Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with singer Molly Grace after she wrapped up a stint of tour dates during June’s “Pride Month” in support of her debut album called Blush. The tour dates were called “Lovergirls: A Sapphic Soiree” and showcased Grace’s impressive vocals, showmanship, great choreography, and fan interactions. If you’re enjoying the interview, please consider streaming Blush here.
Thank you, Molly, for your time tonight. I understand you’re currently touring in support of your debut album, called Blush, which is also coinciding with Pride Month. How has the tour been going, and what made you want to play these shows during this month?
This tour has been so wonderful! So yeah, I had my debut album come out in September, and we actually did a whole album headlining tour last October and November, and so when it came to what to get into this year, I thought that Pride Month would be a perfect time to hit the road again and connect with my fans. Because obviously queer joy and expression is a really big part of my music and who I am, and so with these shows it was my intention to create these really fun, intimate shows where I get to really kind of focus on fan engagement, getting to play in these small rooms, and really connect with the fans. Go to the merch table after the show, talk to everybody until the venues’ are pushing us out. That was the goal!
And what did you think of DC in particular? That’s my hometown. Obviously, it was all decked out on U Street for Pride Month, right?
Oh my gosh! Yes, that was amazing. And that was my first time in DC9, and I didn’t realize how gay that area was…<Laughter> Like gay bar there, gay bar here. <Laughter> But the venue was just lovely. The people who are running it are amazing, and gave us such a wonderful experience. And that was my first DC headline in, I believe, over a year. Because I played All Things Go Festival.
Oh yeah, that’s right!
So I wasn’t able to go to DC on the Blush tour because of that, and so this was really great to get to see a lot of those fans for the first time in a long time, and DC just always shows out and brings the energy. It was really fun.
That’s awesome. I’m glad it was a great concert for you and your fans. So, what goals did you set for yourself going into the recording and the writing process of Blush?
My goal with this debut album was really to create a body of work that feels very representative of who I am. I feel like a debut album is kind of an introduction, in a way of what the project is all about. So when I was writing it, and then choosing which songs I was going to include, I wanted to make sure that it was reflective of all of the different flavors of my artistry. It’s a pop record, but there’s hints of disco and soul, some R & B, some more true middle of the road pop, and so that was really the goal was to kind of create this like palette of my music.
That’s a great answer! What songs on Blush came easiest during the process of writing to get to the finish line?
“Heaven Sent” was a really easy write, and quickly became the moment. Sometimes when you write a song you’re like, “Okay, this is just this is becoming a cornerstone of the album…” and “Heaven Sent” was a really quick write. I want to say that we wrote it in like two or three hours. And I think it’s so it’s such a fun, cheeky, and silly song that we were just kind of in the writing room and we weren’t really second guessing ourselves too much. Just kind of letting the humor shine in that song!
Yeah, so in particular for that song, “Heaven Sent”, I love the kind of the disco-infused, almost gospel-esque moments on that.
Thank you!!
Yeah, so was this song as much fun to record and perform live as it seems to be from just listening back to it?
It really is. It is always such a fun one to do live, just because there are really a lot of moments of engagement with the audience, even just the kind of call and response with the “hallelujahs” in the chorus is really fun. And then there’s the bridge where I get to be really hammy and have fun with the audience. So yeah, it just really comes to life. There’s also a lot of dancing in that one when we do live.
Awesome. And I understand you also tour with backing vocalists, right?
Yes, I do! My LoverGirls, and they just happen to be some of my best friends as well. We all went to school together, and I’m just very lucky that my friends are also very good singers and dancers. It worked out for me.
And do you do your own choreography, or do you have somebody that you kind of work with? How does that work out?
For the most part, we do it ourselves. There are a few songs where we’ve, like, sourced other choreographers, like “Heaven Sent” was done by Courtni Poe, and then, like, “Soprano” and other things were done by Solace, who is my girl over in Nashville. But a lot of times, what rehearsal will look like is I will kind of come up with a base choreography, and then I’ll get into rehearsal with the girls, and we’ll kind of like workshop it together, and be like, oh, this is feeling kind of awkward, how can we make it better? Or they’ll be like, I really want to try this thing, so it’s very much a collaborative kind of effort.
Awesome, that’s really cool. So going back to Blush, what songs were the trickiest to complete on the other side of the coin, though?
Oh, “Mad at Her Forever”, which is kind of surprising. I think it was weirdly trickier, right? Just because that song is so groovy, and like there’s such a pocket to it. Like, it was <hard> finding the exact words and syllables that really sat well in that melody. So that one felt like we were kind of playing a little bit of Tetris…And then “Lemonade”, also on the album, went through a few rewrites. That’s obviously a song that’s got something behind it, and it’s probably like one of the only songs on the album that really explores anger. And that’s not my favorite thing to write about. It’s real, and so I always think, for me, “Lemonade” went through a few iterations, because I think there’s definitely a balance between expressing those more angry feelings, and keeping it cute and cheeky. I feel like there’s always just a balance with making sure it’s also tasteful.
For sure! That’s a great answer as well. So, how would you describe your music upbringing at a young age, and do you feel like any of those either artists or styles kind of influence the music you’re making today?
Oh, for sure. I come from a music-loving family. It was like Saturday morning, cleaning the house, <there was> always music blasting. And I think my parents’ greatest gift is that they both have very eclectic music tastes. I feel like they love a bunch of different genres, and so I grew up listening to classic rock and my dad is a metal head, so I got some of that country pop and Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter like musical theater, all of these things I grew up with, which I feel like informs my love of genre-bending in my own music as well. And I also was a big theater kid. That definitely comes out, I think.
Yeah, my middle child is the same way. She doesn’t do sports, but she loves theater and singing so much!
Yes, it’s the best!
And what about your vocal techniques? Do you have a certain warm-up that you do prior to concerts or getting into the studio? What’s your process?
Yes, I feel like it’s funny when I’m on tour, and people are like, “oh my gosh, tour must be crazy…like sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll!” When actually, it’s more like vocal rest, water. <Laughter> I honestly look at a lot of Broadway girls when it comes to taking care of my voice, just because I feel like if anyone knows how to take care of their voice, it’s someone who’s doing eight shows a week. So yeah, I do a lot of warming up and a lot of vocal resting. In terms of training, I didn’t take too many voice lessons when I was in high school, but I went to school for voice, so I took lessons all throughout school and got my degree.
Nice! Where’d you go to school, by the way? I’m not sure if I caught that…
I went to Belmont University in Nashville.
Very cool, Music City! So, what keeps you motivated as an artist, and also, what keeps you grounded?
I have just always been a very ambitious girl. I feel like, honestly, a lot of times the motivation is less the problem and the “grounding” is more the thing I really have to work on…but honestly, what keeps me motivated is keeping myself centered on what’s important. What keeps me motivated is the grounding. Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in the numbers or the on paper accomplishments, but I really try to bring myself back to the creativity. Making sure that the music I’m making feels authentic, and that I’m not trying to perform or pander to any certain kind of audience. And also really focusing on the fans, and not in a way where I’m having any sort of number of people at a show, or X number of comments or likes, but just really focusing on the quality of the connections with my fans. That’s what keeps me grounded. Also, being with my family and my friends.
That’s great. So, another question I have for you is about what the future holds for you. So, obviously, the debut album of Blush…you almost want that era to live forever, but what direction do you think you might go in for the sophomore album?
Oh my gosh! Well, I am already creating it, which is awesome, and as I’ve been exploring it, I am looking to really just dive even deeper into the worlds of funk and disco, because that really is my favorite kind of music, and that brings me a lot of joy to perform. And so I’ve been really leaning into that when I’ve been writing. I also think something I’ve been pushing myself with for my next album is I write a lot about romance and relationships, because that’s just very inspiring for me, but something I’m challenging myself with on my next record, and just on future thing things and projects, is to challenge myself to explore other subject matter. Because obviously there’s so much more to me than my dating life as well. So learning how to get vulnerable in that way on future projects, too
That’s cool to hear! I can’t wait to hear the next next album, too, for sure. Yeah, so the last question I have for you is, are there any causes, or any other things you’d like to share your support for, or other things you have to share with your fans that are going to be reading this interview when it comes out?
Oh my goodness, that’s a great question! Well, I mean, it being Pride Month, I’m very passionate about is LGBTQ+ rights and legislation, and I feel like supporting queer artists…that’s something I’m very passionate about with these “Lover Girls” shows that I’ve been doing in June. I’ve been partnering with local organizations in each city. That’s been something that’s been awesome for me. It’s also just easy to do. I feel like it’s such an easy give back. So my message this June is support your local queer artists, and thanks for listening and reading!
It was so nice meeting you, Molly! And hopefully next time you come through DC, I’ll be able to make it out to a show.
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. This was such a treat. Thank you for your thoughtful questions.
No problem, and the music sounds great. I can’t wait to see what you do in your career!
Thank you so much, Adam!
Take care, Molly!