Heartbreak, Healing, and a Dash of Sass: Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us (Deluxe) is an Emotional Glow-Up

There’s no other way to put it - Gracie Abrams is living in her I made it era. Her sold-out headlining Secret of Us Tour just wrapped up its US leg, she’s back on The Eras Tour as the sole opener (with crowds 65K+ singing back every word of her songs), ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry’ is charting in the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 - and she’s just released the highly anticipated deluxe version of her stunning sophomore album. 

The Secret of Us (Deluxe), released 18 October, is perfectly crafted to enhance every raw, real emotion on the original album. The deluxe edition of the album is everything from dreamy to uninhibited, with the additions of cutting ‘Cool,’ acoustic-pop ‘That’s So True,’ heart-wrenching ‘I Told You Things,’ and soft ‘Packing It Up,’ along with ethereal live versions of previously released ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry,’ ‘I Knew It, I Know You,’ and ‘Free Now.’

Gracie Abrams photographed by Abby Waisler

Gracie closes the standard album with a sense of healing from past heartbreaks in the form of ‘Free Now’ and ‘Close to You,’ but ‘Cool’ kicks off the deluxe tracks with a stark, biting return to heartbreak. Debuted as a surprise piano song on The Secret of Us Tour in Chicago, ‘Cool’ shows us a new side of Gracie - one who isn’t to be messed with. Often self-deprecating or painting relationships past with soft-spoken regret, Abrams emerges now as scorned and shameless, about as far from her timid past as she can be. Much like when she spewed the line “If she’s got a pulse I bet she meets your standards now” in ‘Blowing Smoke,’ she strikes where it hurts: from name-dropping a laundry list of her exes’ exes to her scoffing “Say you miss me, you're sad/Yeah, I bet you are,” ‘Cool’ sees Gracie crafting a declaration that heartbreak won’t define her, but rather fuel her fire, marking a bold new chapter in her artistry where vulnerability meets defiance.

While TSOU lead single ‘Risk’ was undoubtedly melodramatic, deluxe track ‘That’s So True’ makes ‘Risk’ look like a walk in the park. The track was teased acoustically at Gracie’s stripped-back release show with best friend/roommate/cowriter Audrey Hobart and on a handful of stops on The Secret of Us Tour this fall. Now with sparkly, spunky acoustic-pop production by none other than her consistent collaborator and producer Aaron Dessner, ‘That’s So True’ shines as one of the stand-outs of the full Secret of Us project. This track has already found its home on Gracie’s Eras Tour setlist thanks to its girly, gossipy tone and utterly scream-sing-able “oooh”-based melodies, with lyrics like “But I think I like her, she's so fun/Wait, I think I hate her/I'm not that evolved, I'm sorry” and “You're an idiot, now I'm sure/Now I'm positive, I should go and warn her.”

Rounding out the new releases on the deluxe album are ‘I Told You Things’ and ‘Packing It Up,’ which reach either end of the emotional spectrum. ‘I Told You Things’ is seeped in loneliness, loss, and longing while ‘Packing It Up’ sees Gracie finding long-awaited solace in affection and admiration for someone who “fits perfectly.”

The Secret of Us (Deluxe) concludes with a three-track run of Live from Vevo performances of standard album tracks ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry,’ ‘I Knew It, I Know You,’ and ‘Free Now.’ Live tracks are often overlooked, but thanks to a powerful note-change in the live version of ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry,’ this song took the second-highest debut for a live song on Spotify ever, only behind Taylor Swift’s ‘Cruel Summer - Live from TS | The Eras Tour.’ Abrams is an artist who lives and breathes her live shows in every single song she releases, and the palpable emotion, silky vocals, and rich instrumentals present in the live recordings of ‘I Knew It, I Know You’ and ‘Free Now’ are only a further display of her talents as an ever-blossoming artist.

Gracie Abrams’ deluxe edition of The Secret of Us is guided by vulnerability, trust in her small-but-tight knit group of collaborators, her acoustic-pop niche, and a fresh honesty about leaning into your deepest, most all-consuming emotions. Abrams's sophomore album is undoubtedly her best work yet, and the new additions to the standard album add a sparklingly refreshing new chapter to the stories of love, loss, and growth across The Secret of Us.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING: FULLY OBSESSED

5 Rising Artists You Need To Start Stanning This Fall

As fall approaches, it’s time to refresh your playlists with some of the most exciting rising artists in the music scene. Whether you’re into heartfelt lyricism, edgy pop-punk vibes, or genre-defying sounds, these five artists will surely become your next obsessions. From singer-songwriters capturing the pain of young love to independent artists breaking boundaries with their unique style, these musicians are making waves. Get ready to keep your eye on these artists—before they inevitably blow up. Here are 5 rising artists you need to start stanning this fall!

Lexi Jayde

For fans of Gracie Abrams and Lizzy McAlpine, Lexi Jayde is your next favorite artist. She’s already made a stellar debut with her EP Closer to Closure. Her single ‘drunk text me’ has wracked up almost 1,000,000 plays on Spotify. Her blossoming success has led to live shows at The Troubadour in LA and Baby’s Alright in Brooklyn. Before Lexi Jayde’s sophomore project inevitably blows up, get on board – it’ll be worth it.

Brynn Cartelli

Brynn Cartelli is primed to be the next big singer-songwriter pop star. She finds her niche in cinematic, lyrically, heart-tugging acoustic-pop, meeting and dare I say, even sometimes exceeding the precedent set by hits like Olivia Rodrigo‘s ‘drivers license‘ and Gracie Abrams‘s ‘Mess It Up.’ Now five years out from winning Season 14 of The Voice at only fifteen years old, Brynn Cartelli has already proved that she has enough vocal talent to succeed on that alone. Cartelli released her debut album Out of the Blue in March of 2024, with many of the album’s fourteen tracks self-written by Cartelli. Out of the Blue proves that she also shines as a lyricist, romanticizing the growing pains of young love and yearning for self-acceptance with the finesse and sophistication of a well-seasoned virtuoso.

Del Water Gap

Probably the biggest name on this list is Del Water Gap, the stage name for S. Holden Jaffe. He spent the summer opening for Niall Horan. He works with producer Sammy Witte (who you may know as the producer behind hits from Harry Styles, Luke Hemmings, Halsey, SZA – just to name a few). His first two albums are alt-pop gold. His finsta, @horsewithbowlcut, is chock full of hilarious memes of himself. Get on the Del Water Gap train now because when DWG3 is inevitably released, he’s going to be a massive star.

Almondmilkhunni

Almondmilkhunni fearlessly dropped her record label and went independent after her debut self-titled 2020 EP. Now, she’s truly hit the sweet spot in creating a conceptual project that’s the perfect balance of fun and introspective with her sophomore project ENJOY THE RIDE. From her quirky, LA girly social media feed, to her great respect for fans, and her teasing of live shows and potentially ENJOY THE RIDE PT.2 in the foreseeable future, Almondmilkhunni is an artist to watch. She takes the it-girl cool and out-of-this-world dance-pop style of artists like Charli XCX and Tinashe and lends her air of lighthearted vulnerability and charming softness.

Charlotte Sands

Charlotte Sands has steadily gained recognition since her first release in 2018. Including a particular track that Harry Styles’ VOGUE cover may have inspired. With her her debut LP can we start over? released in January of 2024, Sands has now fully arrived as a powerhouse in the music scene. For fans of female rockstars who appreciate the vocal prowess of Kelly Clarkson or the pop-punk energy of Avril Lavigne, but may find Olivia Rodrigo a bit too youthful—Charlotte Sands is the perfect fit. She spent last year supporting pop-rock bands PVRIS and 5 Seconds of Summer. She also brought her first headlining tour international this spring, wowing audiences from New York to Sydney. With her stunning blue hair and down-to-earth sense of humor, she’s cool, she’s talented, and she’s diehard for her fans. What’s not to love?

From Blue Collar to Mainstream: Dexter and The Moonrocks Release 'Like You (Like You)' Before Austin City Limits

Ahead of their set at Austin City Limits, country-rock group Dexter and The Moonrocks released “Like You (Like You)”, their first release since their sophomore EP, Western Space Grunge. Drawing inspiration from artists that range from Noah Kahan to Pink Floyd, the group finds their niche in “sad cowboy songs,” taking a modern, alternative rock approach to the sounds of classic country.

Backed in rich electric guitars and dynamic vocal layering, “Like You (Like You)” has the sincerity that makes it sound like it belongs in a garage jam session but the finesse and quality that bring the band their mainstream success. The band is composed of lead singer and guitarist James Tuffs, lead guitarist Ryan Anderson, bassist Ty Anderson, and drummer Ryan Fox, who come from humble beginnings; all formerly employed in blue collar industries in a small town in West Texas who started playing country western music together (as one does in small town West Texas) and quickly began to be influenced by the rock and grunge music they heard their parents playing at home.

Now with two EPs behind them, “Like You (Like You)” is the start of a new era for the band. The track opens with a bass-heavy riff, lyrically touching on finding independence and the fear associated with paving your own way. Dexter and The Moonrocks is unafraid to strip away the stigma of standing your ground: “You like to grow you like to change/I think I like to stay the same/Things that I have left to prove/Are the things I’d like to lose.”  

The band also makes it clear that they're no stranger to the pressures of social conformity and isolation. There's a "Like You (Like You)" lyric for that too: "I don’t wanna go again/I’m doing better living in my head/Don’t wanna go again/Be just like you.”

With a naturally talented vocalist, a modernized classic sound, and enlightened lyrics, Dexter and The Moonrocks is a band with the potential to make garage bands the next big thing in the realm of country-rock. With "Like You (Like You)" and a set on the Austin City Limits Stage, the band shows that they know the value in what they bring to the music scene – and they aren’t afraid to have fun while they show it off.