Cover of Gracie Abrams’s The Secret of Us. Spotify
On June 21, 2024, Gracie Abrams dropped a highly anticipated sophomore album, The Secret of Us. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200,unsurprisingly given the excitement that had grown following the release of singles “Risk” and “Close To You.”
First, some context on Abrams’s music journey. Abrams released two singles in 2019, “Mean It” and “Stay,” but her music stardom didn’t really take off until her 2020 EP minor. Following this success, Abrams gained more of a presence within “sad girl” playlists with her 2021 EP This Is What It Feels Like, and 2023 debut album Good Riddance. Abrams then spent a summer opening for Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour. This allowed Abrams’s songwriting to grow and become more expressive, as highlighted in The Secret of Us. This sophomore album combines the more indie and brooding side of Abrams’s music with an upbeat pop side, creating an album full of songs that are relatable and fun to sing along with.
The album begins with “Felt Good About You,” which opens up the story of a relationship crashing and burning, yet the melody stays upbeat and bubbly. This starts the story that is further developed through the rest of the album. “Felt Good About You” fits alongside the next track and lead single “Risk,” as both tracks showcase the pop side of Abrams’s writing, wrapping up intimate and heavy lyrics into a catchy, bubbly song. “Risk” is full of metaphors, and is based on the idea of jumping headfirst into something new even when “the risk is drowning.” “Risk” also portrays the wishful thinking that is a prominent part of growing up.
On the flip side, “Blowing Smoke” fully showcases the melancholic and forlorn side of Abrams’s music. The lyrics depict Abrams spiraling about a new girl taking her place in her prior relationship. These lyrics almost feel like a sad text you would get from a friend in the middle of the night, feeling dejected as they compare themselves with someone else. This sentiment continues with the track “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” which conveys how relationships of any kind take effort from both sides. This is something that is applicable to many as they grow up and grow apart from one another.
Next on the album is “us.,” which is her duet with Taylor Swift. Being track five on the album, the song needed to deliver an emotional punch, and it did. The lyrics are poetic and allude to Swift songs like “cowboy like me” and “The Archer.” In this track, Swift and Abrams sing about their shared experiences and heartaches, about regrets and longings, and about how misled they were in believing their relationships would last. This idea of being misled is expanded in “Let It Happen,” where Abrams also elaborates on her blindness to issues within the relationship.
The rest of the album reiterates the stories told in prior tracks, and explains some of the sacrifices Abrams made without reciprocation. The album closes with the synth-pop track “Close To You.” This track is upbeat and signifies the start of a spark with someone new. “Close To You” has an energy to it that sums up the summer feeling, and is the perfect closer to The Secret of Us.