The Secret of Us Tour takes listeners into Gracie Abrams’ enchanting world
New York, NY - October 4, 2024
Speckled with bows of many colors, the crowd poured in for Gracie Abrams’ first of three sold-out Radio City Music Hall shows in New York City. After a sarcastic comedic and musical performance from Role Model, THE SECRET OF US TOUR’s irresistibly charismatic opener, Abrams took the stage shielded behind a set of bars with light peeking out into the audience. “Felt Good About You” echoed through the theater, fans pouring their hearts into their cheers as she embarked on.
Though a stunning start, the opening song choice remains an interesting one. The same track opens the album with a raw dissection of a relationship falling apart at the seams. On the album, ‘Felt Good About You’ enters listeners into ‘The Secret of Us.’ And the tour is no different. The song is a testament to her raw lyricism and, sung live, her ability to connect a room of thousands of people just through her voice.
Finally, though, Abrams broke through the physical barrier on stage as if she were drawn down to the crowd. Immediately, her face lit up as she made eye contact with her fans screaming back the lyrics to “Risk,” a witty take on what Abrams and her cowriter Audrey Hobert have referred to as a “mega crush.” The crowd could not stand still as each song bellowed through the speakers. From “Blowing Smoke” to the unreleased “That’s So True” to the surprise song, “Rockland,” the energy in the room never faltered.
Going from playing for tens and hundreds of people, now to a sold-out Radio City Music Hall with thousands of people, Abrams had a distinct “I made it” moment on stage. In a venue filled with decades and decades of history in music and entertainment, she was moved to tears in the first ten minutes of the show. “I don’t think I’ve ever cried during the first speech,” she later admitted to the crowd. In nearly every interaction with the crowd, Abrams couldn’t hold back from expressing her true gratitude for her fans, or as she prefers to call them, her friends.
Because the venue size expanded from her last tour, she heavily emphasized the stage's visual aspect. Various spotlight color palettes, raindrop-like lights, cascading images of Abrams standing on stage, and twinkling stars, shining bright, projected on the screen. Abrams created a whole new world to showcase her music, allowing her to immerse her audience even further.
Abrams journeyed mostly through her latest album and expressed her reverence for the album, but also left space to return to some fan favorites from other musical eras—from ‘minor’ to ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ to ‘Good Riddance.’
Every song impacted everyone in the room as equally as the last. The crowd’s energy and connection never faltered throughout the twenty-two-song set. Abrams’ music had a unique blend of devastatingly accurate lyrics, calm instrumentals, and incredible build-up. Performed live, each of those elements prospered, proving her artistry.
Smiling ear to ear the whole night, Abrams pranced around the stage barefoot in a princess-like tulle white skirt and embellished crop top. Her look emanated an authenticity that not every artist can achieve while on stage. Her presence, from outfit to outlook, felt palpable.
Interwoven in her setlist, Abrams paused to encourage her young fan base to exercise their right to vote and to use their voices to advocate for the people who need it most. She is partnering with HeadCount, a nonprofit organization rallying voters, and Planned Parenthood on every tour stop. At the booths, fans can learn more about women’s bodily rights, donate, register to vote, and check voter registration status. She aims to make these services accessible and simple, especially for the young and sometimes first-time voters in her fan base.
Beyond her efforts to mobilize her community to stand up for what’s right, she also used her platform to encourage togetherness, using her music as the bridge. In moments like during ‘Rockland,’ when everyone shakes their heads after the lyric “I’m sure that I would like her,” or the bridge of “Free Now,” the room felt connected intrinsically by her gratitude and honesty.
After ‘Free Now,’ she kept up the pretense that the show had finished, but just a few minutes later, she returned to perform “us.” and “Close To You,” two revered songs in the Gracie Abrams fan base. In her final moment at the piano, she asked fans to help her sing the duet, usually featuring the great Taylor Swift, but this time featuring a crowd of fans from all over. Voices boomed through the theater through the final song, feet stomping on the ground to close the night. In her final frolic around the stage, Abrams thanked everyone for being there through it all and in what felt like just one moment, she ran into the wings. Wrapped in their brand new merch with bows dangling in their hair, fans made their way back onto the streets of the Big Apple carrying with them a night to remember.
