Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Graf
Hi Courtney, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Taking it ALL the way back, there is a video of me singing in my sleep in a baby swing on my website. Singing has always been a form of prayer, connection and expression. My Mother says I was running down the sidewalk singing at 9 months old, already getting after it! When I began putting my poetry to the piano and guitar around age 14, I felt there was a profound purpose brewing in my life.
I come from a long line of hard working immigrants who are not at all connected to the music business. All we know is effort, savings and discipline. My mother was a teacher and my father was an electrical engineer salesman; before they retired. They did everything in their power to provide us with as much opportunity as they could; to which they were not afforded in their own childhood in Kearney and Trenton, NJ. Moving to NYC when I was 18 was the best I knew to do in order to share my gift and empowering message with the world. Though it was fun to shoot modeling campaigns for some of the top fitness brands, it was a means to support my music and never quite fulfilled me. I eventually signed with a music label, moved to Nashville and discovered the business led me farther from the truth of why I sang and wrote music than I ever expected chasing your dream could do. Trying to fit a country mold and sing about trucks simply wasn’t working for me. With a deep sense of confusion of direction and a budding history of not knowing who I could trust, I fled to Utah to visit my sister …and stayed when I fell in love.
I put myself through Digital Audience Marketing college with 4.3 GPA while being promoted to marketing director at a local business. Amidst this achievement I built/ designed my dream home, married the biggest mistake of my life 3 times and raised an Irish Doodle named Rex. The final wedding gathering was a post covid celebration in which I fell off a motorcycle at 80mph, flower halo still intact, with third degree burns across my entire body. Sadly, no one was aware of the domestic violence I was already enduring at this time. But, I was still alive! As things got worse, after this nearly fatal accident, I found the courage to report the 9 months of abuse to the police. I did so while begging them not to arrest him as my intention was never to end my marriage but to let someone know the truth in case I couldn’t do so myself one day. I pulled up the dropbox folder called “Fear” I’d been “just in case” collecting and my life changed forever. I’ve now learned this manipulated mindset is a text book response in the domestic violence cycle.
As his trial approaches in May, I have felt a burning need to share my story and raise my voice. My light had nearly gone out in that time and I barely sang for about 3 years. Today I am writing and performing for activism in this arena. My next DV fundraiser performance is on April 24, 2025 at The Clubhouse on South Temple. My single “When I Leave You” comes out on February 27th and the music video we’ll debut at the fundraiser contains visuals of me in the wedding dress I nearly passed in; blood, road rash and all. It will be a powerful evening!
My mission today is to teach how self respect, self love, and escaping co dependency is the first step to never finding yourself in a similar situation. From this place I have new purpose in my music and I pray it reaches those who need it most.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say the biggest obstacle or challenge in my journey has been staying true to myself. Between societal demands placed on females, the weight of loving someone who doesn’t treat you right and the expectations of “making it” — how does one hear their own voice?! If there were one piece of advice I could give it would be to silence everything and listen to that still, small voice. The ego often demands actions that pull us from our truth. Yet, when it’s a path you’re meant to walk? Pain is the purpose multiplier.
Boundaries/ morals as a woman/ musician have been the most difficult arenas to navigate. It’s so easy to people please and lose yourself! I’m grateful I can hang my hat on how I’ve stood through those testing moments in the “business”; but all things come with a cost.
What I’ve found every time is that I Can Trust Myself. I would do it all again to end up here 🙂
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am blessed to have a career I LOVE as an account strategist at Chamber Media. Fusing my skills as a marketing director, financial planner, actress, model, writer, performer and project manager – I truly feel I’ve found a position I’m passionate about, outside of my personal creative mission. We tell brand stories and iterate creative based on ad message data for maximum return. Having spent 10 years in the music business where a + b never equals c; my career is quite refreshing! I’m also a proud owner of 2 successful air bnb’s that I manage and clean as well. That immigrant linage hustle in full effect!
I am in the processes of writing and recording a self funded album with Becky Willard. I am deeply grateful to have met Becky who is a fabulous producer, writer, friend and visionary that gets it! I aim to continue my work in domestic violence awareness, finish my book, and maybe make a movie out of this crazy story one day. I’ll be live on Good Morning Utah at 9am on April 4th to promote the fundraiser performance and hope to see you all at The Clubhouse on April 24th! You can follow my journey @courtneygraf_ or courtneygraf.com
What’s next?
One of the things I’m most excited about is to marry my best friend of the last 3 years, Jess Bluth, and add to our blended family. To be on the other side of what I went through with a healthy partnership is an absolute God send!! I am grateful for the abundance, love and purpose in my life Every Day. It feels I was given this support system to carry out my message and I intend to follow that call. Discovering organizations like The Peace House, whom I didn’t know existed when I went through it, set an activism fire under me to ensure women know what resources are available. My future plan is to assist in saving as many women as I can by being brave enough to speak up, create and gather.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.courtneygraf.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneygraf_/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtneygrafmusic
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneygraf/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkyulgA245STFkN5UM83NWA
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/grafnow
- Other: https://www.courtneygraf.com/domesticviolencefundraiser
