GRACE CUMMINGS RELEASES NEW TRACK “COMMON MAN”
Rising Australian star Grace Cummings has released “Common Man,” the second track taken from her upcoming album Ramona (out April 5th via ATO Records). The bluesy, Western-infused track boasts powerful vocals from Grace while grappling with her desire to be more than the common man. The accompanying visualizer is compiled of nostalgia-inducing Western film clips, curating an immaculate retro country vibe.
Of the song, Grace says
“This song is about being a colorful bird and never, ever wanting to be a pigeon. Somebody I used to know wrote a song called common man about working nine to five and coming home and having a cup of tea and going to bed and it made me want to have a fucking panic attack. I wish I could tell people it was about riding off into the distance on the back of a white horse with a Cowboy in Austin Texas, but it’s not.”
In addition to the new song, Grace has announced a U.S. tour that kicks off in May with stops in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Brooklyn, and more along with her debut at Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta.
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m Grace Cummings. I’m a musician from Melbourne, Australia and I guess singing is one of my favourite things to do aside from swimming in the ocean, falling asleep under a tree, and patting a dog.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
My Third album is called ‘Ramona’ and I suppose it is a bit of unbridled ambition and emotion. I recorded this album with the magnificent Jonathan Wilson in his studio in Topanga Canyon, with a lot of help from Drew Erickson as well. I’m so proud of this record and I’m proud of myself for getting through all the things I had to in order to write it.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
I need to learn how to do this better, and I am learning… but I am still much too impatient to be the kind of songwriter I want to be. I don’t have any specific methods or processes… when I come up with something that I like I get so excited that it has even happened that I can’t remember what happens next. Then I have a finished product but also the feeling like I’ll never be able to write another song again in my life!
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
I’ve got a big year ahead! My band and I will be doing a tour of the USA, the UK and Europe. We’ve got some headline shows, some festivals, and are also supporting our Australian mates King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. There’s lots of “content” to come also from making the record which I am really excited to share.
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
Making this record has to be that turning point and highlight for me. It taught me so much about myself and how I want to be as a musician and what I can do and am proud of. I couldn’t ever be happier I don’t think than that.
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
She’s not upcoming, but I always tell everybody to listen to my friend Leah Senior. She has always been a massive inspiration to me and was the one who actually pushed me into doing this many years ago! She is a beautiful songwriter, as is her partner and engineer of my first two records, Jesse Williams.