Grace from The Routine joins Paul Cashmere for an in-depth Noise11 Q&A ahead of the band’s performance at APRA AMCOS SongMakers Live event at The Espy in St Kilda. Splitting their time between Geelong and Melbourne, The Routine are quickly earning a reputation as one of Victoria’s most exciting emerging young bands, with Grace’s songwriting at the centre of their sound.
In this conversation, Grace talks about discovering songwriting at an early age, writing stories as a child and eventually turning those instincts into music. She explains how her creative process is rooted in emotion – usually starting with the musical vibe before shaping melodies and lyrics around her experiences. Grace reveals the surprising moment when she played an early version of a song for her mum, only to be told it “didn’t make sense”, leading her to rewrite the entire track and produce one of her favourite lyrical pieces.
Influences such as Mitski, Taylor Swift and Amy Winehouse guide her writing style, particularly in honesty and storytelling. Grace shares how she uses metaphors, vocal expression and instinct to translate feelings into complete songs. She also talks about the thrill of performing live, the rush of surprising audiences, and the pride of representing Geelong’s long history of legendary artists.
With The Espy being one of Australia’s most iconic venues – home to performances from John Farnham, Icehouse and countless others – Grace reflects on what it means for The Routine to take the stage as part of the SongMakers Live program.
This interview offers a warm, candid and insightful glimpse into the journey of a young songwriter finding her voice and preparing for one of her biggest performances yet.
Find at more about the APRA AMCOS Songmakers program here
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