Gracie Abrams has opened for Taylor Swift throughout the Eras Tour, embracing the opportunity as the ultimate learning experience — and she’s even had some on-the-job training.
When Swift, 34, invited Abrams, 24, to perform a duet with her during one show last year, Abrams says she “blacked out.”
“It’s a real master class to watch her do what she does,” Abrams said during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, May 8. “I felt like I was at college for this job. I watched every single one of her shows that I was lucky enough to open. I watched from every place possible in each stadium, just trying to pick up on how she’s able to do what she does.”
“What she does so unbelievably well in these kinds of rooms is, sometimes you feel like you’re on Mars and sometimes you feel like the only two people in the stadium are you and her because she’s just so connected to her audience,” Abrams continued. “It’s really magical and to have been in their orbit for a summer was a crazy dream.”
For Gracie, daughter of film director J.J. Abrams, there’s no one better to learn from. Swift has ascended from singer to global icon over the past decade, amassing a net worth of over $1 billion as she sells out stadiums around the world.
Swift gave Gracie a chance to perform alongside her during a show in Cincinnati last July after her opening act was scrapped due to rain. The two performed Gracie’s 2020 breakthrough hit, “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” during Swift’s surprise song portion of the show.
“Taylor texted me being like, ‘Hey, come out with me and do ‘I Miss You, I’m Sorry?’” she recounted to Fallon. “We ran it one time in her room and then did it there. I blacked out.”
Swift and Gracie were also joined by Aaron Dessner that night, and the trio performed Swift’s 2020 song “Ivy.”
“She’s one of my favorite friends and I love her so much. We haven’t sung together before, so I wanted to bring Gracie out on stage,” Swift told the audience, adding that “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” is one of her favorite songs.
“I have no words, actually,” Gracie replied.
Now with a masters in Swiftology, Gracie performed her new single, “Risk,” on The Tonight Show, marking the song’s TV debut.
Gracie’s new album, The Secret of Us, comes out on June 21.
