Singer Gracie Abrams on overcoming her 'hard-core' stage fright

Gracie Abrams always knew she wanted to tell stories, which is a big reason why she became a singer-songwriter, but actually performing her confessional pop songs on stage was never a part of the equation.

"I really, really, really, really, really, really never wanted to do it ever," Abrams tells Q's Tom Power. "I was so freaked out. I remember when I first signed to Interscope, I was so emotional later on in that day by myself, like in a panicky way, just because I knew that it would eventually mean, if I'm lucky, that I would have to perform — and that scared the shit out of me."

At the time, Abrams says her stage fright was so bad that she'd vomit before performing. "It was real anxiety, like hard-core," she says. "Not cute for sure."

Luckily, the singer-songwriter has since managed to overcome her fear. Last year, Abrams received her first Grammy nomination for her debut album, Good Riddance, and she opened for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour. Now, she's back with her newly-released sophomore album, The Secret of Us, which she co-wrote with her best friend, Audrey Hobert.

Abrams's latest album looks at the highs and lows of unrequited love and new relationships, exploring all the drama, chaos and fun of being 24.

But how did she go from "puking for 12 hours in the middle of the night" to performing on some of the biggest concert stages in the world? She sort of has the pandemic to thank for that.

"During COVID we had these Zoom shows where it was like 100 people [watching]," she says. "It was honestly a sweet stepping stone for me because the concept of playing in front of people — I was petrified."

Abrams was able to hone her craft alone in her bedroom before performing her first-ever live show once quarantine restrictions were lifted.

"Now I just love it," she says. "I love it because [of] the people that show up — people that are kind enough to spend their time and money and their lung capacities on our shows…. It's instant joy and tends to recharge my social battery rather than drain it."

The full interview with Gracie Abrams is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. She talks more about The Secret of Us, meeting Joni Mitchell and working with Taylor Swift. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Interview with Gracie Abrams produced by Vanessa Nigro.