Taylor Grey NATURALLY GIFTED

Taylor Grey is an American songwriter and performer who started creating a name for herself in the music scene in 2016. A Northern California native, Taylor is a prolific recording artist navigating today’s contemporary Pop landscape with an air of authenticity mixed with a natural vulnerability. Taylor’s passion for writing music and performing began at the age of 12, when she taught herself guitar and piano - which helped to develop her musical skill set early on.

Driven by an intricate sound that is vibrant, seductive, classy, and distinctive, Taylor is quickly paving her way in the music industry. With several releases slated for the upcoming months, she’s going full-steam ahead in her musical endeavors with 2023 gearing up to be Taylor’s biggest year yet.

RAINE: What was the spark of creative inspiration that led you to pursue a music career?

GREY: When I was younger, especially during the first years of high school, I felt really alone. Listening to music by artists who had gone through similar experiences gave me something to lean on. So, I originally wanted to write music because I thought it would help me feel seen and help others feel seen, but over the years that inspiration has changed and evolved with me.

Now, over the past few years - and with this new record - I’m really writing to see myself. And I’ve found that when the only person I was trying to impress became me, that’s when my songwriting improved and when more people actually could relate to it.

Ultimately, I am just really fortunate to have such supportive parents who were willing to support me and give me the freedom to pursue this career in the first place.

RAINE: Who are your biggest creative and musical influences?

GREY: Taylor Swift, of course. I’m always inspired by Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, and Avril Lavigne as well. Ultimately, I love taking inspiration from individual songs, I love looking through random playlists and finding cool things that spark a lyric or melody idea.

RAINE: If you could give one piece of advice to any aspiring musician? What would it be and why would you choose it?

GREY: The biggest piece of advice I would give is that you can allow yourself to heal before you create art inspired by your struggles. Sometimes, you’re too deep in it to reflect properly. That has been the case for me as I was growing up. I was struggling with my mental health - depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder. I knew I wanted to write about those experiences, but I felt paralyzed. And then I felt like a bad songwriter because I could not immediately capitalize on my truth. I wish I knew that sometimes taking time and space away - allowing yourself to figure out what you want to say and how you want to say it - will result in so much more catharsis and even better songs.

RAINE: Your musical style on Twilight Hour - combining pop-rock with more acoustic-driven tracks - has experienced a real resurgence in the mainstream over the last two years. What is it about this style of music that makes it particularly evergreen for revival?

GREY: A lot of people who grew up with pop-rock music are at the ages where they are now creating their own music.

For me, when I was writing this record, one of my goals was to just have fun with it and write the songs I’d always wished I could write. And I had always wanted to write an Avril Lavigne-inspired song, which became my song, Idiot. My producer, Mark Siegel, and I really aimed to take rock inspiration from several decades - we put a lot of 70s and 80s sounds in the production of certain songs as well. And I think that live band element blended well with the more acoustic-driven tracks.

RAINE: How important is maintaining a sense of creative and personal authenticity in the creative work and music you put out into the world?

GREY: It’s everything. And I feel so strongly about it because for years I didn’t prioritize that. I tried to write songs about certain issues, but could not - it felt too raw and the songs just weren’t what I wanted them to be. I still do have songs that are extremely personal that I put out before Twilight Hour, but I was so focused on keeping up with the world of music that requires you to consistently put out more.

RAINE: Do you have any other exciting projects or collaborations coming up?

GREY: I’m incredibly excited because I just signed a publishing deal, so hopefully I’m looking at some fun collaborations with other artists either for my project or for them. This year, I’m really looking to perform more, potentially even tour again.