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In her new track “Difficult,” rapidly rising star Gracie Abrams continues to chronicle her deepest thoughts with her signature potent songwriting. The song comes as a follow-up to her only other 2022 release, “Block me out,” also co-written and produced by frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner. Although it doesn’t stray far from Gracie’s typical sound and lyrical content, “Difficult” reveals fresh nuances of emotion and self-reflection supported by its cathartic upbeat tempo.

The beauty of Gracie’s music has always been in its brutally honest lyricism. It’s clear that, for her, songwriting functions as a diary for working through tough feelings in order to live with them. In “Difficult,” Gracie continues to be candid about all of the questions she has for herself. She even references her own work as being part of that process during the intimate bridge, singing “I thought eventually, my ranting here would fix it.”

It’s worth noting that the hauntingly beautiful “Difficult” cover art is referenced in the first verse, as Gracie sings about her “double vision” that likes to create versions of people in her head, thus letting her down when she experiences the real thing. Like all of Gracie’s music, it’s something most listeners can relate to in some way but it's in this newfound context where the poignancy of her songwriting takes center stage. She sings about witnessing her parents age, calling her therapist on off-hours, and going over past regret in the middle of the night—all on top of a rosy tempo courtesy of the brilliant Dessner. The combination of this spritelike sound with the heavy lyrical content creates a harmonious friction that cleanses the darkness. 

“Difficult” is the newest installation of Gracie’s songwriting functioning as a journal for her innermost thoughts, but it stands on its own due to its captivating energy. Gracie continues to dazzle listeners by fearlessly sharing her struggles with mental health, connecting with those who feel just as isolated as she does. It’s a special synergy that we can’t wait to see evolve throughout her inevitable rise to superstardom. 

Listen to "Difficult" below: