Mckenna Grace launched her acting career at just four years old. Making notable appearances in critically-acclaimed films like “Gifted,” “I, Tonya” and, most recently, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Grace made a name for herself growing up as a child star. Fans may be shocked to learn that the 16-year-old actress now doubles as a singer. Grace has been releasing a steady stream of singles since November 2021. However, she released her debut album, “Bittersweet 16,” on March 3, 2023. Now fans can take a deep dive into her sonic performance along with her acting credentials. Tag along for an experiential ride through her newest release.
The first track on the album, “Ugly Crier,” is a self-reflection on Grace’s part. After singing somewhat disparagingly about a certain girl, Grace reveals at the end: “I am a girl who never got into choir. I’m such an ugly crier. I’ll never be Taylor Swift.” She assumes the identity of the delirious, messy girl listeners hear the story of throughout the two-minute song. She chooses to open her debut album with some brutal honesty about her self-perception. The revelation has the same vibe as a person who tries to get ahead of the joke before others can. She recognizes the judgment some may have about her entering the music world — especially after her successful acting career — and puts it on the table in her lyrics. She feels that insecurity, yet she sings anyway. Grace is bold and brave in her opening words.
In “City Leaver,” Grace thinks back on an old flame that she harps on in the most catchy way possible for the rest of the album. Her vocals are deep and stunning on this track, singing clearly amid a post-breakup breakdown. She’s fed up with all the lies and abandonment. Grace openly communicates how hurt she was by her ex’s parting, and how they messed with her heart, claiming they put it through pain comparable to “hanging [it] from a telephone wire.” While Grace surely did not come out unscathed, her ex must also feel the gut-wrenching blow of her accusatory words. Ouch. It seems like no one came out of this one without some bruises to show.
“Checkered Vans” is the first track to start with a bang, sustaining a bounding drum beat paired with an electric guitar. Grace’s building “ahs” amount to an all-powerful and all-knowing narrator. Here, she takes a hold of every perspective. She recounts: “I’ll say ‘I should’ve known, I should’ve known better,’” acknowledging her own part to play. But then she realizes, “How could I have known?” Her ex may have “stomped [her] out in [their] checkered vans,” but she might as well have broken them to pieces with her pointy stilettos. Grace’s words go straight for the jugular. She isn’t playing around and maybe isn’t as much of the kid as listeners know her to be. She has bloomed into something much more volatile.
Halfway through the album, “Buzzkill Baby” touches on a serious note while remaining ever so darling. She starts with a simple question: “Are you happy now that I’m so miserable?” Sharp and to the point. Listeners can probably guess at this point in listening that Grace went through a heated breakup, and she still has some thoughts on the matter. She admits, in the most deflated way yet, that her ex still gets the best of her, confessing, “It’s almost impressive how much you still stress me out.” This is the first time Grace speaks of the depression her relationship and subsequent breakup have put her through. While painful for her, Grace’s listeners are rewarded with a sad bop to sing along to, whether they can relate or not.
Grace ponders what would have happened had she never met her ex in “What If.” In a serenade that sounds gramophone-esque for the first 30 seconds or so, she recalls when and where they first met, regretting the whole situation. As she puts it: “What if I had just thought twice?” She thinks of the way things went down as one big mistake that she should’ve given a second thought. Although she owns up to “still [having their] picture on [her] desk,” she has a simple response when she asks herself, “Would I do it all again?”: “No, I hate you, and I never want to see your face again.” At that moment, the music dies down, and listeners can tell that is the final word. She means business.
A slow, melodic tune takes ownership of “Post Party Trauma.” Here, Grace rethinks her decision to go to a party considering the aftermath. She reveals that she doesn’t fit in and “should just go home.” While she recognizes that the scene is not for her, she has some shame about it, too. In listing the reasons why she’s not the party type, she confides in her listeners: “I deserve to be alone.” This could be Grace asserting that she has the right to the luxury of solitude from time to time. But more likely than not, Grace is embarrassed for being an introvert and deems herself worthy of loneliness because of her social preferences. As one of the most stripped and bare songs of the album, “Post Party Trauma” proves Grace can create more than just fun dance beats.
Questions arise from “Collapsing Stars” that are concerning, to say the least. After asking her ex if they’re “just programmed to deceive” and whether she would “see cold blood underneath” if their skin was translucent, Grace concedes that she’s “not really sure if [her ex is] human.” It’s a targeted comment, but Grace also discloses her own struggle to contain her emotions amid the mess. She even asks herself, “Am I even human or just programmed to believe?” It could be argued that the alternatives to humanity she offers are just conditions of the human state. Regardless, Grace continues her trend of candid self-analysis in this lovely tune.
With a sugar-sweet voice, Grace sings about being stuck between adolescence and adulthood on “Bittersweet 16.” She criticizes her own progress, which is confusing for a listener considering her eventful life thus far. However, Grace could be opening up about an insecurity she has long held in her mind. Despite all the fame and success, in the end, she is just another girl with a broken heart. Embarrassed, she deliberates, “Maybe I should get this life thing figured out.” It’s revelatory to hear such worries from someone who seems to have lived such a life for her age. Alas, maybe her departure from acting was an informed and intentional move after all.
Themes of self-realization and animosity toward her ex escape the words of the songs in Grace’s first album. While listeners may still see her as the little girl on the screen, she has grown up big time. Having experienced heartbreak, loneliness and uncertainty about all things getting older, Grace’s newest release encapsulates secrets to the inner workings of her mind and soul. After hearing such authentic confessions, it will be interesting to see if and when Grace returns to the acting world. For the moment, though, she has an impressive collection of music to show for her absence on the screen.
