Gracie and Rachel are an orchestral pop duo whose black and white aesthetic highlights the dichotomy of their personal style and musical upbringing. The black part manifests itself through Rachel’s rigorous technicality: she’s a classically trained and highly skilled violinist who prefers darker tones with rigid notation. The white part is represented by Gracie’s buoyancy: she’s a contemporary pop enthused pianist who brightens Rachel’s somber undertones with brisk melodies. They even dress the part while performing; Gracie is naturally inclined to more colorful clothing, while Rachel’s wardrobe is mostly black.

This difference in musical understanding and outlook is what makes their performance so riveting. The opposing interplay helps the duo mimic and pull from one another’s style, adding a weighty texture to the poppier sections and freer form to its technicality. It’s a collaboration between writers whose shared living space and mutual goals fuse their disparate approaches. Through this dichotomy, they craft a brand of chamber pop that’s consciously at war within itself.

Gracie and Rachel have yet to release a debut of work, but the band’s official bio relays that “the forthcoming album, GO, is a penetrating record about questioning realities, anxious introspection and self-exploration which flows freely between virtuosic violin textures to sylphlike melodies, highlighting uniquely stimulating songwriting. The duo built the record from scratch in their Brooklyn loft with producer Garrett Eaton and mixed it at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Connecticut, renown for its long history with The National, Kurt Vile, San Fermin and the like. The result: a heartfelt glimpse into two passionate artists’ take on the powers that be. From the pit of despair to the summit of success, Gracie and Rachel will always be headed somewhere unpredictable.”

Watch the band perform tracks from the upcoming release on Audiotree Live.

Session Tracklist
1. Tiptoe
2. Go
3. (Un)comfortable
4. Upside Down
5. Don't Know

Hometown
Brooklyn, New York

Band Members
Gracie Coates – Piano and Vocals
Rachel Ruggles – Violin, Tambourine and Vocals
Additional Performer
David Linard – Percussion

Visit the band’s website

For our friends who live in countries where YouTube is blocked, watch the session on Vimeo.