Gracie Abrams: From Secret Garden to Center Stage

Gracie Abrams, at 26, has become a prominent figure in the music industry, known for her intimate and witty "whisper pop" style. Her career has seen her grace the covers of Vogue and appear in Chanel ads, while her music consistently tops Billboard charts.

Despite her current success, Abrams admits to still feeling a sense of disbelief. "I'm constantly pinching myself," she told CBS News. "And I don't know at what point you could get to where you're not doing that."

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I'm constantly pinching myself. And I don't know at what point you could get to where you're not doing that.

Her journey to the stage was not immediate. Raised in Los Angeles, Abrams harbored a passion for songwriting but initially feared performing. "Like, just really physical fear … in the pit of your stomach," she described the feeling of sharing her music. She found a way to overcome this by posting songs online, initially viewing the internet as a less "real" space to hide behind.

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Like, just really physical fear … in the pit of your stomach. I felt that when I would hear footsteps coming down the hall, and I would stop playing.

This online presence led to her first record deal in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly provided a unique stepping stone: a virtual tour conducted from her bedroom. "It was such a gift, because I was vomiting at the thought of performing!" she recalled. "And then I got to do it in the comfort of my own space. And it felt like this baby step."

That "baby step" propelled her into opening for major artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift on their tours. Performing with Swift, Abrams described it as feeling "like being in some kind of, like, alternate universe." Swift's advice to "never stop writing" resonated deeply with Abrams, encouraging her to channel difficult emotions into her craft.

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I don't know what my goal was. I think it was probably that naïve kind of concept of the internet that it's not real – you know what I mean? I'm like, 'Okay.' It was easier to hide behind.

Now, Abrams is selling out arenas independently, with audiences passionately singing her lyrics back to her. She finds this connection profound, stating, "It just doesn't feel like it's remotely about me. I love it, but it feels like even though they might be my words, they've adopted them and made them their own."

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It was such a gift, because I was vomiting at the thought of performing! And then I got to do it in the comfort of my own space. And it felt like this baby step.