Grace Ives will be the Artist of the Summer
By: Nadya Barghouty
If you don’t know Brooklyn-based artist, Grace Ives, from Grimes reposting Ives’ song “Babyyy,” or from her time as Remi Wolf’s 2022 tour opener, then you are about to know her this summer.
Photo: Tim Ives
Ives is set to release her second full-length album, Janky Star, on June 10th. It has been over two years since her last album, and the anticipation has been bubbling behind these 10 upcoming tracks. Given the turmoil of the past two years coupled with being in your 20’s, Ives makes music to help her work through her emotions and I am sure she’s had more than enough material to build from. Ives takes the emotional excess and stuffs it into short, hypnotic songs. I remember when I first heard her song “Babyyy,” and almost unknowingly listened to it for 2 hours on repeat during a math exam. There is something comforting about bedroom pop beats with simple looping melodies. Certain syllables lining up with electronic drums like punches. She layers sounds, harmonizes with herself, and often repeats lyrics, enhancing the mesmerizing effect. While her lyrics do not necessarily paint a clear picture, the emotion behind each song can be felt.
For me, listening to Grace Ives’ music feels cathartic: solace in the chaos. I can only imagine how it feels for her to create or perform each song. I’ve felt the same feeling with the two singles released from Janky Star: “Loose” and “Lullaby”. Each single has an accompanying chaotic yet dreamy music video that is worth the watch. Ives had said “Loose” is about “living in a bed bug infested apartment, withdrawing from SSRIs [and] not sleeping.” While the subject matter is a little heavy, “Loose” is an upbeat song with retro video game sounds. I can only describe the aesthetic as being just close enough to Nintendo64 to evoke a nostalgic, fun feeling, but just far away enough to not feel like a shtick. Ives described her other single “Lullaby” as focusing on “the comfort and anxiety that comes with isolating yourself.” “Lullaby” also seems to be her longest song to date at a little over three minutes.
Does that mean longer songs await us on Janky Star? There seems to be slightly more production behind these singles compared to her previous album 2nd, however, the overall simplicity remains. Behind her eccentric and eclectic songwriting and visuals, Ives touches on themes central to the mid-20’s experience, routinely under three minutes. Her songs provide a perfect accompaniment to the monotony of a young person’s day-to-day life. Walking to class, driving to work, and getting dressed, is immediately enhanced with synth-pop music you can relax to and also belt out. With that being said, Grace Ives’ time under the radar is coming to a close. It was only a matter of time before the greater public caught on to her simple yet brilliant pop.
