Singer/songwriter Gracie Abrams has returned to music after six months with her new single ‘Difficult.’ She collaborated with Aaron Dessner of The National on this single, as well as on the rest of her debut album. The two worked together on music at Dessner’s Long Pond Studio, a name Taylor Swift fans know all too well from Swifts ‘Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.’
Upon first listen of the minute long clip Abrams posted to TikTok before the release of the song, it immediately reminded me of Big Red Machine and Taylor Swifts song ‘Renegade,’ which is again produced by Dessner. Both songs have somewhat similar sounds and dwell on the constant feeling of anxiety.
With a high energy pop sound paired with introspective lyrics, ‘Difficult’ easily allows Abrams and her audience to forget about any emotions they may be dealing with for four minutes and eighteen seconds. While you may be forgetting your problems while listening to the upbeat music, the lyrics are sure to make you think “did she steal all of this directly from my head?” The relatable aspect of Abram’s music is what allows her listeners to feel so close to her, making her feel like a best friend rather than an unreachable singer.
The synth sounding drum beats paired with guitar allow the song to build to the chorus, which is unexpectedly a jump on the bed with a hair brush and sing your heart out moment. The lyrics (Oh, I know / Spiraling is miserable / I should probably go back home / Why does that feel difficult?), while catchy, are not something you would expect to be singing along to with a smile, but the up beat and high energy production of the song allows you to completely forget about the feeling of wanting to be invisible.
I personally love this sound for Abrams. It is entirely different from a lot of her work in the past on her EP’s ‘Minor’ and ‘This is What it Feels Like.’ I hope she continues to experiment with her sound and who she is as an artist on her upcoming debut album while also staying true to the sound many people know and love from her. You can listen to ‘Difficult’ using the link below or anywhere you stream music.