Growing Pop Star Gracie Abrams released the deluxe version of her second studio album The Secret of Us, on October 18th, 2024. The original version featured 13 songs, with a guest feature from superstar Taylor Swift. This album dissects the highs and lows of being a girl in her twenties, and the heartbreak and anxieties experienced throughout this era. This album has an overarching theme of feeling more invested in someone than they are in you, and has a repeating idea of having a crush on someone.
The deluxe version has an additional 4 unreleased songs, including “Cool,” “That’s So True,” “I Told You Things,” and “Packing It Up,” and 3 songs live from her performance with Vevo, “I Love You,” “Im Sorry,” “I Knew It, I Know You,” and “Free Now.” This version of the album continues to explore these repeating themes. This album has a twinge of anger and pettiness, especially with the song “Thats So True.” This song definitely dives into the jealousy and pettiness that one experiences when going through heartbreak, which makes the album more relatable to teenage girls or girls in their twenties. Gracie has a wide range of different emotions on the album, making it more relatable and realistic to what heartbreak actually feels like for a girl. She does a fantastic job at the production of and the instrumentals behind each song, and ensures that every song does not sound the same. The rhythm and different tempos of each song make the album flow smoothly, making it an easy and enjoyable listening experience.
Some songs are more pop and upbeat, while others are slower and more emotional. The song “I Love You, I’m Sorry” has a sad, slow tempo to start off, but ends with a desperate, screaming like tone at the end to show her need to be loved and shows that she will do anything to achieve that. On the other hand the song “Close To You” has a very upbeat, lighthearted beat and tempo, making it a fun and easy listen. Another highlight song is “Free Now,” which has an amazing build up to the finale of the song. This song dives into the idea of finally letting go of someone, and how that makes Gracie feel free. A major verse, “never been less empty all I feel is free now,” shows the idea of feeling free after being engrossed in someone else for so long. Through this song, Gracie shows that it is okay to finally let someone go after being with them for so long. She shows that through the bridge of the song, which is highlighted at the end. The bridge has a more exciting and happy tone, like she is ecstatic that she is finally free. This song is a fan favorite, as it makes listeners feel ethereal.
This album also explores the idea of letting things be and letting things go, as well as going with the flow of life. This is mainly shown in the song “Let It Happen.” The verse, “whatever happens I’m letting it,” shows how Gracie is going to let things in her life be and accept whatever happens. Some other highlight songs on the album are “Risk,” “Blowing Smoke,” “I Knew It, I Know You,” “Packing It Up,” and “Tough Love.” While all these songs have a little bit of a different vibe and tone, each song explores the different experiences, hardships, highs and lows of going through heartbreak and changes as a girl still figuring out who she truly is.
This album does a great job of displaying the rollercoaster of emotions and experiences young female adults go through. Some of my personal favorite songs are “Free Now,” “Let It Happen,” “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” “I Knew It, I Know You,” and “Risk.” This album has quickly become one of my favorites of all time. I would give this album a rating of 10 stars out of 10, and recommend any girl to listen to it.
