The Secret of Us | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 21, 2024 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 47:33 | |||
Label | Interscope | |||
Producer |
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Gracie Abrams chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Secret of Us | ||||
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The Secret of Us is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams, released on June 21, 2024, via Interscope Records. It was mostly produced by Abrams and the American musician Aaron Dessner, who she had first collaborated with on her debut studio album, Good Riddance (2023). Abrams wrote most of the songs with either Dessner or her frequent co-writer Audrey Hobert. Musically, The Secret of Us has been labeled as a country pop, indie pop, and folk album.
Two singles—"Risk" and "Close to You"—preceded the album's release, the latter of which entered the top-50 region of the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart. American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who is often cited by Abrams as an artistic influence, appears on the track "Us" as a featured guest. The Secret of Us topped the charts in Australia, Netherlands, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. To support the album, Abrams will embark on her fourth concert tour, The Secret of Us Tour, commencing in September 2024. She also has performed at several events and television programs.
On February 24, 2023, Gracie Abrams released her debut studio album Good Riddance . It received generally positive reviews from music critics, with praise towards its lyrical vulnerability and the artistic growth shown by Abrams from her previous works. [3] [4] Abrams received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2024 Grammy Awards. [5] From April to August 2023, she served as the opening act for select dates on the North American leg of the Eras Tour by Taylor Swift. [6] [7] Abrams said that opening on the Eras Tour "informed so much about how I went about writing this next album", [8] and expressed her admiration for the artist. [9] Abrams began working on The Secret of Us while touring with Swift. [10]
In an interview with Vogue published on March 7, 2024, Abrams confirmed that she would be releasing new music later that year. [11] On April 27, 2024, the singer began teasing new music on Instagram. Media publications interpreted that the images posted by Abrams would be part of an upcoming new music video. [12] The Secret of Us was announced on April 29 via her social media accounts. [13] Prior to the album's release, Abrams teased a possible deluxe edition to the American magazine Billboard . [14]
"Risk" was the first single to be released from The Secret of Us on May 1, 2024. [15] It was co-written by Abrams and Audrey Hobert with production by frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner of the National who had also produced Good Riddance. [16] The music video for "Risk" was directed by Hobert and features Abrams getting drunk on wine and stalking a crush. [17] Abrams performed "Risk" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 8, 2024. [18]
Following the album's announcement, Abrams revealed the track listing via social media on May 13, 2024. The track listing revealed that the album would include a collaboration with the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift on "Us", the fifth track. [19] On June 3, 2024, Abrams announced that she will embarking on her fourth headlining concert tour, the Secret of Us Tour. [20] It will contain 23 shows, beginning on September 5 and ending on October 10. [21] American singer-songwriter Role Model will serve as an opening act. [22]
On June 4, 2024, Abrams announced the second single from the album would be "Close to You", released on June 7. [23] The song was originally released as a 20 second snippet 7 years prior. She revealed it was not initially supposed to be on the album, but revisited the song due to how much her fans cared about it. [24] Abrams performed the single alongside "Let It Happen" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on June 20. [25]
On June 23, 2024, during the third night of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, Abrams and Swift performed "Us" live for the first time as a surprise song. The performance, part of the show's acoustic set, featured Abrams on piano and Swift on guitar. [26]
The Secret of Us marks a significant evolution in Gracie Abrams' musical journey, showcasing a blend of intimate lyricism and expansive production. The album's production involves Abrams, Aaron Dessner, and Audrey Hobert, with contributions from Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff, reflecting a mature and multifaceted soundscape. [27] [28] [29] [30] According to Elise Ryan from the Associated Press, the album's lead single "Risk" is characterized by its "frenetic and melancholic" atmosphere, with Abrams' vocals growing more intense as the production thickens, setting the tone for the album's exploration of love and emotional risk. [27]
Abrams' songwriting on The Secret of Us delves into real-time narratives of relationships and personal growth, contrasting with the retrospective nature of her previous work. Hannah Mylrea from NME describes the album as bringing a "new intimacy", where Abrams is "crying on the dancefloor and sharing her inner thoughts with her closest pals in the smoking area". [28] Songs like "Blowing Smoke" and "Let It Happen" showcase her transition from introspective ballads to more dynamic and energetic compositions. Ryan notes that "Blowing Smoke" is particularly biting in its critiques, while "Let It Happen" evolves from whispered introspection to euphoric declarations of self-love. [27]
Musically, the album draws comparisons to Taylor Swift's Folklore (2020) and Evermore (2020), as well as Phoebe Bridgers' work, incorporating folk-pop elements with a modern twist. [28] [29] Mylrea also draws parallels to Lorde's Melodrama (2017), noting that tracks like "Normal Thing" and "Close to You" feature subdued synths and percolating beats, hinting at dancefloor euphoria without fully committing to it. [28] The album's production often mimics the visceral emotions of the lyrics, creating a cohesive sonic narrative. [30] [31]
A standout feature of the album is the duet with Taylor Swift on "Us", where their voices weave together over dreamy acoustic production. This collaboration is seen as a pivotal moment on the album, enhancing its emotional depth and broad appeal. [27] [30]
Critics have highlighted several other tracks on the album for their thematic depth and musicality. "Tough Love" encompasses a key point of the album in its immortalization of Abrams' female friendships and how they pull you through. [28] "Free Now" explores the relief that comes with the end of a waning relationship, marked by Abrams' lyrical introspection and sonic build-up. [28] "I Love You, I’m Sorry" features a rawer vocal delivery, reflecting the emotional intensity of the lyrics. [30]
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.1/10 [32] |
Metacritic | 79/100 [33] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Clash | 7/10 [1] |
The Daily Telegraph | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Dork | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hot Press | 9/10 [36] |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Slant Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Upon release, The Secret of Us received positive reviews from music critics. According to the review aggregator Metacritic , The Secret of Us received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 from five critic scores. [33]
Dana Poland of Slant Magazine described the album as a "truly great pop album" and stated that it "offers glimpses into the singer's interior world", although it "lacks dimension". [38] NME 's Hannah Mylrea said that Abrams "embraces her growing pains and celebrates enduring the difficult moments" and ended her review by saying that she "[has] never sounded better". [2] The staff of Clash found the album "a unique sound somewhere between Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift" and wrote that "the experience of touring, which she didn't have at the release of her debut, is clearly heard in her bolder and more open delivery". [1] The Daily Telegraph 's Neil McCormick said that the lyrics are "rooted in the confessional, as she takes on heartbreak, growing pains and online trolls", while comparing them to the works of Swift and American singers Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. [34] Neive McCarthy wrote for Dork that The Secret of Us showcases "a refreshingly new side" to Abrams, who is "at her strongest". [35]
In the United Kingdom, The Secret of Us debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming her first number-one album on the chart. [39]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Felt Good About You" |
| 2:44 | |
2. | "Risk" |
|
| 3:11 |
3. | "Blowing Smoke" |
|
| 3:52 |
4. | "I Love You, I'm Sorry" |
|
| 2:37 |
5. | "Us" (featuring Taylor Swift) |
|
| 4:02 |
6. | "Let It Happen" |
|
| 4:20 |
7. | "Tough Love" |
|
| 2:49 |
8. | "I Knew It, I Know You" |
|
| 4:12 |
9. | "Gave You I Gave You I" |
|
| 4:29 |
10. | "Normal Thing" |
|
| 4:02 |
11. | "Good Luck Charlie" |
|
| 3:56 |
12. | "Free Now" |
|
| 3:34 |
13. | "Close to You" |
|
| 3:45 |
Total length: | 47:33 |
Musicians
Technical
Chart (2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [41] | 1 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [42] | 1 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [43] | 16 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [44] | 4 |
Irish Albums (OCC) [45] | 3 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) [46] | 100 |
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA) [47] | 30 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [48] | 2 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [49] | 12 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [50] | 1 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [51] | 29 |
UK Albums (OCC) [52] | 1 |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
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Various | June 21, 2024 | Interscope | [53] |
Aaron Brooking Dessner is an American musician. He is best known as a founding member of the rock band The National, with whom he has recorded nine studio albums; a co-founder of the indie rock duo Big Red Machine, teaming with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon; and a collaborator on Taylor Swift's critically acclaimed studio albums Folklore and Evermore, both of which contended for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2021 and 2022, respectively, with the former winning the accolade; as well as The Tortured Poets Department (2024).
"The Last Great American Dynasty" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). The life of the American socialite Rebekah Harkness, who once lived in Swift's Rhode Island mansion, inspired her to write the song.
"Invisible String" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. The lyrics are about how fate brings two soulmates together and refer to specific moments from their lives, containing references to the literature classics Jane Eyre and The Sun Also Rises. Musically, "Invisible String" is a folk tune with elements of blues, pop, and country. Its spare acoustic arrangement is driven by acoustic guitar strums on a rubber bridge and vocal backbeats.
"Mad Woman" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). The song was written by Swift and its producer, Aaron Dessner. "Mad Woman" is a ballad that confronts gaslighting and the sexist taboo regarding women's anger.
"The 1" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the opening track from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. A folk and soft rock tune with elements of indie folk, "The 1" sets Swift's conversational vocals over a production consisting of piano and percussion. In its lyrics, the narrator fondly introspects a failed romance and details the time when she found "the one" who never came to be. Republic Records released the song for download in Germany on October 9, 2020.
Gracie Madigan Abrams is an American singer-songwriter. She signed with Interscope Records to release two extended plays, Minor (2020) and This Is What It Feels Like (2021). After performing as an opening act on Olivia Rodrigo's Sour Tour, Abrams released her debut studio album, Good Riddance (2023), which moderately entered the Billboard 200. Throughout 2023, she performed as an opening act for Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour, and received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 66th Grammy Awards. In late 2023, Abrams was featured on a remix of the song "Everywhere, Everything" by Noah Kahan, marking her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. Abrams' second album, The Secret of Us, was released on June 21, 2024.
Evermore is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was a surprise album released on December 11, 2020, via Republic Records, less than five months after her previous studio album Folklore. Evermore was a spontaneous product of Swift's extended collaboration with her Folklore collaborator Aaron Dessner, mainly recorded at his Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley.
"No Body, No Crime" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, featuring the American band Haim, from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the track as a result of her fixation with crime documentaries and podcasts, and co-produced it with Aaron Dessner. A tune featuring styles of country, country rock, and Americana, "No Body, No Crime" is a murder ballad about the murder of a woman named Este, narrated by her friend who avenges her. Republic Records in partnership with MCA Nashville sent the song to US country radio on January 11, 2021, as a single from Evermore.
"Long Story Short" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. "Long Story Short" is an upbeat song that consists of dynamic programmed and live drums, synths, strings, and guitars; music critics characterize the genre as synth-pop, electropop, folk-pop, and indie rock. The lyrics see Swift reminiscing about a dark part of her past and her contentment with a current state of mind.
"Marjorie" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). A tribute to Swift's late maternal grandmother, the opera singer Marjorie Finlay, the song features bits of advice that Finlay offered to Swift and touches on her guilt over not knowing Finlay to the fullest. It incorporates slow-burning synthesizers, strings, and samples of Finlay's operatic vocals.
"You All Over Me" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring harmony vocals from the American singer Maren Morris. Swift wrote the track with Scooter Carusoe in 2005 for her second studio album, Fearless (2008), but excluded it from the track-listing. She produced the song with Aaron Dessner for the album's 2021 re-recording, Fearless . "You All Over Me" was released for download via Swift's website on March 26, 2021.
Fearless (Taylor's Version) is the first re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on April 9, 2021, by Republic Records. A re-recording of Swift's second studio album, Fearless (2008), it is part of her re-recording projects following the 2019 dispute over the master recordings of her back catalog.
"'Tis the Damn Season" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Aaron Dessner, who produced it using an instrumental track he had written prior. "'Tis the Damn Season" is a folk song instrumented by a finger-picked electric guitar and programmed drums. Narrated from the perspective of a female character named Dorothea, the lyrics detail her returning to her hometown during the holiday season and engaging in a quickly-faded rekindled relationship.
This Is What It Feels Like is the second EP by American singer and songwriter Gracie Abrams. It was released on November 12, 2021, through Interscope Records. The project is a primarily a pop record with influences of bedroom pop and indie pop. Abrams co-wrote all the tracks, and as a producer on "Feels Like", which served as the lead single for the project. The production was mainly handled by Abrams, Aaron Dessner, Joel Little, and Blake Slatkin.
"Would've, Could've, Should've" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It is a bonus track originally released as part of the 3am Edition of her tenth studio album, Midnights (2022). Written and produced by Swift and Aaron Dessner, it is a new wave-leaning soft rock song about a narrator's rumination of a flawed, age-inappropriate romantic relationship in the past.
Good Riddance is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams. It was released on February 24, 2023, through Interscope Records. The album was written by Abrams, with Aaron Dessner also having writing and producing credits on all songs. A deluxe edition of the album with four bonus tracks was released on June 16, 2023.
Good Riddance Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams, in support of her debut studio album, Good Riddance (2023). The tour began on March 6, 2023, in Chicago, United States, and concluded on January 22, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. She was featured as an opener for the 2023 US leg of Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour, and is set to open for Swift again for the 2024 North American leg. Abrams also performed three Good Riddance Acoustic Shows across the US with her co-writer and producer, Aaron Dessner. The shows took place September 6–14, 2023, in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles.
"Risk" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams for her second studio album, The Secret of Us (2024). It was released on May 1, 2024, through Interscope Records, as the lead single from the album. Abrams wrote the song with Audrey Hobert and produced it with her frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner. An accompanying music video directed by Hobert was released alongside it. To support its release, Abrams performed "Risk" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 8, 2024.
"Close to You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams for her second studio album, The Secret of Us (2024). The song was released through Interscope Records on June 7, 2024, as the second single from the album, after it was issued as a B-side of the lead single "Risk" in its 7-inch format on May 31. Written and produced by Abrams and Sam de Jong, "Close to You" is an upbeat synth-pop track. It became her first solo entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked within the top 40 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
"Us" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams from her second studio album, The Secret of Us (2024). The track features the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who wrote it with Abrams and Aaron Dessner and handled the production with the two and Jack Antonoff.
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