NYAH GRACE, DIVINELY DEVOTED

Nyah Grace grew up on a farm in rural Oregon, surrounded by animals and acres of quiet. Her earliest musical dreams were shaped by the pop world. Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift were childhood idols, but that shifted in her early teens when she discovered Billie Holiday and Alicia Keys. Locked away in her grandparents’ basement, she taught herself piano and guitar through YouTube tutorials, eventually recording demos on her own and entering talent shows singing Alicia Keys covers.

By 14, Grace had written “Don’t Wake Me” at a songwriting camp, which led her to a studio in McMinnville, and eventually to British manager John Campbell, who flew to Oregon to sign her. At 18, she released her debut album, Honey-Coloured. Now based in Manchester and wrapping up her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, Grace has released her sophomore album, Divinely Devoted.

Grace has said that she’s grown a lot since her first album. “When I think back to the first album, I just can’t believe how young I was. I was 16, 17 when I started writing it... It genuinely feels like a lifetime ago. I’ve been able to find my footing since and find out what I really love.”

Divinely Devoted reflects Grace’s growth. It’s a sophisticated blend of soulful R&B and jazz-informed phrasing, with a sound that’s smooth as butter and full of her quiet confidence. It’s an elegant album, with not a wasted note, and I found myself wanting more as soon as it ended.