I am just absolutely amazed with the rising talent from the ladies in Country Music. From the women breaking onto the scene now - such as Lainey Wilson, Ashland Craft and Hailey Whitters to fresh up and comers such as Carter Faith, Leah Marie Mason, Kaylin Roberson, SJ McDonald, Morgan Johnson and Lauren Weintraub. And you bet your ass Gray Robinson is in that mix. Very excited to see how her future unfolds in Music City. I sat down with Gray and talked about how pursuing music has always been her dream, appearing on The Bobby Bones Show and what music means to her.
Get To Know Gray
"I was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. I started playing guitar when I was 9 and started writing full songs at 13. It wasn't until I started traveling to Nashville to write with friends and people that I knew that I realized this is actually something to do for a living. I began going back and forth between Greensboro and Nashville in high school. Eventually, it was time to figure out where I was going to go to college. I wanted to go somewhere in Nashville and Belmont kept coming up. I applied to the songwriting program there, got in and loved it. I've been writing and meeting people and doing this thing for over 4 years now."
Creative Songwriting Leading To Hit Songs
Early on in her career, Gray Robinson is already showcasing her top tier songwriting. First with her jam "Happy" she shares a common sense of closure in a cool and fresh way. With fairytale ridden "Damsel in this Dress", she brings heartbreak to light and intertwines it with such a creative concept. Gray has this vibrant vibe to her that will resonate with fans. With her storytelling ability, there is a high chance you will be seeing her name a lot around Nashville and beyond. Since being released on July 6th, 2021, "Damsel in this Dress" has racked up over 185,000 streams on Spotify.
Inspiration Behind "Damsel in this Dress"
Written By: Gray Robinson, Lauren Hungate & Jonathan Gamble,
Produced By: Andrew Pacheco
"I wrote it with Lauren Hungate and Jonathan Gamble. It was actually Lauren's idea. We freaked out over the idea and jumped on it right away. No question we were going to write it that day. That song ended up being one of my favorite writes of all-time. My favorite part of the song is the last line. I feel like most of the song is sad, the relationship doesn't work out, the first date doesn't work out. At the end, the girl realizes that her worth isn't with that guy and it's his loss because I look damn good in this dress, so whatever. It was such a fun day and that's where it came from. So much credit to Lauren, she's a genius."
Q & A With Gray Robinson
Q: What was the "light bulb" moment you knew you wanted to pursue music?
A: "Music was always a part of me. I knew I wanted to do it - to play an instrument or sing - but I didn't know I could do it until I started coming to Nashville. I was like "oh my gosh, people actually do this, they actually make money, they actually write everyday and they love it. I can do it too". Then I knew I had to apply to college and figure out my life. But I knew there was no other option besides moving to Nashville. I never had a plan B besides pursuing music."
Q: What was the experience like being on The Bobby Bones Show? And how has Tik Tok impacted your music?
A: "The Bobby Bones thing was the most amazing thing I've ever done. He's the nicest person ever and his entire team is incredible. Tik Tok. If it wasn't for Tik Tok, I wouldn't have been on the show. It was so crazy though, when I first started posting on Tik Tok, my sister was the one who told me I had to start using it even though I had no idea what I was doing. Once I started, I posted my song "Happy" and it went crazy. I was blown away with the impact Tik Tok truly has. It has helped me a ton. The whole Bobby Bones experience was amazing. Afterwards, he added "Happy" to “The Women of iHeart Country" playlist and it was incredible. I got to hear the song on the radio and all this stuff. It has all happened so quickly. I graduated college and was still figuring out if I was going to be an artist. Did I just want to be a songwriter? "Happy" having a great reaction on Tik Tok and being on The Bobby Bones show confirmed to me that I should pursue the artist thing. Deep down I always wanted to be an artist, but it's a hard thing to do which is why I was uncertain about pursuing that path."
Q: Who are some artists and songwriters who influence your music?
A: "I'm kind of all over the place. I'd say a lot of my influences are pop and country. I love Julia Michaels and JP Saxe; their writing and the way they phrase things... you just can't help but be amazed by it. Rascal Flatts, Lady A, Maroon 5 and Dan + Shay are by far my #1’s. I've always loved them. I'm a big melody person. Growing up I always listened to the top 40 of whatever they played. They have changed over time, but I'd say those are my favorites as of now."
Q: Why is music so important to you?
A: "Music, throughout my life, has been an outlet for me, like different seasons in my life. Sometimes when I didn't know how I was feeling, certain songs would tell me and put words to what I was going through. As an artist and writer, being able to do that for other people is incredible. Through Tik Tok I've been able to see people reacting to my songs. And I've been there - where I've been like "wow...I really needed that". People connecting to my music and words is why I do what I do."
If you are just discovering Gray Robinson follow her on Apple Music, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Tik Tok