Grace Gardner, an indie pop artist from Texas now based in Philadelphia, first gained recognition when their song Deny Me took off on TikTok. They debuted with Radio Silence in 2021 and have since released multiple singles along with two albums, Recovery Mile and After Knowing, solidifying their place in the indie pop scene.
Warming up the crowd was singer/songwriter Sarah Gross. Sarah is an indie pop artist who is making waves in the indie scene, with her most recent single being Meet A Boy and her most recent album, The Killjoy, which came out in August of 2023. She walked on stage, and everyone in the crowd was captivated by her voice and energy. The way she got the crowd excited and got everyone to sing along and dance to her music is truly a gift. Sarah’s sound is so unique, and her lyricism is so beautiful. Her voice is reminiscent of Kacey Musgraves, and her stage presence, to me, evokes the energy of Daisy from Daisy Jones & The Six. I got the chance to meet Sarah after the show. She was beyond kind, and you can clearly tell she cares about fan interaction, which is very refreshing. Since the show, I have fallen in love with her music. Better With Age and Meet A Boy are my current favorites from her discography, as of right now, Sarah Gross isn’t a household name, but I feel that she deserves more recognition for the art she is making with her music. The sheer energy radiating from her performance was absolutely intoxicating. She is a true star whose shining talent deserves far more recognition.
On January 29th, I finally got to see Grace Gardner on The After Knowing Tour—a show I had been anticipating for the last year. Witnessing Grace perform at Mercury Lounge in New York was an unforgettable experience. As soon as Grace and their band walked on stage, you could clearly tell that’s where they were meant to be; trying not to cry during Deny Me was nearly impossible. They have so much emotion in their voice and lyrics. The way they interacted with the crowd made the show even more personal and special, they would sing lyrics at people in the crowd, and they encouraged fans to sing along. The last song on Grace’s set was Lubbock. If you know me, you know just how much this song means to me. The first time I heard Lubbock was a snippet of the song on TikTok.
“Beat me to all of the punches, you told me you loved me, I cried on the highway, didn’t that count for something?”
Hearing those lyrics for the first time after a relationship that dragged on for too long was beyond therapeutic, and it helped me realize it was time to move on. Throughout the show, we made eye contact and sang the lyrics of Lubbock back to each other. When the show ended, Grace took the time to meet fans at the merch table. When I went up to introduce myself, the first thing they said to me was that they saw me singing along during the show. The moment was so special for both of us.
I had a wonderful experience at “The After Knowing Tour.” Grace puts together an amazing show. Please go listen to Grace’s music, especially if you like artists such as Grace Enger, Carol Ades, or Sydney Ross Mitchell; you are sure to fall in love with the artistry and intoxicating energy Grace has to offer. To get a deeper understanding of Grace’s music, you can also read my review of their song Smaller.
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