2020 has been a seriously weird year for all of us. We are currently living through a global pandemic that is regulating our lives and dominating our thoughts and conversations at the moment. It has provided people with a decision, whether to use this time to be productive and to grow or to be cowed by the whole thing and lose motivation. Thankfully, many artists have chosen the former and this year has seen some phenomenal music being created despite the adversity.
One of these people is Kilkenny singer/songwriter and producer, Robert Grace. The talented performer had been plying his trade for years as a producer in his own studio at home in the marble county working with some of the most exciting names on the Irish music scene, while also releasing solo music.
Lockdown has been a very productive time for Grace and would lead to the release of his debut single, and also the development of a big following on the popular video site, Tik Tok.
This video, along with the various others on his Tik Tok site, help to demonstrate the understanding that Grace has for arranging music in interesting and engaging ways. Coming from a background of being a talented and esteemed producer, there is a professionalism and impressive nature to the songs that he creates, and it is clear that he knows exactly what he wants from the music he makes.
Back in June of this year (2020), Robert Grace released his newest single, Fake Fine. A song that explores the feeling of suffering internal with mental health issues, while trying to give off the impression that all is fine. The song cleverly uses the pandemic as a mechanism for making the feelings at the core of the song more relatable to the listener.
The imagery in this song is a prime demonstration of the songwriting ability of the Kilkenny man, as we see mental health struggles represented in the context of the struggles of a pandemic. Grace talks us through the difficulty that comes with having self esteem issues in the opening verse of the song, while still trying to maintain a strong exterior. This is something that will be extremely relatable to many people listening to the song.
“27
Life is Armageddon
I’ve got clinical depression
Cause my minds an imperfectionist”
However, the true magic of this song comes in the ways that Grace uses the current global situation as a way of drawing the listener into the subject matter of the song. At the moment, everyone is existing through a time where we are seemingly surrounded with bad news and uncertainty and that feeling of trying to stay positive when inside you feel lost is something that many are currently battling with. That sensation of being “fake fine” is the prevalent sensation of 2020 with no escape, and it is captured marvelously here by Grace.
“Bad luck if you’re someone like me
Got your head above water but you still can’t even breath
It’s a Pandemic, it’s a fuckin disease,
And it’s following me…”
It’ll be fun to see what comes next from the talented man.
MK
Covert Music Club 