Updated

Updated · Billboard · Aug 4

Gracie Abrams Says Paul Mescal Boosted Her Writing as Couple Co-Wrote Track on No. 1 Album

Updated

Updated · Billboard · Aug 4

Gracie Abrams Says Paul Mescal Boosted Her Writing as Couple Co-Wrote Track on No. 1 Album

Q: How did a misunderstood interview about Paul Mescal accidentally reveal Gracie Abrams' secret co-writer for her newest album?

It inadvertently exposed that Paul Mescal was not just Gracie Abrams’ boyfriend, but a co-writer on her new album. The chain of events began with Abrams’ earlier Vogue comments, where she said she had once worried that feeling “secure and stable” in a relationship might dull her songwriting drive. That was widely interpreted online as a sign that Mescal was hurting her creativity. In her Rolling Stone cover story, Abrams pushed back hard, saying the opposite was true: the relationship has had “the most amazing effect” on her writing and given her space to reflect more deeply on her life. In clarifying that misunderstanding, Abrams went further than before about Mescal’s role in her creative life. She revealed that the couple live in what she called a “very musical household” in London and that Mescal directly helped write “Imaginary Friend,” a track on Daughter From Hell. Other interviews filled in the picture: Abrams said the song came together casually at home, with the pair “trading lines” back and forth rather than staging some formal collaboration. So the misread interview did not literally uncover the co-writing credit by itself, but it prompted Abrams to explain the relationship more fully. In defending Mescal against the idea that he was blocking her work, she ended up confirming that he had actually contributed to it, making him the unexpected behind-the-scenes collaborator on one of the album’s songs.

1 articles · Updated · Billboard · Aug 4

Rolling Stone published Abrams’ clarification that her relationship with Paul Mescal has strengthened, not threatened, her songwriting after her earlier Vogue remarks were widely misread.
Abrams said Mescal has given her space and perspective, helping her reflect on past relationships, family and friendships and calling that effect on her writing “the greatest gift.”
The creative spillover has already reached her music: Mescal co-wrote “Imaginary Friend” on Daughter From Hell, Abrams’ Billboard 200-topping new album.
The pair, first spotted together in summer 2024 and now living in London, have become more public as Mescal films Sam Mendes’ four-part Beatles project, in which he plays Paul McCartney.

Sources

Billboard14d ago

Gracie Abrams Clarifies Paul Mescal Romance Strengthens Songwriting, Not Threatens Career

How did a misunderstood interview about Paul Mescal accidentally reveal Gracie Abrams' secret co-writer for her newest album?

Will Gracie Abrams' newfound romantic stability with Paul Mescal ultimately elevate her music or alienate her heartbreak-loving fans?

What really happens when a pop star and an acclaimed actor turn their London home into a private songwriting sanctuary?

Sources

1 total

Billboard14d ago

Gracie Abrams Clarifies Paul Mescal Romance Strengthens Songwriting, Not Threatens Career

Gracie Abrams Says Paul Mescal Boosted Her Writing as Couple Co-Wrote Track on No. 1 Album

Summary

Sources

Insights

Related Stories

Sources

Related Stories