Grace Kay’s newest single, “overgrown,” is a beautiful ballad about friendship. Kay sings about the struggles of and coming to terms with a friendship that has fallen apart because the friends grew apart.
“Falling out of a friendship can be more heartbreaking than ending a romantic relationship. But, unlike exes who I never want to think of again, I will always feel a deep sense of love for old friends. "overgrown" is about that bittersweetness that will always haunt my heart,” Kay says.
Throughout the song, Kay’s soft, emotional vocals are emphasized by a grand piano, bass, percussions, and synths. Never taking away from the importance of Kay’s lyrics or voice, her soundtrack adds to the emotion of the song. Her choice of soundtrack for the specific parts of her story in “overgrown” is perfect. During her verses about why the relationship fell apart, she overlays her singing with beats that reminded me of walking through life. Then, during her chorus and bridge, the soundtrack is more soft and light, adding more emotion to her lament about the fact that they’ve grown apart.
So many of Kay’s lyrics captured my attention. One was: “but if you need me / i’ll offer you my light for tomorrow.” I completely related with the desire of still wanting to be there for the person. Even once they are gone, you still think of them and wonder how they are doing. You remember your interactions with them and how you wish you still saw them. It’s hard to let go of someone even when you know it’s okay and that it’s time. After those lyrics, Kay adds, “But I think I overwatered your soil,” pointing to how relationships may be uneven with who was putting energy and time into it. Or later, Kay sings about multiple different reasons why the relationship fell apart. While one may plague themselves about why or what one did for the relationship to end, Kay gives a refreshing thought that everyone needs to hear: that people change and it’s okay to change and that it’s no one’s fault that a friendship ended.
I loved her metaphor of nature and relationships. It felt so perfect and beautiful.
“Just as gardens can become overgrown, we can outgrow childhood friends and behaviors. If you don’t have room to fit all the flowers in your garden, you have to start trimming and grooming,” Kay states. “Truthfully, this has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to learn for myself. I want to extend every inch of myself to so many people but we have limits, and we’re allowed to change and set boundaries.”
“overgrown” is a jaw-dropping ballad that anyone can relate to. Kay is perfect for fans of MUNA, Caroline Polachek, The Japanese House, Taylor Swift, Haim, Betty Who, Shura, Ralph, and Imogen Heap.
Grace Kay is a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California. Kay graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in acting. From multiple acting jobs, Kay learned about the importance of storytelling in songwriting and songs. She released her first single, “Dancing Queen,” in 2020. Many of her songs were featured on Spotify’s Fresh Finds and Fresh Finds: Pop playlists. Through her music, Kay aims to empower women; her songwriting focuses on women in her life and how she’s been influenced by them.
Written by Anne Friedman