For Grace, music has always been more about what happens in life than what happens in the studio. Now the driving force behind her latest project, homesick, Grace is carving out a world that blends the energy of D&B with indie, bringing people together through her angelic voice and deeply personal approach to storytelling. Homesick’s debut EP grew out of collaborations with writers and producers, emerging organically from meaningful, longstanding relationships within the scene.
We caught up with Grace to talk about homesick, her love of analogue synths and the artists who shaped her relationship with drum and bass, the cathartic process behind the EP, and why her next chapter might involve just as much hiking as it does music.
Hi! What have you been up to?
I’m good. I was at Bassfest recently with Hybrid Minds in Sheffield. It was really fun, really nice to do a show!
What did you perform?
There are two songs that we tend to do for the festivals, which are “Fingerprints” and “Bad to Me”. We did those two, which was fun. Sometimes I’ll do support for them so I get to do a whole set, which has been amazing.
Let’s talk about homesick, who makes up that project?
Homesick was kind of created from writing with lots of different people, like Hybrid Minds, and one producer in particular, Brad Ellis, who’s behind the scenes on some amazing stuff.
He did “Afterglow” with Wilkinson and Becky Hill, works with Hybrid, A Little Sound and so many more. He’s the best! We met through writing and really got on well and started writing more stuff together. It felt like what we were making wasn’t for anyone else’s project and that it sat in its own space, which was really exciting.
So I was like, “Wow, why not just make something new? Why not make my own world- that feels like mine.”
It has influences from more indie- and emo-leaning music too which I grew up with alongside D&B. I did the whole first EP with Brad and a small team of writers and, it was wicked. It’s a small team and really good people.
You incorporate so much art into what you do, including your music video, but then bringing in D&B, when did that come into play? Who would you say influenced you early on?
I was born in Bristol, it’s such a home to drum & bass.
Growing up, I missed that early wave of amazing people like Roni Size and Goldie and all of that. But I have an older brother, so he listens to a lot of drum & bass. When I was 14 or 15, it was Rudimental, Sigma and Chase & Status, all those huge albums were coming out.
And actually, Wilkinson was a huge one for me so it’s cool getting to work with Brad now as he worked across so many of those early Wilkinson songs like “Half Light” so now it’s such a pinch me moment. I love Calibre as well, I lean more to the liquid side of things, but you can definitely also catch me front at a SOTA show!
Did you guys have an “aha” moment putting the EP together?
I think we did. We were in a writing camp where loads of people go to one space and write together. And actually, it was with Josh and Matt from Hybrid Minds and Brad and I’d actually just had the worst breakup ever. And, like all bad things; such good came from it.
I remember making “Perfect Disciple”. We were initially writing for Hybrid Minds, but it felt like something else. It was really exciting, and it felt like mine. So I asked if I could take it. So that was the first day where I was like, “My God, I’m gonna do this. I’m gonna go for it and make a project.”
It kind of came together really naturally from there, which I think, the right things naturally just do. It’s always just fun being in the studio with everyone, and it feels like writing in your diary or something, which is really cool.
“Big synths, small girl” is the absolute best bio tagline. So, what is your favourite synth?
I adore it: the Roland Juno-106! We use this every time
I’m always like, “It’s amazing,” and they’re like, “We use this every time, Grace. Relax.”
We used it on “Perfect Disciple”. It’s kind of, like, gritty and crunchy, but equally really warm and full, and it just hits you in the right place, you know?
You’re so involved in the music-writing process, and that’s what brings everything together. Do you have a favourite off the new EP?
I think they’re all such big parts of a journey that I see for me, and they genuinely document personal events, which I was so nervous about initially, putting so much of myself into it.
But then actually having that and seeing the growth I think they all work together as a collective.
However, I think “nevermind” is one of my favourites. It felt really special to me when we made it, and I still love it, which is nice, because often you find that you make something and then you hate it immediately.
So it was nice that one stayed really special to me.
You mentioned that you were going through a rough time and a breakup. Writing music can be cathartic. Now that the music has been released, has the weight lifted, have you healed a bit?
Absolutely, yeah. It was such an anchor and a lifeline.
I think that’s what’s so special about music, and I’ve always loved listening to music for that reason. It’s like we’ve all got songs that can take you back. You can remember exactly where you were or what you were doing when that song came out.
I just felt grateful to have the making of this project. It’s almost the reverse of listening to music. You’re like, “Wow, I get to actually create something from this difficult time.” And people are messaging and they relate to it. You get to sing it in a room full of people and we’re all smiling, and it does sound so cheesy, but I think it’s just so magical.
Those singalong moments are so special. It must feel amazing.
It is literally the best. There’s no point in music without people that listen. That is what makes this so cool: the connection.
Absolutely. Connection.
Do you have any other plans for the rest of the year, music-wise?
I’ve got a few more Hybrid Minds shows coming up through the summer, which will be fun. We’re doing Bristol next week and I’m taking my grandma which is wild! I can’t wait. Then hopefully we’ll have some homesick shows later this year, which I’m so excited for.
I just did a homesick show in Bristol, and I hadn’t done one since last year, so that was really fun. I work with 2 amazing DJs, Ponz (huge shout out) and for this one I am with Jade Sadie, who DJs for Issey Cross, and she’s wicked. We always have so much fun, so big shout-out to her.
It was so fun getting to bring a whole set to life. A lot of live music would be the dream.
I’m back in the studio already, and we’re making new stuff. It’s so fun to be back; I’ve been working a lot with Shapes and Lily Denning as well as Brad and they’re so talented it’s always exciting to be in the studio. The new songs feel really fresh and new but still a natural progression.
That’s so exciting. Do you have a home studio? Or do you have a studio that you prefer to record at in London, or wherever you’re playing?
I don’t have a home studio. I’m honestly not a producer at all. I love guitar and piano. I’ve literally got my guitar next to me here haha! I was playing before we got on this call.
I always write at home, and then I love taking it to the studio and working on my initial ideas with someone else for a fresh perspective.
I worked a little bit with K Motionz as well on something the other day, and he’s such a good producer so that was amazing to watch. And wrote a little with Emily Makis too… what a legend she is. Everyone is just amazing at the moment. It’s so exciting seeing what people are making and getting to work with them is a whole other thing entirely. It’s a dream. So it’s been pretty cool! Very happy.
How will you pour into yourself this year?
I’ve been on this course for the last six months. It’s called Evolved, and it’s run by Lizzie Daly, and it’s all about wildlife and empowering women in the outdoors by giving you knowledge and skills. It’s with a amazing community of women.
So If I’m not at a rave or singing, I’m in a tent and I’m hiking or bird watching. Bit of a contrast haha.
Love that. There are a lot of shots of the outdoors in your music videos.
Yeah, big time. I find a lot of locations while I’m walking. I’m like, “Wait, I need to tell my videographer Will. He needs to know about this place. Then when we go to shoot, they have all their cameras, and I realise I’ve chosen the most remote location ever. The outdoors is a big one for me!
Follow Grace Grundy: Instagram / TikTok / Soundcloud
