In her first-ever long form project, Gracie Abrams touches hearts with her new EP “minor,” which hit streaming services on July 14. Mixing previously-released singles with new drops, “minor” is an excellent listening experience from beginning to end. 

Abrams is an up and coming artist who this reviewer would definitely say is one to watch. Her beautiful ballads display the incredible range she has with her sugary-sweet notes not sacrificing strength, support or power. While the 20-year-old certainly brings her own style to the table, her voice mixes elements of Billie Eilish’s well-known breathiness with Lorde’s robust sound. 

“minor” follows Abrams through seven tracks of heartache, and while some songs pull at the heartstrings, others have a more upbeat and bright feeling, true to the course of a breakup. 

The opening track, “Friend” gives listeners insight into the emotions Abrams was experiencing while she wrote it. Setting the tone with a minimal chorus and exposed verses, raw moments make this track a highlight of the album. 

One of the best tracks —“21” — follows with its incredible range and honey-like harmonies. If layers of melodies didn’t make this song memorable, the lyrics about remembering someone’s birthday but not celebrating with them certainly do.

All 20 minutes of “minor” creates a cohesive sound without deviating too far away from the basics. While out-of-the-box creations are always ones to remember, Abrams does a lot with a little and lets her talent speak for itself, demonstrated through tracks like “Under/Over” and “tehe.” For a young new artist, establishing a sound and showing off her voice is the way to attract attention, and Abrams does exactly that. 

“minor” has similar vibes to Billie Eilish’s first album “dont smile at me” with similar exposed melodies that rely on the talent of the artist above anything else. Listening to “minor” for the first time brought the same thought to mind as “ocean eyes” and “bellyache” did back in 2017 — this girl is going to be big. 

“I miss you, I’m sorry” is one of the strongest and most emotional songs on the EP, instantly bringing tears to the eye on first listen. Allowing her emotions to take the forefront, Abrams breathes new life in what should have been repetitive melodies. 

Following “I miss you, I’m sorry” is “Long Sleeves,” which is the best song by Abrams, thus far. Its placement after “I miss you, I’m sorry” does not give the listener time to recover before taking them on another emotional journey. Starting softly, Abrams builds her sound up to the powerful chorus that washes over the listener with a satisfying feeling. “Long Sleeves” expresses both acceptance and nostalgia, which are often overlooked aspects of a breakup, making it a beautifully relatable song.

Closing with the sweeter and faster-paced titular track “minor,”  Abrams expertly demonstrates her ability to fit in with the modern pop scene with a fresh sound. Including a shout-out to her “Star Wars”-director father, J.J. Abrams, she maintains her exposed style while adding elements that carry the song along. “minor” is most reminiscent of Lorde’s music, particularly her earlier work “Pure Heroine” in 2013. 

Gracie Abrams is a rising star in the pop world, and “minor” is an excellent start to tease the world with what’s to come from her. She has our attention and left us wondering what she will do next. 

Rating: 5/5