Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Wawro.
Hi Grace, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My love for music started when I was 6 years old. As a kid, I was always singing. My dream of becoming a pop star was born when I watched Hannah Montana on Disney Channel for the first time. I wanted to write my own music and perform on stage to a bunch of people singing along with me. My mom signed me up with Clayton Productions, a performance studio that was based out of Sandy, Utah. There, I learned to sing, dance, and hone my performing skills. We got to tour all over the country. It was seeing how the music would make people dance, smile, laugh, and even cry that made me realize I wanted to be performing for the rest of my life.
In middle school, I developed my love of musical theatre. From then through my time in high school, I dedicated my life to musicals. I participated in my high school’s production company, did the Open Jar program in New York City, and went to Chicago to audition for a bunch of college musical theatre programs. I was following the path to Manhattan to study musical theatre when COVID hit. I realized it would be impossible for me to go to New York and have the experience I had dreamed of for the last 4 years – so, I took a scholarship to BYU and joined Noteworthy: BYU’s premier all-female acapella group.
I took my first songwriting class with Invicta Vox in my first year of college. The course was taught by my vocal coach and songwriting consultant, Angie Lee. I fell in love with writing music. My pop star dreams came flooding back to me and I realized being an artist was always at the heart of my love for performing. It was how the dream was born. That was in 2020 and since then, I’ve been honing my craft as a singer, songwriter, and recording artist.
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?
Trying to build your own brand from the ground up will never be easy. It’s been a struggle trying to figure out all the mechanics required to create what is essentially my own business. It’s been a bumpy road, but one that is continuing at a gradual incline. I consider each opportunity and connection, no matter how big or small, to be a success. For me, the biggest struggle has always been comparison. I see the things other independent artists in this space are doing, and the opportunities they’re receiving, and it’s hard to not put myself down because of it. I see those who have been doing this independent artist thing longer than me and automatically assume that I should be exactly where they are right now. I deal with that every single day, but as I’m growing as an artist, I’m finding strategies that make those emotions easier to regulate.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer/songwriter that writes sparkly, fun pop music. I describe my brand as fun and whimsical with layers of self-actualization and self-love. My debut EP ‘DREAMHOUSE’ is a project I’ve worked on for the last two years. It’s a project about navigating a hard relationship while also realizing parts of myself I had always pushed down and ignored. I think that art should bring those hard things into the light. When people listen to the music, I want them to feel seen and understood for those emotions, traits, experiences, etc that they’ve been afraid to think or talk about. I’m proud of the little community I’ve already built through my brand and artistry. I’m happy that my brand is built off of authenticity. When people listen to my music, I want them to feel the love I have for them. I believe this is what sets me apart from others – a true appreciation for music and the power it holds in bringing people together.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My biggest piece of advice is to just go for it – don’t be afraid. It’s so much easier said than done, I know. I’ve had to get over a lot of pride to reach out for help and advice. But, what I’ve found is that usually people are more than happy to help you out. I recommend becoming friends with people first! Try to establish a genuine connection first before getting into the business side of it all. Friends will become the backbone of your support system and will be so crucial for the hard times. As I’ve made more friends in the industry, I’ve been able to overcome a lot of my imposter syndrome that tells me I don’t have a place in the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1nx5h9WrS0Ju1jbH5pSuyL?si=rThTnfAGSSGxKepaq-8Leg
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/gracewawro
- Other: Email: gracejwawro@gmail.com
