Gracie Moller is fearless. On Friday, October 13th, she presented her first EP, didn’t peak at 17, in an intimate sold-out show in Amsterdam. The New Zealander, who accompanied Only The Poets on their April tour, has carved out a place in the hearts of the European audience, who longed for the songs she performed during the shows.
Watching Gracie Moller live is a bit like watching Hannah Montana. We love a girl with a pink electric guitar, taking over the stage with her pop music. It’s not hard to imagine her filling much larger venues with a strong team supporting her. So, it’s even more special to be able to witness unique moments in her career, like the release of her first EP, didn’t peak at 17.
In this work, Moller has presented four tracks produced with great care, featuring autobiographical lyrics that are easy to relate to. The artist wrote these songs from the perspective of being both a teen and an adult at the same time, drawing from her own experiences of growing up and slowly becoming who she is.
The song ‘make it right’ introduces the album, touching on the anxiety and panic that can accompany the start of new relationships. It’s about overanalyzing every conversation and the actions of the other person to an extreme degree, even searching for hidden meanings in the songs they listen to. The importance of communication is a central theme, as the artist expresses that resolving the anxiety, which can be so distressing that it hinders sleep, can be achieved if the other person communicates directly about how they feel. Moller adds that “anxiety and excitement go hand in hand for me; whenever something wonderful happens, I start to panic.”
Following that, ‘wasn’t gonna last forever’ begins to play, and a photoshoot shows the singer fleeing her own wedding, which encapsulates the essence of the song. This track is about ending a relationship when you realize that you are no longer yourself, and you’re pretending to be someone else while knowing that the relationship will inevitably end. The feeling is not one of exhaustion but of relief and liberation following this decision, almost like a revelation. Moller adds that “some people are brought into our lives to teach us,” and that “just because it wasn’t meant to last doesn’t mean it wasn’t meant to be.”
The third track, which lends its name to the EP, ‘didn’t peak at 17’ is quite moving, especially if, like most people, you didn’t have a simple adolescence. Moller shares her experience of growing up alongside a girl she loved and considered her best friend until she realized that this friend was doing everything possible to make her miserable. They eventually parted ways, and though it was painful, she now feels very happy not to have stayed by her side. She has grown into a better person, staying true to herself and succeeding by being herself, rebuilding her self-confidence. Listening to this song is like having a three-minute summary of Mean Girls in your mind.
The final track, ‘mess for you’, brings the EP nearly full circle, revisiting the themes explored in ‘make It Right’. Everything appears to be going well, but the lyrics delve into the inability to shake the feeling that something will go wrong and everything will fall apart because that’s how it usually happens. The singer comments that “happiness wouldn’t have the same level of infatuation.”
Moller has presented an album with a very consistent sound, where her voice takes center stage, and the instruments, especially the guitar, follow her lead. Her lyrics are honest, delving into the emotions she experiences, making it easy to put yourself in her shoes. Despite the themes, the rhythms are catchy and danceable.
Gracie Moller is a rising pop star, going from her room to big stages. Don’t blink if you don’t want to miss it!
Written by: Beatriz Rose
Edited by: Shirin Ghayad
