‘Through the good times and the bad’ - Hannah Grace’s Remedy

I couldn't see the stage, I might've picked one of the worst places to stand. It didn't matter though, I still had my ears, and what I could hear was the soulful and expressive voice of Hannah Grace and an acoustic accompanist. This was one of Gabrielle Aplin's gigs in February 2016 and Hannah Grace was the first support act, I'd never heard her before but I was hooked instantly.

At that time she'd already released her debut EP, 'Meant To Be Kind' and would soon release her 'Mustang' EP. Her powerful and passionate voice instantly reminded me of Aretha Franklin, who as it turns out is one of Hannah Grace's influences. Ever since 2016, I've wondered when an album was coming. Plenty of singles were released including the poignant 'Oh River', 'Let Love', a collaboration with Never Fade label mate Sonny, and a whole EP of gorgeous christmas tunes entitled 'December', released with Gabrielle Aplin. There was even a Mother's Day single this year, 'I'll Buy You Flowers', a track written and recorded that very week in Hannah's home. Amongst all of these releases were a sprinkling of singles that would make it to Hannah Grace's debut album, called 'Remedy'.

The album begins with 'Healing Hands', a gentle piano number and the opening lyric sets the tone for Remedy, 'turn the page, I see the space bringing a brand new day, I don't want to give it all away, tell me we're onto something good.' Hannah Grace's vocal just has the perfect amount of reverb and is beautifully complimented by the sparse backing vocals, debuting in the first chorus. Their real majick though is the humming during the next verse. It's a great lesson on how sometimes a track doesn't need everything, the bare essentials are just right here.

This tone continues with 'Feels Like Home.' This time though, there are drums, a little guitar, and an easy listening rhythm is conjured up. When you listen to Hannah's vocal, when you really listen to it, you won't find a note out of place - and she makes it sound so easy. The video is the vision of a memory, a woman reminiscing of a day out long ago. The beauty is in its simplicity, much like the song soundtracking it.  The vintage filmic feel will be a reoccurring theme in Hannah's music videos.

'Different Kind Of Love' originally received a release on Grace's 'The Bed You Made' EP in May 2019. Beginning softly like the two tracks preceding it, this lyric sticks in my mind, 'I heard them laughing as I swore you're mine, skeptical of love, been burned too many times.' The melody feels familiar, as does the subject matter, but it's comfortable. I can imagine Hannah Grace playing this solo on piano to a packed out theatre, much in the same way as Carole King did frequently in the early 1970's.

'With You' was originally released in January 2019. I was lucky enough to see this performed during Hannah's set for the 2018 Never Fade Christmas Party, I enjoyed it from my very first listen. It's a comforting song which is best explained by the chorus lyrics - 'when it gets too much to bear, I'll hold on, as long as you need me to, follow wherever you need me to, I'll go through whatever you're going through, I'm with you. When life forgets to be on your side, go cry as much as you need to cry, I'll go through it all with you.' The video is equally comforting in a room full of flowers and light choreography between Grace and two dancers. I remember Hannah Grace conducting an audience along repeating the name of the song in performances I've seen since.

I first saw 'Break The Pattern' live in Hyde Park when Hannah Grace supported Barbra Streisand on the Barclaycard Stage for British Summer Time. I love the drum machine elements coming out in this song, breaking away from the more natural counterpart. Hannah Grace's live band includes Martin Luke Brown on piano, one of the producers of this record. Grace's vocal control is excellent in the chorus particularly, clear and distinct despite the difficulty of producing those individual syllables. This is definitely a rewarding track to listen to.

'Here We Are Now' begins immediately with a piano and Grace's vocal, the title of the track is sung in a climbing fashion. The piano remains a staple as drums are brought in. One of the lines that jumps out at me in Here We Are Now is 'maybe we just talk too much, and never really say enough'. This is repeated with increasing intensity as strings and backing vocals are brought in, with Hannah Grace's vocal soaring.

The beginning of 'Wasted Love' is so tranquil, Hannah's vocal clear over a distant pad keyboard. Piano is soft. The whole introduction feels like an intimate secret, the backing vocals are as perfect as ever. The strings are pure, not overindulgent, holding the chords down. In fact I would love to hear a version of this that was just lead vocals and strings. This whole song feels like a total dream.

'The Bed You Made' is the title track from the previously mentioned EP released in May 2019. It features some welcome acoustic guitar, and I love the drum sound here. The piano is complimentary, but it's the guitar that holds the chords down, not the piano. In another world, I could see this being performed late at night in a smoky jazz bar. The video is mostly done in one take, featuring Hannah's band performing through a house. It's nice to see Lloyd Jerwood on guitar, who I saw perform with Greta Isaac many times.

Similarly with Break the Pattern, 'Closer' shows how precise Hannah Grace can be with her vocals in the chorus. This song is more upbeat, features some electric guitar and is that brass? This one is a foot-tapper, even if the beginning leads you to believe otherwise. I love those moments where Grace lets the song take hold and you can really hear that passion in her vocal, so genuine and so vital in these songs. Closer should be a single.

'Blue' takes you in immediately with the drum beat and hand-claps. Released back in January, this one was destined to be a single, accompanied with a great music video. The pastel colours, the turtlenecks, the glittery curtain, what's not to love about this vintage display? The lyrical concept is a great one we can all relate to - beginning to feel down but not letting it take hold. I first saw this performed in 2017 (!), it's been a long time coming, but it was worth the wait.

'How True Is Your Love' saw a release during lockdown, and even had a secondary version recorded with Joshua Keogh. The mood stays firmly upbeat following on from Blue. The subject matter concerns the passion and dedication of a loved one, that they'd take all the facets of love as they come, 'I’ll take the pain with glory, I’ll let the love just fill me up, I’ll let the hurt run through. How sweet, how deep, how blue, how true is your love?' I'm waiting for the totally left-field club remix of this song to come out.

As well as the previous track, 'Missing the Show' also received a lockdown video release. This one is different though, not at all housebound. This one showcases the beautiful Newgale Beach in West Wales as Hannah walks across the vast sands and soft waves. Missing the Show is about a love coming to an end, but is it really the end? 'We don’t like being honest, we keep dancing around it, oh and now we’re sinking. Oh we’re no good at goodbyes, but I think I really mean it this time.' I think this can be applied to all sorts of situations, you know something has to change, but if you ignore it, you hope it'll go away.

The drum sound in 'Bring Me Home' is curious, like the snare is a cross between a bucket and a cardboard box. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I like when producers think outside the shells for drum sounds. As with many of these tracks, Bring Me Home goes straight in with a vocal, 'I'm all out of words, still can't be heard, struggling hard, wishing on stars.' The instrumentation is minimalistic, filled with backing vocals and light strings. That's until the guitar and brass comes in, changing the feel of this track entirely for a moment. There's even a tiny bit of slide guitar. I could imagine a music video being made for this one, that or to soundtrack a film that doesn't exist yet.

'Live Like Love' begins with a piano chord progression, not every piano has a weight and tone to it, but this one does. It gives that little something extra than using a keyboard or MIDI preset. Even if you weren't aware of the album coming to a close, this lyric is a telltale sign - 'Took a little time to think it over, I took a little time to grow older, I don't want to wait for life to come around and pass me by.' The band comes in with guitar and drums, the drums of which are punchy, like your ear is inches from the bass drum. This one is more of a layered experience and comes across as the finale to Remedy. For a moment there's the sound of a guitarist itching to jump in for a solo - they should've let them. The build up to the end leads to the same piano sound from the beginning on a steady fade out. If this was a concert experience, this song would be played before the encore.

And this one would be when the band comes back. 'Praise You', Hannah Grace's single from 2017 is included here as the final track of the album, though I think it has more the air of a bonus track, with Live Like Love being the true end to Remedy. This rendition isn't the single version, but a piano and vocal performance released in 2017 in addition to the single, and not the one from the Union Chapel either, which is just as brilliant. Hannah Grace totally made this track her own in her passion and style, you'd almost forget about the Fat Boy Slim original. A small story relating to Praise You can be found in my interview with producer Jennifer Keller here.

It was great to chat to Hannah Grace about Remedy! I ask her about the producers of this record, her BBC appearances, her live performance at Hyde Park's British Summer Time and the possibility of a future release. Remedy is a long way from having seen Hannah support Gabrielle Aplin in 2016, I hope you'll agree.

1. 'Remedy' is the name of your debut album, where does the title stem from?

The album is a reflection of my life for the past 3 years, I wrote it and recorded it through all of the good times as well as the bad. The process became a homemade remedy for me, a constant thread throughout my life that I could go to and express everything that was going on. So Remedy felt like the perfect title for the record. 

2. 'Healing Hands' is a great way to begin the album. What inspired this track?

I wrote this song a really long time ago now and its always been a special one for me. I wrote it in January and I was definitely going through some new year blues, not really knowing if I was going in the right direction and wanting to have a familiar warm comfort to reassure me. The lyrics are really inspired by all of this. ‘If only I know then what world I was meant for’ & ‘Into your healing hands’.

3. 'The Bed You Made' and 'Different Kind of Love' are featured on 'Remedy' despite being released on an EP of their own in early 2019, what led to that decision?

This really goes back to the record being a whole homemade Remedy. The Bed You Made EP was a huge turning point for me for my writing and musical direction for the record. I wrote this song when I was in love and when I was heartbroken, Different Kind of Love & The Bed You Made are both songs that reflect that and it felt right to have them as part of the album too. 

4. Your album was produced by MyRiot, Paul O'Duffy, Ian Barter, Martin Luke Brown and Luke Potashnick, what was the division of labour across the material?

There’s 15 tracks overall and they weren’t all produced at the same time. It’s been a long process getting the music together and it just naturally happened that I worked with different producers throughout, some of which I also co-wrote the tracks with, so it's pretty evenly spread out. I love collaborating and it was amazing to get to work with so many talented people who all helped bring the songs to life. 

5. You've worked extensively with Martin Luke Brown over the past few years, how did you two meet?

We've always had lots of musician friends in common over the years, and when I moved to London we both ended up in a shared house full of musician friends! It made sense that we started writing and working together and we clicked straight away. Lots of the songs on the record are written with my good friends, including Jessica Sharman and Joshua Keogh, I really love working with my friends. 

6. The release of 'With You' stretches back to January 2019, though you've released singles since then that aren't included on your album, how did you choose what made the cut and what didn't?

It was definitely hard as I really love all the music I release. But I really wanted the album to work as a collection of songs in terms of style and content and feel, as well as what they mean. I am really happy that some older songs have made the record but I am also very excited that half of it is going to be brand new to people, I can’t wait for the new music to be out in the world. I think I found the perfect balance. 

7. 'Blue' got a great music video with your band, what inspired the vintage look?

I have always been influenced by old school music and the vintage aesthetic. So I just wanted to try and incorporate this into the visuals for ‘Blue’. I am so lucky to be able to be so involved in every part of the creative process with everything that I make and it was so fun to try something different. 

8. You've appeared on BBC Radio a number of times, what's been your favourite experience so far with the BBC?

The BBC have been so supportive of me since the beginning and I am so grateful. I have had so many wonderful experiences, including being part of their Comic Relief 24 hour shows which has been so much fun! I feel lucky to have been able to come in a number of times and sing my songs live on air. With both Dermot O’Leary and Michael Ball, I think these would be highlights for me.

9. I saw you play on the Barclaycard stage of BST at Hyde Park last year, what was that day like for you?

Amazing! What a wonderful day. Playing live is one of my favourite things about what I do, especially with my band. I was so grateful to be asked to play such a great event. Barbara Streisand was so so incredible - I love her. 

10. Your live performances have always blown me away, is it too soon to consider putting out a live album?

I would really love to put a live album out one day. I think I would love to do it after a really long stint of touring so me and the band were so tight! Maybe record a show near the end of a tour. So in current times I may be a little far away from that - but hopefully one day!

11. The music video for 'Missing The Show' is beautiful in its simplicity, had you always planned to do a music video for that one?

There weren't huge plans for a music video for this song, but I knew it would suit some visuals so much, so I just made it myself in beautiful Wales, and I am so glad I did! 

12. For your upcoming performances, will the show consist of all new material, or can audiences expect a couple of older tracks in there too?

I can’t wait to pay the album live, I’m really looking forward to playing the new songs but will always throw an oldie in the set list for sure! 

13. Finally, we've all endured lockdown longer than we previously anticipated. Have you continued writing for a future release in that time?

I have been really enjoying writing just for writing, I’m not sure what they will turn into yet. But I am always writing new songs and looking forward to future projects.

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Pre-order Hannah Grace’s album 'Remedy' on vinyl, CD and digital here.

You can follow Hannah Grace @hangracemusic on instagram, facebook and twitter.