5 Minutes With… Henry Grace

Henry Grace: “There is a real magic in playing with people who understand each other and enjoy playing together.”

Having returned to the UK after living in California, the London-based songwriter discusses the transatlantic sound of his latest single

Though his first album was heavily based on his time in the USA – having moved to California when he was 21 – Henry Grace is back home in London and bringing a unique transatlantic sound to his music. His latest single, Say Something Mean, is the perfect example. What started as an intimate solo writing session at his kitchen table became a fully realised, and rocking, band arrangement produced alongside Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets).

The song highlights Henry’s growth from his Americana-rooted debut to a more collaborative and layered production. Working with his band and Harrison has been central to this change, helping shape his second album’s new sound.

In our interview, Grace opens up about his songwriting process, the role listening back to his own live performances plays in refining his songs, and how finding the right creative team has been key to his success. He also shares how living in London again has influenced his upcoming releases, and why Say Something Mean was the natural choice as his first new single.

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What can you tell us about the writing process behind Say Something Mean?

“I wrote the song at my kitchen table. Like most of the songs on this new album, it really grew wings and took flight when I took it to the band and we played it together and realised what a solid arrangement of the song could look like.”

Where did the overarching lyrical idea come about? 

“I wrote it at a time when I was quite frustrated with myself for making some of the same old mistakes over and over again. I think that song was coming from a place of wanting to get past certain struggles. For me it’s like turning a page. I think it’s a positive song.”

You mentioned the song came to life at your kitchen table – do you often write in that kind of setting, or was this song an exception?

“All of these songs started with just me at home. I would then take the songs to Blaine [Harrison] who co-produced the album with me and we would shape the songs together. We recorded lots of demos and then would come together as a whole band.

“There is a real magic in playing with people who understand each other and enjoy playing together. The arrangements came together quite easily. There were lots of songs in contention for this album and I think the songs we ended up choosing were the ones where the arrangements came together quickest, or most naturally, and that’s usually because they felt the best when we played them. Say Something Mean makes sense as a band song.”

How did collaborating with Blaine shape your songwriting?

“I love his voice. When making this album together, I wanted to make space for his voice and so you’ll hear his BVs with Tom on Say Something Mean. Beyond that, he really understood my music. We also have a mutual love for the same artists, people like Neil Young, The War on Drugs, Big Thief. Blaine brought unique and important ideas to the table throughout the whole process. When we were recording at Middle Farm in Devon, he was so calm and considerate in his ideas. He steered us in a really meaningful way, which I’m very grateful for.”

You said this track has a more transatlantic sound – what does that mean to you in your writing?

“My first record was very ‘Americana’ as it was written about my time living in the States. These songs were written in London and are mostly about my life and the experiences I’ve had living here in the UK. As a result, the production choices and songs themselves feel far less rooted in America as a place and perhaps more transatlantic.”

In terms of songwriting, what do you take away from your influences like Bonny Light Horseman and Hiss Golden Messenger?

“Yeah, good question. I think they’ve inspired me in different ways, but mostly the production of all their records is so high and the performances are so great that I knew when we recorded Say Something Mean that doing it live was the way to approach it.”

How does road testing songs live guide your decisions in the studio or what you plan to release in the future?

“It’s only really after you play songs live and when you listen back to them – whether it’s a demo recording or a live recording – that I think you can appreciate them differently. Say Something Mean grew into becoming a single in my mind and, when we went to record it, that’s how it transpired.

“Going out and playing these songs, either with the band or on my own, meant that when it came to recording, we had a pretty clear idea of what we wanted to do and what the arrangements would look like. It was really then about creating an environment where we could capture the best performances and Middle Farm was the perfect place to do that. We had brilliant engineers in Billy Foster and Soren Bryce, who worked so hard to make sure everything was sounding good.”

Outside of live performances, who did you go to when looking for feedback?

“Really it’s the band that I’m now playing with; Brian Love and Toby Evangelou have been playing with me for a few years and I trust them to tell me when a song is good.

“Similarly, over the last three years, Blaine has been the person I’ve gone to first with any new song. When it came to deciding how to make this record and who to make it with, he was the obvious choice, not only because I respect him and love him as a musician, but because he knew the songs so well and had already been such an important part of their journey.”

What made you choose Say Something Mean as the first single for this album?

“At every step of recording and mixing, Say Something Mean just felt strong and solid. I think the song marks a turning point – or a transition – from the first record, which was very singular. To have a song that really captures the spirit of this band is cool. They shaped a lot of how the song turned out.”

What do you think you’ve learned or taken away from making these new songs that you’ll take into the future?

“Working with the right people is the way to go. I feel so lucky to play music with these guys.”

Say Something Mean by Henry Grace is out now. For news on his upcoming second album, keep an eye on henrygracemusic.com

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