals for the EP? 

At this moment in time sadly not. As an independent artist, music videos are expenssssssive!!! But I have been making visualisers for all of my tracks so there will at least be that… I managed to squeeze two official music videos out of the budget for this EP so I’m happy with that! 

Let’s bring it back to your music origins… Growing up, which genres and artists filled your household as a kid?

I have very early memories of listening to Rocky Music, Bryan Ferry, Simply Red, Lighthouse Family etc in the car with my parents. ELO, Earth Wind & Fire, Rose Royce – they were all family favourites when I was little. Soundtracking my teenage years were the likes of Adele, Emeli Sande, Mumford & Sons, Ben Howard.

How have you evolved as an artist since being independent? A lot has happened…

The lockdown forced me to fend for myself when it came to producing demos, and I think financially as an independent artist that was something that came in very handy. I’ve been solely producing all the “live” versions of my songs recorded in my home studio, I’ve got production credits across the EP – so I think it’s just made me more hands on and therefore more creative. You don’t have the budget or the teams a label has, so you’ve basically got to do everything yourself which I’m honestly up for. I love getting stuck in and learning new skills so it’s definitely given me more creative control and made me more sure of myself as an artist.

We are very excited for the new EP! What can you tell us about the upcoming release and what type of theme or message did you want to portray with this project?  

The EP goes through the cycle of a relationship from start to finish. From wanting to find someone (Somebody) to finding someone (IMABO) to falling in love (Roots) to realising there’s infidelity (Testosterone) to losing that person and wanting them back even though they’re bad for you (Used To You) to finally realising you need to get over them & going through the difficulties of having to move on (Toothbrush). The title ‘i wonder if you wonder’ is quite literal: I’m writing songs about a boy who probably doesn’t think twice about me… I wonder if you ever wonder about me as much as I do you. 

Which track are you most excited for fans to hear?

‘Somebody’ is now the only track yet to be released, and I cannot WAIT for fans to hear this one. It’s the perfect follow up for Roots, with big choir backing vocals, incredible strings and just huge ballad vibes. I’m obsessed with it. 

With 2021 slowly coming to a close, what can fans expect from Grace Davies in the coming months?

I’m currently planning some headline shows which is super fun – I’ve only just performed these songs live for the first time last month on tour, but it was just me and piano, so I’m soooo ready to do them with a full band and give fans the true experience. Definitely planning more music for next year and just seeing what happens after the EP comes out. It’s such an exciting time and I can’t wait for what’s to come. 

Make sure to listen to Grace Davies brand heartfelt track ‘roots’ below!