@gracieabrams/Instagram
In a vulnerable, emotional and outstanding performance on her “The Secret of Us” tour, Gracie Abrams separated herself from her famous filmmaker father, JJ Abrams, and her big break as Taylor Swift’s opener to establish herself as one of the most promising artists of our generation. Abrams’ unforgettable tour reflects the success of her sophomore album “The Secret of Us” and her recent ascent to fame. She proves to her fans and the music industry that she is more than just a product of nepotism, or “nepo baby;” rather, she is a name to remember.
Standing in line outside The Anthem, I saw a sea of rippling ribbons belonging to eager fans of all ages waiting in simmering anticipation of Abrams’ arrival. The ocean of bows flowed effortlessly alongside the Potomac River next to the waterside venue in southwest Washington, D.C. As we packed into the beautiful venue, all fighting for the best view of Abrams, her opener, singer-songwriter ROLE MODEL (also known as Tucker Pillsbury), prepared for his lively and engaging set of eight songs, which featured some of his biggest hits. You could see the audience jumping up and down to his song “Look at That Woman” and pulling out their flashlights for “Frances,” a slower-paced song inspired by his relationship with fashion influencer Emma Frances Chamberlain. ROLE MODEL set the perfect tone for Abrams’ wide-ranging set and effectively gained himself a new following.
Appearing as a shadowy figure slowly descending a staircase to her song “Felt Good About You,” Abrams had fans shrieking in excitement for her first note. While not her most famous or upbeat track, the first song on her recent album allowed Abrams to make a gradual arrival on the stage in a stunning black maxi dress. The next three songs, “Risk,” “Blowing Smoke” and “21,” immediately dialed up the energy as the audience erupted into screams at the lyrics of some of Abrams’ most famous songs. When Abrams got to “Blowing Smoke,” the audience began to sing along with the fervor deserved by the masterful lyric, “If she’s got a pulse, she meets your standards now?”
In the next segment of songs, Abrams proved she is one of the best vocalists in modern pop. Her now-viral note change during “I Love You, I’m Sorry” lived up to every one of my expectations and received the largest reaction of the night from the crowd. Going into the concert, I had relatively little excitement for her song “Where Do We Go Now?”. Abrams proved me wrong with a beautifully vocalized performance as purple lights beamed behind her at the end of the song.
Following Abrams’ performance of the song that brought her to fame — “Mess It Up” — the concert took a slower turn, perhaps inevitable considering her relatively melancholic discography. The surprise song “Fault Line,” from her album “Good Riddance,” was a beautiful performance that meshed perfectly with her slower songs, before the transition to “I Know It Won’t Work” brought a much-needed surge in energy from the crowd and took me back to jumping up and down for every song.
A highlight of Abrams’ performance was its emotion. Abrams almost teared up when fans put pink pieces of paper over their flashlights for her song “Normal Thing.” This emotional response demonstrated her deep connection with her audience, who had organized the distribution of the papers between one another. It was a touching moment that exhibited the community among Abrams’ fanbase. Abrams herself demonstrated her appreciation. Before performing “I Miss You, I’m Sorry,” she took a moment to thank her fans for making her feel understood and like her lyrics matter — a genuine and vulnerable moment that made me admire her even more.
My personal favorite song by Abrams is “Free Now,” and the performance did not disappoint. You can feel her raw emotions in her live performances more than any studio version, and this unique experience made this song that much more enjoyable for me.
There were no two better songs in her discography to feature in her encore besides “us.” and “Close to You.” The vigor in the crowd lasted until the very last note and brought the concert to an unforgettable conclusion which left me feeling complete. As a longtime fan of Abrams, this concert reminded me not just of her undeniable talent but also of her ability to connect with her fans more than any other artist I have seen live. Her powerful lyrics and captivating songs bring people together. Especially after witnessing it all live, I have no doubt that this is just the beginning for Gracie Abrams.