Today, songwriter Gracie Abrams shares her poignant new single “Mess It Up” and its accompanying video — a heart-melting portrait of shattered hopes and smashed layer cakes. Released via Interscope Records, “Mess It Up” is available now at all digital retailers; listen HERE and watch the video HERE.
Directed by Matty Peacock (the filmmaker behind such iconic visuals as “Ice Cream” by BLACKPINK with Selena Gomez), the video for “Mess It Up” finds Abrams attempting to bake a cake and repeatedly dropping the gorgeously frosted final product on the ground. That bittersweet back-and-forth between determination and disappointment is a perfect match for Abrams’s incisive lyrics, which simultaneously convey a deep longing for forgiveness and an unshakable sense of frustration (e.g. “Hope that you’re sleeping well knowing I’m not”). Produced by and co-written with her frequent collaborator Blake Slatkin, the track’s stark guitar work and driving rhythms slowly take on a powerful momentum, ultimately building to a sweetly triumphant climax.
“Mess It Up” is Abrams’s first new music since the March premiere of “Unlearn,” a collaboration with hitmaker benny blanco (who also served as producer on the title track to her acclaimed debut project minor). Co-written by Abrams, the quietly breathtaking track appears on blanco’s recently released album FRIENDS KEEP SECRETS 2. On March 24, the two collaborators delivered a beautifully nuanced performance of “Unlearn” on “The Late Late Show With James Corden”; check it out HERE.
Since making her debut with “Mean It” in October 2019, Gracie Abrams has emerged as one of the most compelling songwriters of her generation, earning the admiration of such likeminded artists as Lorde, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo. A consummate songwriter who names Joni Mitchell as her most formative influence, she penned her first song at the age of eight, then went on to amass a devoted following on the strength of her emotionally intimate lyrics and DIY sensibilities. As her profile rose, Abrams was named an artist to watch by tastemaking outlets like Pigeons & Planes, Fader, and -iD, in addition to being crowned one of seven breakout female musicians by Vogue UK. With the arrival of her debut project minor in summer 2020, she received glowing reviews from the likes of NME, who praised her “painfully honest tales of heartbreak draped in delicate melodies that carry much more intrigue than the usual run-of-the-mill singer-songwriter.” Executive-produced by Blake Slatkin — and also made with leading producers like Joel Little and benny blanco – the seven-song effort features her beloved singles “21,” “I miss you, I’m sorry,” and “Long Sleeves.” Abrams is now at work on more new music, due out later this year.
