Liverpool is an undeniable catalyst in the melting pot of British music, and it’s overlooked that much of its illustrious talent first spawned from the grassroots venues and projects of the city.
Grace Parry is a folk-inspired singer-songwriter from Huyton, and is fresh off the back of releasing her self-titled debut project, three tracks of pure comfort and authenticity. Her self-proclaimed ‘teeny tiny EP’ is anything but that in its personality, with the warm acoustic textures that the likes of Laura Marling, Joni Mitchell, or Adrianne Lenker would be proud of.
My must hear track is ‘Try Again’, which was first released in 2021, but with the addition of a band and more challenging production, has been transformed into a beautifully crafted, and delicate folky love song. I caught up with Grace to discuss her experiences as a musician:
What was the process of creating your debut EP like, from initial conception of the tracks to being in the studio and actually getting to put them together?
The first song I wrote from the EP was ‘Try Again’ in 2021. I released it as a single and was very happy with it as I felt that I had started to find my own style as an artist. I wrote ‘Brand New’ and ‘Tired’ in 2023 and thought that the three would sound good as a little collection of songs, so I booked myself and my band (Sam Jones – drums, Paul Sanderson – lead guitar, Tom Hickey – bass) into Kempston Street studios with Alex Quinn to record them
Who are the musical influences that inspired your own songwriting on the EP?
When writing and recording the EP I was very inspired by female folk artists such as Joni Mitchell, First Aid Kit and Laura Marling. A huge influence was First Aid Kit’s album ‘Palomino’, which I think can be heard throughout the EP with the synth sounds that we used.
What do you feel should be done to break down the barriers that restrict women and marginalised genders in the music industry?
I personally feel very lucky to be a part of the Liverpool music scene as I have never felt restricted because of my gender. This is because of many lovely promoters and organisations such as ‘where are the girl bands?’ and ‘BITCH Palace’ who provide fantastic opportunities and a safe space for marginalised groups to thrive as creatives.
We love to shine a light on different programmes available for people in the music industry? What is Capeesh and how is the project using music to help young people in Liverpool?
Capeesh CIC is a community youth project that I have been working for since May 2022. We provide free music tuition to young people aged 11-17. Lessons are taught by our team of young musicians aged 18-25, however as the young people progress they have the chance to share their knowledge with other young people as volunteers. We regularly put on gigs and share celebrations, both inside and outside of Harthill youth centre, allowing young people to perform in a safe and supportive environment.