The Fantasy World Of Grace Gaustad

Enter the fantasy world of Grace Gaustad, where vulnerability is embraced and open conversations are encouraged. With their upcoming sophomore album ‘PILLBX: whts ur fantasy?’, Gaustad is inviting their growing audience onto a journey of escapism, pop music, and introspective lyricism.

Grace Gaustad was only five years old when they started dabbling with the music world, as they learned to play the piano and sing. As one of their vivid memories, they mention hearing Lady Gaga playing on the radio for the first time. The sound of ‘Poker Face’ just may have changed their life.

As their mom once said, the best songs are those you can dance to and cry to; and Gaustad is mastering the healthy balance of both. With their releases, including the homage to their idol ‘GAGA,‘ ‘Everyone’s Friend,’ and the new single ‘Old Ways,‘ you can hear Gaustad’s intricate effort to keep it real while making sensational pop songs.

“Change is scary, but growth is necessary and only happens in the future, not the past,” they say when talking about the single ‘Old Ways.’ Wanting to escape the world we live in, Gaustad is open about creating their own little fantasy world, which is a prevalent theme in their upcoming record ‘PILLBX: whts ur fantasy?’.

Building on their strong discography, Grace Gaustad carries a significant fascination with producing visuals that they describe as “music videos on steroids.”

Make sure you don’t forget to stream ‘Old Ways.’ The unveiling of ‘PILLBX: whts ur fantasy?’ will culminate in Summer 2023, with each track from the album released like an episodic mini-series.

Where are you at the moment and could you describe your surroundings to us please?

I am currently sitting in my bedroom that has art plastered all over the walls. I just finished a hard workout and made stir-fry for dinner! A shower is up next. The guitar I wrote Jupiter, Red, Hero, and PILLBX on is currently laying across my bed. I keep it close to me at all times.

How was your Summer?

My summer was lovely. I had the opportunity to spend time with lots of friends and recently just got a puppy with my partner Katie! His name is Clover and he’s a King Charles Cavalier. He is definitely keeping us very busy these days as we are in the middle of training him haha!

Who is Grace Gaustad? How would you describe yourself and your sound?

I would describe my sound as pop/alternative but the reality is, I consider my music to be rather ‘genre-less’. I do my best not to put any constraints around myself or my art. I am a free soul and love to express myself through music, art, poetry, and fashion amongst many other things.

Could you tell us about how you got into songwriting in the first place?

I began songwriting shortly after I started playing the piano at age 5. I always loved storytelling, so when I learned to play my first instrument, I combined my love of storytelling and my piano playing and stumbled into songwriting! I was immediately hooked.

What was important to you to express in your music as a young adult in this current era of music?

The most important thing for me to express in my music is truth and vulnerability. The world is a crazy place and art is something that brings us together as human beings. My mom always says that the best songs either make you dance or they make you cry, and I would say I have a healthy balance between those two things!

Your previous single ‘GAGA’ is your personal homage to Lady Gaga, could you elaborate on how she makes you feel and when you first heard her music?

I first heard her music on the radio while my dad was driving me home from a friend’s house. I was around 8 years old at the time. The first record I heard was called ‘Poker Face’ and I was enamored with the infectious synths and melodies. From that moment on, I was a little monster and my love and admiration for Gaga has only grown stronger over the years. I think she is a phenomenal actress, artist, singer, and songwriter.

Have you ever met each other?

I have had the pleasure of meeting Lady Gaga on a few occasions and I can confidently say that she is one of the most humble and down to earth people I’ve ever met!

How did you react to her Tweet?

I started hysterically crying! It was such a full circle moment for me and was incredibly emotional to see someone who I have looked up to for so many years supporting my music. Surreal is the only word that comes to mind.

What is your new single ‘Old Ways’ about?

Old Ways is about my strong desire to revisit the past with the knowledge from the future. I think all of us as people fear change greatly and because of that, sometimes we get stuck in our ‘old ways’ even though it’s not always what’s best for us. Change is scary but growth is necessary and only happens in the future, not the past.

Why have you decided to release your upcoming album in a form of an episodic mini-series?

I have always been a storyteller at heart so I love being able to combine my music, my songwriting, and my love for visual storytelling all in one form of media. I grew up adoring music videos and still do. My projects are music videos on steroids with a storyline about my life intertwined within. I get to do everything I love all at once!

Who are you working with on the visuals?

I have an incredible team who assists me with all my visuals. Although I am my own creative director, I work with lots of very talented people who help bring my visions to life. The most important person on the visual side is my phenomenal director Van Alpert. He has directed both BLKBX and PILLBX and we are currently working on another project too! Van is wildly talented and has a crazy imagination just like me. We work very well together!

Could you elaborate on the album title ‘PILLBX: whts ur fantasy’?

PILLBX: whts ur fantasy? Is an album about escapism and fantasy. In the world of PILLBX, your wildest dreams and darkest fantasies are right at your fingertips. I’ve always felt like I was from another planet and never really felt like I belonged in this world, so I created my own world and it’s called PILLBX.

Could you share anything about the main themes inspiring the project?

The main themes inspiring the project are escapism, fantasy, time travel, love, darkness, and truth. The album is a wild ride from start to finish and I believe that no matter how much music I write in my life, PILLBX will always hold a special place in my heart.