Caroline Grace
Los Angeles-based artist Caroline Grace unveiled her new single “Turn The Light Off” on April 12th.
Produced by JD Walker, “Turn The Light Off” is a song that demonstrates the fear that comes with opening up and being vulnerable.
“Often times, we think, myself included, that no-one wants to see all the shit we hide - that people only want the best version of you or nothing at all. So we hide away all of our dark parts (a lot of which actually make us who we are) out of fear of being rejected,” explains Grace.
The singer/songwriter opened for artists such as KYLE, Marc E. Bassy and Tobi Lou and has worked with Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Poo Bear (Justin Bieber, Sam Smith, Mariah Carey). With this latest release, Grace displays an honest songwriting with radiant vocals and crafty melodies.
“Turn The Light Off” is off her debut EP Afraid Of The Dark, set to be released this summer.
Photo credit: Jeff Vanags
Introduce yourself - where are you from?
Hii, my name is Caroline Grace. I’m from Laguna Beach, California. Four years ago I moved to LA where I currently still live :)
What's your story?
I’ve always known I wanted to be a singer and was passionate about music. As I got older, that love for music grew into a passion for the music industry as well. I started studying the industry around the same time I decided to record my first song. I quickly found that the more I knew, the better chance I had getting my music heard. It took a lot of trial and error but through that I can truly say I found a love for the music industry and have found an identity as a business person and entrepreneur just like I have found an identity as an artist.
Could you tell us a little bit about your childhood? Any favorite childhood memories?
Growing up by the beach was amazing. I was constantly out in the sun or in the ocean. I grew up in a very fun household, my two sisters, brother, parents and I are all very close. Honestly any time spent with them was an amazing memory. I guess my favorite memories would have to be when we would spend time together in Fiji. My parents are obsessed with the pacific islands so we spend a lot of time there growing up and learning about Polynesian culture in particular.
When did you start feeling connected to music and art in general?
Oh my entire life. Music has always been my number one form of expression. It was always been and always just been in me, almost like it’s imprinted in my soul. When I’m happy, sad, angry, or any emotion really, music is my way of getting my feelings out.
Do you remember a specific time in your life where music made a huge difference?
Oh ya. Honestly creating my upcoming EP was an incredible process of growth and healing. In order to create the best product that people can connect with I really have to do a lot of self evaluation to find the right words and through that process have learned so much about myself and become a better person.
When did you decide to pursue music as a career? What did your friends and family think of it?
So I’ve always known that music would be my career. As a kid, I would beg my parents to drive me to LA, take me to auditions, search for an agent, etc. Although they were incredibly supportive, they felt it best that I stayed In school, played sports and grew my craft by taking voice, piano, acting and dance lessons. However, when I was 14 I met my music mentor Mark Vogel. Mark helped convince my parents that going to LA and recording one of my songs professionally was a good idea. So we did that and after it was done, I uploaded it to CD Baby myself and honestly my family and close friends were probably the only ones to download it- it actually was only on iTunes, not even Spotify or Apple Music. Fro there though I just kept rolling with it, learning about the industry and growing my art form.
Who was the first person to ever believe in you?
Well my family has always been there to support and believe in me, my friends as well. The first industry person to believe in me was my good friend Mark Vogel. But the real person who believed in me first was myself. If you don’t believe in yourself how do you expect anyone else to?
How did your sound and artistry evolve since your very first release?
My first song was bubble gum pop meets country diva princess lol. It was since evolved a lot, clearly. It stuck with straight pop for a bit, however, as my voice developed, found a soulful quality I didn’t know existed and it felt so natural- more natural than the straight pop I was doing. I started going down that path and pretty soon I found this epic blend of R&B and electro pop that you will hear in the EP.
When did you realize the music you are making right now was the right sound for you?
Honestly I think that your sound is ever evolving. At the time I was creating it felt really right, and right now gearing up for a release it feels right. However I am sure my sound will continue to evolve as I evolve as a person.
You’ve just released your new single "Turn The Light Off", what's the story behind this song? What made you want to release "Turn The Light Off" as a single?
“Turn the Light Off” definitely encompasses the theme of my entire EP “Afraid Of The Dark”. I initially got the idea for the project when talking to my mom about how you develop film in a dark room. I began to think that everyone has a dark room within the home of their mind. A place where they hide all the shit they don’t want to deal with or don’t want anyone to see. Just like how you can’t bring a photo into the light until it is fully developed, a person can’t be their best true and authentic self until they are fully developed, which only happens when they open up their dark room and have the courage to clean it out. It is only then that you can truly Illuminate (my mantra), inspire other people, and shine through the darkness. “Turn The Light Off” is a song that demonstrates the fear that comes with opening up and being vulnerable. Often times, we think, myself included, that no-one wants to see all the shit we hide. That people only want the best version of you or nothing at all. So we hide away all of our dark parts (a lot of which actually make us who we are) out of fear of being rejected. The EP was sort of my way of dealing with the clutter in my dark room, and “Afraid Of The Dark” being the first song that I wrote for the project, was me expressing my fear of opening up. The vulnerability displayed in my song is definitely my favorite thing about it.
I worked on the entire project with my friend and incredibly talented producer JD Walker. We have now worked on so much music together and our writing process is truly so effortless and effective. I absolutely love working with him.
You've played a lot of shows. Any favorite memories?
So back in November I joined Kyle on a few dates of his Light Speed Tour. We were up in San Francisco playing the Warfield and about twenty minutes before I went on my mom walked into my dressing room. As I was warming up I noticed she was looking a bit on edge. She proceeds to calmly tell me that my production manager’s flight was delayed. She then proceeds to tell me that she knew his flight was delayed a few hours earlier but didn’t want to tell me because she didn’t want me to freak out before the show. She THENNNN proceeds to tell me not to worry and that she figured everything out because (DRUMMM ROLLL) she had put on a few school talent shows before!! So I went into my performance in front of a giant crowd knowing that my mom was controlling my lights and audio. Let me tell you though, she freaking killed it. I came off the stage and we were so stoked that we pulled it off. My mom’s a badass let me tell you. I want her doing production on all my tours lol.
What do you like the most about performing?
Aside from the obvious love for singing and rush of being in front of a giant audience, it’s connecting with people. When the crowd vibes with your music it’s the absolute best feeling in the world. You never know who you are going to genuinely affect.
What appeals you the most about being an artist?
The platform it gives you. Suddenly you have a means to communicate with so many people on a global scale and you can harness that to do so much good.
What keeps you motivated?
Being passionate and having a vision. To be honest I can safely say that at least once every five minutes my mind wanders to my music and where I picture it going. When your vision is so clear, there is nothing in this world that can stop you from making it your reality. I think that vision all stems from my faith and the trust I have in God to lead me down the right path.
How do you want to be remembered for? What biggest lessons have you learnt as a human being and as an artist?
First and foremost I want to be remembered as a good person. As someone who always kept my heart, mind, soul and body in check. To be authentic and not afraid to let people in. Being an artist taught be how to be vulnerable and how through that vulnerability people really get to know who you are and in the process you discover parts of yourself you can offer to the world to make it a better place. The world is filled with a lot of darkness and hate. For those of us who are lucky enough to be ourselves, have opportunity, and pursue what we love, we have to take full advantage of it. I intend on using my music platform to give back in any way that I can. Music is important, don’t get me wrong, but there are people hurting in the world and so many ways to get involved and help out. I stand for taking ownership and responsibility over your opportunity and using those opportunities to be a light in the darkness whenever possible. Work your ass off because there are so many people in the world who wish they were in your position and had your set of circumstances so make sure your taking full advantage of them.
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