Gracie Abrams just released her second album entitled, “The Secret of Us,” at only 25 years old. Abrams has been writing music since 2015 and since then has released two ep’s, “Minor” in 2020 and “This Is What It Feels Like” in 2021, as well her 2023 debut album “Good Riddance.” Though she is a young artist, Abrams has gained an enormous fan base and has over 29,000,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Abrams mainly attracts pre-teenagers and teenagers through her songs since her music is about the experiences during adolescence. In her newest sophomore album “The Secret of Us,” discusses a principal message of developing feelings for someone who doesn’t feel the same way about you, as well as the pain that comes with that realization.
Track one in Gracie Abrams’ “The Secret of Us” is titled “Felt Good About You” and the overarching theme of the album is very clear cut throughout the entirety of the song. Abrams quite literally writes, “Felt good about you ‘til I didn’t” as the first line of the song, displaying the scenario of being head over heels for someone who never reciprocates the feeling. Additionally, the lyrics, “Bad nights, new girls, misgivings” and “It took all of me to walk away and choose” enhance the pain an individual feels when faced with this situation. This track opens up the album, giving listeners the hint that the rest of the songs will more than likely be just as gut wrenching.
“Risk” is the second track in the sophomore album and has a more upbeat instrumental element. This song leans toward knowing that entering a relationship is a bad decision, rather than finding out later on and being heartbroken. Abrams writes, “God, I’m actually invested/Haven’t even met him/Watch this be the wrong thing, classic,” proving that she is already unsure of this potential relationship unlike other songs in the album that portray her seeing only the good and finding out the bad too late. The bridge of “Risk” further shows her willingness and happiness to enter this unhealthy relationship as she writes, “I’m gonna bend ‘til I break/And you’ll be my favorite mistake/I wish you could hold me, here shakin’/You’re the risk I’m gonna take it.” The lyrics speak for themselves in the bridge, intensifying the ‘risk’ Abrams is taking just to be with one boy.
Ruthless Gracie Abrams comes out in track three, “Blowing Smoke” as she calls out a cheater and liar. This song takes a harsh approach to the scenario of loving someone who couldn’t love you back in the way you deserved. The lyrics, “And I bet you’re at her place right now/You’re taking off your shoes, she’s lying down/Tell me, is she prettier than she was on the internet?” add to her experience in a toxic and one-sided relationship. Additionally, the detail in the lyrics, specifically, “You’re taking off your shoes, she’s lying down,” show that she has been through it in her relationship with this boy as she recalls minuscule details like taking off his shoes as the other girl waits for him. The most ruthless and cruel part of the song is when Abrams says, “If she’s got a pulse, she meets your standards now,” calling out her cheating ex and the way he jumps from one girl to another.
The most popular song in the album is probably, “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” as Abrams describes where she went wrong, rather than where the boy went wrong. The tone of this track is a lot more solemn and remorseful than the other songs. The lyrics, “That’s just the way life goes/I like to slam doors closed/Trust me, I know it’s always about me/I love you, I’m sorry,” show Abrams as an individual with faults, like any normal person. Different from her other tracks where she (rightfully) blames the guy in the relationship, Abrams owns up to any and all mistakes she made and apologizes for her actions.
Gracie Abrams collaborated with Taylor Swift during the making of track five, “us.” in which the two women recall a ‘right person, wrong time’ sort of relationship. The main lyrics and question in the song is, “Do you miss us, us?” which speaks to the message of the song, missing someone who was actually good for you, however the timing of the relationship wasn’t right.
Track six entitled, “Let It Happen,” is the opposite of track two, “Risk,” in the way that Abrams discusses the negative side of entering a potentially toxic relationship. “Risk” shows Abrams’ excitement in making this decision, while “Let It Happen” shows her angry and depressed side. Abrams writes, “Turn me into something tragic, just for you I let it happen,” and once again, the lyrics speak for themselves. Clearly, Abrams knows that the relationship is unhealthy, however she holds out hope that maybe the boy could change which only breaks her more.
After many songs of reminiscing on the small amounts of good aspects of her relationships, track seven, “Tough Love,” is about finally leaving a toxic relationship in the past and healing. Abrams’ frequently repeated lyrics throughout the song are, “And I hate to leave him bleedin’/But I know now what I’m leavin’ for.” The lyrics are fairly straightforward, displaying that even though she feels guilty for leaving, Abrams understands that it’s for the better considering the amount her now ex put her through.
Track eight, “I Knew It, I Know You,” is Gracie Abrams’ way of saying ‘sorry not sorry’ for leaving a relationship. Throughout the song, she writes all the things that her and her ex could be doing, however she moved on and the ex-boyfriend has not. Abrams writes, “Well I just can’t pretend that I’m sorry,/When I’m not sorry,” signifying that it sucks the ex is stuck in the past, but Abrams has moved on with her life and remains unapologetic for putting herself first. Contrary to the healing era that Abrams is going through in “I Knew It, I Know You,” track nine, “Gave You I Gave You I,” displays her painful emotions after realizing a boy didn’t love her like she loved him. This heartbreaking song brings listeners through the motions of having this horrible realization in a relationship. Abrams writes, “What did I ask for that I now pay for? Would it have killed you to explain/That you weren’t ready?” These lyrics enhance how Abrams felt as she was left in the dark the entire relationship, giving more love to him than she was ever given in return and finding out he never truly loved her in the first place.
“Normal Thing” is track ten in Abrams’ album and it is a straightforward song when you really listen to the lyrics. The song begins with the lyrics, “It’s a normal thing to fall in love with movie stars,” and the song pretty much follows that statement, detailing having feelings for somebody that is putting on an act. Abrams writes, “Don’t worry, I know I’ll see you again/Oh, you’ll make me cry when it comes to an end,/You were great, what a show, but I don’t recommend/Getting close, that’s how it goes, but I’ll see you again.” These lyrics follow the message of the song as well, portraying getting really close to someone, falling in love with them and realizing it was all a fake persona in the end.
Track 11, “Good Luck Charlie,” is not the theme song of the classic Disney Channel TV show, but a song that follows the pain and sorrow one feels when a relationship ends. Unlike the other tracks, this song is also about acceptance and wishing the other person a good life. Abrams recalls small, intimate details of the relationship as well as large memories that she’ll always have with her, however, she is ready to make her peace with everything and move on, once again entering that healing era. The track really sums up to, we had a great run but it’s over now and I wish you the best and hope you’re happy. Similarly, Abrams next track, “Free Now,” follows the same reminiscing and post break-up storyline. At the end of the song, Abrams tells the listeners that she feels free, hence the name of the song. She has taken all the baggage from the relationship and thrown it out the window, now focusing on what’s next. However, at the start of the track, she states, “And I hate to pull the plug, but I think I get your deal/I finally know better than to wait for you back here/And I hope you know I don’t think/You’re a bad guy, that you’re damaged/Took you two months, only two to raise the bar/You’re the saddest, but a good kid.” Abrams never blames the boy for anything, she simply says that it was good while it lasted and I loved every minute of the relationship, however it just wasn’t right.
The final track of Abrams’ sophomore album, ‘The Secret of Us,” is titled “Close To You.” After a long tracklist that captures a rollercoaster of emotions, “Close To You” brings the upbeat and joyful finish to the album. The song is honestly about that cloud nine feeling of having a new crush and living in a delusional state for a while. The most relatable lyrics to ever exist are, “And you don’t even know my name/If you asked me to/I’d give up everything/To be close to you.” Abrams truly enhances the genuine joy one experiences when developing feelings for someone new, while also intensifying the lengths some people are willing to go to for their ‘crush.’
Gracie Abrams, the woman you are!! So so so many teenagers across the globe are forever lucky and grateful to experience your music and scream their lungs out to the relatableness of every single song this woman releases. If you haven’t listened to her new album, run, DO NOT walk to Spotify or Apple Music, or whatever streaming service you use, and listen to these amazing songs right now because they are absolutely phenomenal!
