Meet Grace Mitchell, a Portland-based singer-songwriter.
She’s also only 16 years old — but you’d never guess it after hearing the music.
Following an appearance on the tracklisting of the Secret Life Of Walter Mitty soundtrack last year with her gorgeous and dramatic reworking of Hall & Oates’ “Maneater,” the burgeoning songstress just released two new songs on Soundcloud, both equally impressive in their own right.
“The Earth is moving too slow, so shut up and close your eyes/Show me things that only you know/Do I fit in your design?” she pleads above crashing drums and layers upon layers of soaring synths on “Your Design,” an endlessly gorgeous production.
And then there’s “Broken Over You,” a pulsating slice of chilly, synthesized angst. The lyrics are pure poetry, too: “Does it feel real in the right way? Is it like love when you look inside? Even if it’s not that, I wish you’d lie…”
There’s a haunting depth to her voice that goes well beyond her years — a remarkably mature sound for someone who, at her age, could just as easily be off daydreaming about One Direction. (That’s what I’d be doing at 16, anyway.)
Accordingly, Grace most immediately brings teen wunderkind Lorde‘s moody brand of pop to mind, as well as YouTube star-turned-pop sensation Troye Sivan, Broods and BANKS. The kids sure are putting the grown-ups to shame lately, aren’t they?
With just a small handful of songs at our disposal, it’s hard to make a full assessment. But, judging by what she’s already got to offer, her potential seems limitless.
Have we found the American answer to Lorde?
