Why Gracie Abrams Skipped the 2024 MTV VMAs Even as a Leading Best New Artist Nominee
Gracie Abrams is in the top three finalists for the fan-voted Best New Artist award at tonight’s MTV VMAs. Still, the singer is spending her night very far from the Elmont, New York awards show. Abrams is actually performing in Los Angeles as part of her The Secret of Us Tour. Her Greek Theatre show this evening is sold out.
Abrams is only nominated in the Best New Artist category. It marks her first-ever MTV VMA nomination.
She spoke to ELLE earlier this year about how in awe she is of the artists that inspire her, including Sharon Van Etten, Sade, Billie Holiday, Olivia Dean, Lady Gaga, and Wet Leg. Women are doing incredible things in music, she said: “I feel like women are kind of running it right now, and I’m obsessed with that being true. There’s so much flexibility for artists to tap into whatever they’re feeling and then, as a result, find people who are aligned with that sound or that emotion. That just comes from the women who were brave enough to do it first.”
She also explained what she learned from Taylor Swift, the VMAs’ most nominated artist this year, as one of her openers during the Eras Tour’s European leg. “Being in Taylor’s orbit for the summer completely altered every single thing for me,” Abrams said. “It informed so much about how I went about writing this next album. She makes everyone feel seen and heard, and she also at different points in the shows makes it feel like an intimate venue despite the fact that there are 80,000 or 100,000 people sharing the space. That’s what I want so badly, because the joy is infectious. It taught me so much, being able to watch the way that she shows up for everyone that she loves and has a beautiful life and is as generous and giving as she is and kills it every single time. She was building community not only in the crowd but also backstage. It felt like a full city of people every weekend at these stadiums behind the scenes, making it all come to life. And obviously that all comes from the top, and Taylor is the most excellent person and the most excellent boss.”
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