Bowers previously shared the EP’s propulsive lead single “Eat Shit and Live” and its girly-grunge follow up “Cigarettes for Breakfast.” With Grace the 20-year-old guitar virtuoso and songwriter enters into her most exciting and revealing chapter yet, stepping into the spotlight as an artist in her own right. She has performed at the GRAMMYs, appeared on late-night TV, and played to massive crowds alongside the likes of Dolly Parton, Chris Martin, and Public Enemy, Bowers is no stranger to the spotlight. But with Grace, she showcases a different side of herself, both as a vocalist and songwriter.
Across the EP’s five tracks, Bowers draws from the classic sounds of the riot grrrl movement, ’90s grunge, and modern pop sensibilities, returning to the music that first inspired her. Raised on Guns N’ Roses, she learned guitar by playing Ramones and Ventures songs. “I picked up a guitar when I was nine years old because I love playing power chords with distortion on them,” she says. “And so I feel like these songs are my return to that and why I started in the first place – because I loved punk and rock.”
Grace was brought to life alongside Grammy-winning producer Mike Elizondo (Turnstile, Poppy) whose studio served as the creative home for many of the EP’s writing sessions. “He can do everything,” she says. “He makes sure to capture what the artist sounds like. I love that about him. And he knows what a song needs. His brain thinks of things that my brain would never have thought of. We mesh very well together.”
“A year ago on this day, I wasn’t even really singing live at my concerts,” Bowers says. “And now, if you see my show, it’s a completely different thing than what I was doing before. It’s a real rock show. But if you like pop, you’ll like the show. If you like punk, you’ll like the show. I’ve never had more fun onstage than I have playing these songs. I’m having a blast. It’s definitely a big shift from what I was doing before. In a way, I feel like I’m starting all over again, starting from scratch. But I really believe this is what I needed to do. This is me doing what’s in my heart, and I’ve never been more excited about it.”
Make no mistake, Bowers is deeply grateful for the road that got her here, but she’s leaving no doubt that this next chapter is the truest reflection of who she is as an artist.
