A first headline tour is a rite of passage in the music world. It’s a milestone where everything an artist has been building towards takes shape. For Toronto alt-pop singer-songwriter GRAE, it’s a milestone she’s proud to have reached on her own terms. She just concluded the ‘HEATED! TOUR’ – her first-every headlining run following the HEATED! EP which was released last fall. Before taking the stage at her final show of the tour in St. Catharines, Ontario, GRAE sat down with us to reflect on the months that reshaped her confidence, her relationship to her music, and her belief in what she’s building.
HARMONIZE: This is the final show of your first headlining tour. How are you feeling and what’s it been like looking back?
GRAE: I think it’s really interesting because the first show that you do when it’s your first ever headlining tour, you’re kind of worried and you’re like, oh, what’s it going to be like? Who’s going to be there? What’s happening? Like, how am I going to sound? What’s the band going to be like? You have all these worries.
Then you get to the final show and you just look back and you realize it’s been the funnest thing, like, ever. And now it’s bittersweet because it’s the last show. So I’m sad about it. But looking back, I just see so much growth in myself, even from just the first show a couple of months ago. It’s insane. So it’s been a growth process for sure and really fun.
HARMONIZE: What have you learned about yourself from being on the road? Can you speak on the growth you’ve experienced?
GRAE: What I learned about myself is that I need to just let go of certain things that generally do not matter. And that’s just the expectations that I put on myself and the anxieties that I can sometimes have when things are just entirely outside of my control. I also think that it’s important to be kind to yourself when you do a show, you have to remember it’s not even about you, it’s about the people in the crowd who came to forget their problems for a night, who came here to support you… so I remind myself of that, that I’m here for them!
Or just learning that everything is a step in the direction of where you want to go. And every show just gets better and better and better. Because, like, the first show compared to now, I was so nervous. I’m never really nervous to step on stage. But I was just nervous because I was like, I’ve never done a headliner before. Like, this is crazy. And then I’ve just gotten way more comfortable. And the anxiety – I don’t even feel it anymore. The guys will be like, “it’s time to go on stage”. And I’m like, oh, amazing. I don’t get in my head anymore.
HARMONIZE: Do you have any standout moments from the tour?
GRAE: I mean, Montreal was a good show because one of my favorite bands opened for me.
HARMONIZE: What band was that?
GRAE: Napoleon Bonfire. Their song is actually playing right now. And they’re Montreal-based. And I love them so much. And they’re, like, really great friends. So that was a really fun show and a really great turnout. And that was a high, I would say Montreal show was the highlight of the tour. For sure.
I feel like a highlight every night is, like, you know, the crowd participation parts. And just looking in the crowd and seeing people sing my songs. Like, those are highlight moments. Also highlight moments is meeting these, like, beautiful human beings that have supported me through so many years.
Also there are always people at each show who are seeing me perform for the first time, and I love that. Meeting them and feeling that connection is the highlight of every show.
HARMONIZE: Do you have a specific fan moment that was really special?
GRAE: So one of my cutest little fans – I call them my permanent maniacs – she came to the show with my lyrics tattooed on her. And in my handwriting, she asked me to do it. But she actually wanted to have it. And I was like, that’s nuts. Like, you’re insane. But I love you. Because my legs are covered in band tattoos, so I get it, but to have someone have my – you know.
HARMONIZE: Yeah it’s probably so surreal.
GRAE: Yeah, it was so crazy. And she came to, like, three shows. Three? Yeah, like, the first three shows she was there. And so that was insane.
HARMONIZE: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
GRAE: I have this spray. It’s, like, witchy. It’s called Circle of Protection. And I’ll spray the guys with it. And me and everything. And, like, I usually wear, like, a certain oil on my skin. And I have, like, a powder that I put in my shoes. That’s for protection. So a lot of it is, like, protection on stage. And the one show I didn’t do that was the show I absolutely ate shit. In Ottawa. My knee was swollen the next day.
HARMONIZE: Because you didn’t do the spray.
GRAE: Yeah, I didn’t spray.
HARMONIZE: This tour is for your latest EP HEATED! that came out last fall. Has your connection to these songs been changed through performing them live?
GRAE: You know, that’s a really interesting question. I think that sometimes when you perform live, songs that you were kind of over become new again. Because you can revamp them in a way. You can add a certain section, you can add an audience participation moment, and it becomes new and exciting. Performing them live and seeing the audience react to you performing them live for the first time – that’s what makes it fun. I think my relationship to the songs has just grown. Because I’m like this slaps live. You know?
HARMONIZE: Do you have a favourite song off HEATED! to perform?
GRAE: Yeah, ‘ALL I WANNA DO IS SCREAM I LOVE YOU’. It’s really fun. And ‘NEVER PICK UP’. Those are my two favorites.
HARMONIZE: You’re set to perform at JUNOfest next month. How does it feel to be heading into that next?
GRAE: It’s really cool to be a part of something like that. I’m just excited for the opportunity to play in front of a new crowd, new environment. So yeah, I’m grateful to be on the lineup for sure. And it’s fun to have something to also look forward to. There’s so many awesome artists on that bill. So it’s sick to have my name up there too with them.
HARMONIZE: And after that, what are you looking forward to?
GRAE: I’m working on my upcoming EP – EP or album, I haven’t decided yet. So I’m starting to record new music this month. And then I have some more festivals coming up. They just haven’t been announced yet. So that’ll be fun.
HARMONIZE: Is there anything about this moment in your career that you feel especially proud of?
GRAE: I’m proud of myself for doing a lot of this on my own. I’ve been self-managed for a couple of years now. I think I’m just really proud of myself for having a full headline tour and doing all this by myself.
Also, tapping into the fan base that I have and really nurturing that. Because I think to a lot of artists, if they don’t have 100,000 followers, it can feel like they’re behind in some way, but honestly it doesn’t matter. You have to nurture what you do have, even if that’s 50 people. Community is everything, no matter the size.
It’s been really cool to see people come out to these shows. It’s insane. The fact that people even come, I don’t understand. I’m like, whoa, you want to listen to my music live? It’s really cool. I’m proud of myself for just doing it and also just in general, overall, pushing. I’ve gone through a lot in the past few years and I’m proud of myself for not giving up. Because there were so many moments where I wanted to quit this and never do it again and just call it a day. I’m proud of myself for persevering.
As the conversation turned toward what’s next, the night began to catch up with us. With doors open and fans arriving, the night was ready to begin; a chance to see how everything she’d shared about the tour would come alive onstage one final time.
The stage was where GRAE truly shone. Her set was nonstop fun: catchy melodies, guitar shifts, and an acoustic moment that kept the momentum high. The addition of an unreleased track – ‘Misery’ – to her setlist also gave fans a peek at what’s coming next.
GRAE’s connection to the audience was palpable. Her words about nurturing her fan base translated directly into how she performed. During her last song, fans poured up right against the stage, jumping and dancing with her. In the midst of the cheers and chaos, she thanked everyone for coming out to her first headlining tour, making the celebration feel personal and shared.
GRAE proved why she’s become a headliner in her own right. Her energy, charisma, and connection with the crowd filled the room. It was easy to see why fans are eager to follow her next steps. From the first song to the last, she left no doubt that this is only the beginning of an exciting journey.
Awesome interview Emily, Kelly and I are really proud of you and can’t wait to see where your career takes you!