Photo Credit: Press
Words: Lily Howard

Over two years after the release of Secret of Us, Gracie Abrams returns with her third studio album, Daughter from Hell. Composed of 16 tracks lasting just under an hour, the singer-songwriter continues her confessional style that has defined her past music, but in a way that her fans have never seen. More exposed, more raw and more vulnerable, she tells the story of moving through heartbreak and self-doubt and towards healing and acceptance. The album presents a narrative that is deeply personal, paired with a restrained production which allows the vocals and lyricism to shine. 

The lead single, Hit the Wall, was released a couple of months prior. This, alongside the announcement of a world tour straight after, had fans eagerly awaiting the full album. The track itself introduces themes of emotional barriers and defenselessness, using metaphors and imagery like “my fortress is a glass box” to draw upon the desire of protection but finding that it is fragile. 

One of the standout characteristics of the album is the physical imagery as Gracie rarely states her emotions outright. Instead of giving her feelings names like anxiety or being heartbroken, she turns them into physical objects and places, making abstract emotions feel concrete and giving the listener an easier way of picturing them. Injury and pain are seen as “I’ve bled through my knees” in What If It’s Right?, which suggests exhaustion and sacrifice, whilst “Built a fort, swallowed the key in the same track explains emotional walls and shutting people out. Almost every major feeling is expressed through something the listeners can see, touch or imagine, making it one of the album’s defining songwriting techniques. 

Repetition to close out the songs play a big part throughout the album. From “I’m not a problem you can solve” in Hit the Wall to Mew’s “you can bet I regret it now” and “don’t drop me off” in Afflictions, Gracie is able to emphasise the meaning right to the last note. In a way, it is as if she’s not only trying to tell the other person, but also convince herself. It mirrors obsessive thinking, with the repeated phrases sounding like thoughts she cannot stop replaying, which highlights anxiety and suggests that the emotions continue even after the music ends. It also is used to reflect emotional cycles. With many of the album’s themes, such as regret and self-doubt, not being linear, the repeated lines suggest that she keeps returning to the same feelings. 

Production is a key element to any song, but it plays a particular role in these. Controlled and understated, it allows the lyrics to remain the focus, with the instruments holding their position below the vocals to create the feeling of listening to someone’s private thoughts. The songs gradually build in tone as the lyrics build in frustration or anger. The continued use of piano, guitars and subtle percussion add a sense of intimacy, and there are moments, like in Death Wish and Broke My Heart, where the heightened production mirrors emotional release. 

Linking to this, vocal performance stands out effortlessly, although not theatrical. Slight cracks in her voice and quieter moments make the emotions feel genuine. Marcus Mumford’s feature in What If It’s Right? feels like a conversation, and Audrey Hobert in Minibar adds contrast and energy.

There is a varied theme of relationships throughout, with not all tracks linking to romantic love. The title track Daughter From Hell was described by Gracie in a conversation with Olivia Rodrigo for Spotify as “a song that really is a love letter to my mum – and an apology.” Imaginary Friend explores absence, whilst Afflictions looks into emotional support, showing how different forms of connection affect a person, not just a breakup.

From repetition, to background tunes that build with the lyrics, Gracie Abrams emphasises the wider message that healing is gradual rather than immediate. The title Daughter From Hell sounds negative at the beginning, but after listening, the tracks transform it into that of understanding and emotional growth. It feels like a reflection rather than a resolution, showing how people learn to live with memories and emotions instead of making it seem like it disappears.