In this episode of Backstage Money, Jason K Powers sits down with Grace Graber, a rising Christian pop punk artist known for her bold covers, raw honesty, and outspoken conversations around mental health, faith, and the realities of being an independent musician.

Grace shares her powerful origin story, including how music played a role in saving her life, what led her to pursue a career in music, and why authenticity matters more than image. From moving to Nashville and building her career independently, to balancing touring, social media growth, and working a day job, she gives an unfiltered look at what it actually takes to keep going as an artist today.

The conversation dives into the business side of music, including why streaming income alone is not enough, how touring and merchandise have become essential, and the financial pressure musicians face behind the scenes. Grace speaks candidly about money stress, uncertainty, and the emotional toll of chasing a calling in an industry that rarely offers stability.

This episode is a must-listen for independent musicians, Nashville artists, pop punk fans, and anyone trying to balance creativity, faith, mental health, and real-world financial pressure while building a career that lasts.

Topics covered include:

1. Independent music careers
2. Touring and merchandise as income
3. Streaming realities for artists
4. Social media growth and visibility
5. Mental health and faith
6. Working a day job while pursuing music
7. Financial pressure in the music industry

Backstage Money is real-world finance for musicians, where music and money collide through honest conversations with artists and industry professionals who are living it.

Connect with Grace Graber

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracegraber

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracegrabermusic

Website: https://www.gracegraber.com

Backstage Money

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Facebook: https://facebook.com/backstagemoney

Get the free ebook, A Musician’s Guide to Infinite Banking, at

https://1024wealth.com/music

Jason K Powers: Welcome to Backstage Money, real World Finance for Musicians.

I'm your host, Jason K. Powers, and this is where music and money collide

with honest stories and practical lessons from people who make it work.

Let's get to it.

So today I am joined by Christian Music Pop Punk Princess Grace Graber.

She is a ri, she is a rising artist, recently known for bold punk edge covers.

As well as candid conversations around faith and mental health.

Her latest ep, everything You Ever Wanted, just released recently and

she's been building a real community across streaming and socials.

Grace, welcome to the show.

Hi.

You wanna have a real combo about finances?

Are be like, oh no.

Yeah.

Oh no.

You're gonna have like Grace.

She's gonna get real, real.

And it's about a real thing.

You sure?

No.

Jason K Powers: We want to hear it all.

That's right.

We'll see what kind of trouble we can find.

You know, never know what we're gonna stumble into on these

talks, you know, with people,

Oh yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure you've had so many different walks

of life slash like opinion, like this is like a very fragile topic because

it's, people have different opinions on the, like I'm very private sometimes

when it comes to this stuff, but like I'll, we'll see where we, it takes us.

Jason K Powers: Well, we're not asking how much money is in everybody's bank accounts

and all that kind of thing, so we're like,

Ooh, good.

Jason K Powers: yeah, we're not doing

Yeah, because the honest truth is I'm still, I still feel

like a college kid, so, you know.

Yeah,

Jason K Powers: That's it.

Well, really before we dive into things, I wanna actually hear kind

of a little bit of your origin story.

I would say we would love to hear kind of, how did you, did you get here?

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: all of a sudden you're, you're popping up everywhere, at least

on my feeds, and I see it all the time.

But how did you get into music?

I mean,

Popping up overnight, as they say.

Well, I've, I haven't really been doing this very long.

I'm just gonna be really honest.

I've only started Grace Grabber in the last five years,

so it's, it's pretty cool.

It's been a huge grind to just get wake up one day and go.

God is calling me to this and so I, when I was 12 years old, I was

physically and verbally assaulted by other girls in middle school,

and it was it was really bad.

I developed undiagnosed PTSD from it and later found out, yeah, oh gosh.

C-P-T-S-D is, it's real.

And yeah a Hawk Nelson song essentially stopped me from committing suicide and, y

Yeah, it told, it told me I wasn't alone.

It told me that like God was gonna be there for me.

And I believed it.

And I will tell you this I, I start in these underground Christian rock concerts,

these bands, no one's heard of these just underground Christian rock bands.

Like I would meet these bands and I'd be like, man, the people

who know me wanna hurt me.

But these, these guys like.

They love me so well, and why is that?

And that's how I discovered my own faith and like who Jesus was and really

healed from my PTSD by going to these concerts and really found myself by

watching these guys make video blogs and just be authentically themselves.

And so, honestly, grace Grabber's, just an extension of Hawk Nelson at this point.

Like, they, they're all in my life.

I, I started in 2020 when the band ended, and that was not,

that was not like planned at all.

It just my, the doors finally opened.

I wrote a jingle for the spa that I work for.

And the company put out a nationwide songwriting contest.

And so I wrote the company jingle essentially, and then that

opened doors when I I'm so sorry.

I'm choking on my own spit.

When I did the songwriting contest, essentially I met someone I grew up

listening to who I shared my Hawk Nelson story with, and he was like do you

realize like how marketable that is?

And I was like, not really.

Like it's my suicide story.

Like, you know, like I'm not.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

I'm not trying to advertise that I'm like suicidal, but okay.

But the more and more I started doing music after 2020.

I, I was doing well, like marketing, like you mentioned, social media.

Like I just I, I had these songs that I was working on.

It was like, what's the only freeway of doing anything?

Social media is the only freeway to like properly market yourself and

utilizing it to, it's a like vantage.

But I will tell you, when I moved to Nashville when I

decided to move to Nashville.

I started getting a little more open about my story online and it was reaching

people and it turned into people going, like, I've had fans tell me like, I

Googled how to get help and you came up, you know, it's just like, what?

Like, that's like, that's only God.

But I shared you know, Hawk Nelson song saved my life and this is, I wanna

be alive and I kind of wanna write songs to do that for someone else.

And then.

The more and more we've gotten into it, the more it's like,

oh, well the punk thing, like that's the most authentic for me.

And and now it's like, man, I, you know, I don't owe those guys anything,

but now they're in my life and now they get to see like the fruit of

all that work that they put in.

So it, I'm, it's like a huge honor to.

Yeah, to be hawks little sis and then, you know, save more lives and watch

the fruit of God doing one thing in me.

And then now I have fans at shows that it's like it comes out of the woodwork.

You really just don't know how God's using your music.

And so then these punk covers are opening up Christian pop Punk to

Gen Z. And there's just like a whole lot to it right now, and I'm kind

of curious about what God's doing.

But I'm also like, I'm just a girl who was a Hawk Nelson fan.

So, yeah, that's, that's the origin story of Grace Graver is I'm just a

huge fan girl of my favorite band.

And then it turned into like my career.

So, you can imagine how they feel.

Jason K Powers: yeah.

Right,

Oh yeah.

Jason K Powers: you hear that so much about, you know, all the artists I

talk to, that sentiment is said a lot like we're fans also, you know, and

I think there's a public perception of, oh, the, the musicians just.

Like their

Well,

Jason K Powers: you know,

some.

Jason K Powers: I mean, we know that's not true,

Well, like some, some of them it's it's

their job, like straight up.

I'm not gonna lie.

I've had those conversations with artists that it's okay,

that's kind of disappointing.

Like,

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

But like I've, for the people that I have connected with the

most, for the most part, it's like we understand the feeling you get when

you hear a song and you're like, Ooh.

That's impactful.

You understand that feeling because you've had that feeling happen in a

very critical part of your own life, and so it's like when songwriters are just

chasing the song for the business yeah, it takes years for them to find that song.

No, duh, because you're trying to find a feeling that can

only be experienced by experie.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

And that is something like literally, I, I, I saw John yesterday we

were talking about that and he was, you know, he is like, you, maybe you need to

find the song that makes people feel that.

And, you know, and I was like, yeah.

It like, I know what that feels like.

That was Hawk for me.

You know, and I need to chase, I need to chase that feeling that I got when I

first heard that Hawk Nelson song or when I, when I, when I first met the band.

You chase that.

Feeling like that's the awe and wonder, and I think it's so hard in music

because you're exposed to it every day.

You lose that awe and wonder.

Hence why I wrote Pressure.

I finally I finally did it all.

Like I went on tour.

I was writing songs.

I, I had really cool opportunities and Pressure came from a place

of man, this ain't satisfying.

This really sucks.

Like, actually I've lost, I've kind of lost.

It's it was so much more fun when I was a kid dreaming about it than

it was like after it happened.

And now it's like, okay, this kind of blow, like it doesn't blow.

It's just like, it's, it's kind of like, oh, now what?

You know, like, yeah.

Jason K Powers: What's next?

Right, right.

Well, so let's talk a minute about, you know, which is how I

stumbled across you originally.

That's, I mean, I technically, I found you on a, on a playlist and

I put, I put you on my playlist and then I, I put two and two together.

I was like, Hey.

And so I reached out.

Social media girl, and.

Jason K Powers: That's right.

That's right, that's right.

So let's talk about that social media thing for a little bit.

You know, your social presence has really surged, safe to say this year

In the last week.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

And so what prompted that or what led to that?

How did you get to that point?

Was it intentional or was it like, oh, I'm onto something

here, so you keep pursuing that?

How did, how did

Well.

Jason K Powers: be?

I like when it started, when I first started music, it was like,

this is the only free thing I can do.

And I'm like, I can't afford much.

I didn't even know what marketing was.

I just knew like I had to utilize everything and be loud.

That was, that was my word, was be loud, be louder than everybody else online.

And that is kind of, you can out I can out hustle like anyone if I'm

loud and like obnoxious online.

Truly like I feel like it's the people who like, you know, I don't know, like

I it, but also online is such a myth and a lie, so I do need to call that out.

Like when it looks like I'm loud on social media does not mean huge things

are happening in the background as well.

Like it's, it's all just a lie.

So I know the enemy can kind of use that to warp people's minds of yeah,

you're gaining tr, you're doing great.

It's yeah, well I'm still working a full-time job.

I'm still like pinching pennies to pay for the next song.

Like I'm just, because it's blowing up, it's exposure, it's great, it's awesome.

It gets to save more lives.

Like it has to align with that at the end of the day for me, like it

has to, and so it's saving lives.

That's great.

But yeah, I think like social media could be such a myth.

And so I did wanna call that out before.

It's you know, talking about how cool and awesome and it's such a myth.

Like I. Yeah, I still have to pay my bills.

It's not like music is paying for it right now.

So I didn't wanna point that out.

But I will say it started with me just utilizing every free opportunity.

I have a video editing background.

I have a like I went and got certified in high school with Adobe and

went to a special school for that.

So, video design, you name it is just like.

Up my alley in Jo.

I like love doing that.

I would, I would personally love to just do that for a bunch of artists, like be a

creative director at a label or something.

That would be awesome.

But yeah, it, it's, it's benefited me.

So I just was like, okay, I know I like that part.

And this is the way I love posting, I love updating about my day.

That's fine.

So I just post every day.

And when I moved to Nashville and then got more real with my story and kind of more,

brave with my message because I moved to town to do the pop thing, like the

Christian radio thing, and I, I vetted and dated labels and, I did, I did all that.

And it was like, yeah, that's cool.

And I would just KI kept telling my story and they'd be like, you're a rock artist.

What are you talking about?

If this is like what fuels you, you are in the wrong genre.

And then I started getting real online with social media, like when I first

moved here about four years ago.

And I had some mental health reels like blow up and get like

millions of views and that was cool.

And so I was known as like the mental health girl for a little bit.

Then just recently, like it took a lull for a long time of me just like posting.

And then I was gearing up for a Hawk Nelson cover and I started like just

posting lip syncing videos of me lip syncing to the song that I was

gonna release my own version of.

And that blew up.

And then I've had this idea in my brain for two years of I know

I wanna be like fully pop punk.

Like I've wanted to get there and I've, I've had people just I like in my

life who have allowed me to get there.

And I, I've always wanted to just do punk versions of Christian songs

because no one knows what pop punk is anymore, and they're telling me I'm not.

And it's like, let me just show 'em up and show them that I

know what it's like, you know?

Jason K Powers: me show you.

Yeah, like I, I know my stuff is advertently pop, I'm very

aware, but I've had this idea of look Hawk Nelson, like they went pop, they

went pop, but they were traditionally a punk band at the beginning.

And I just love that sound and I wanna bring that back into their legacy.

And so I don't know, it just.

I just had this idea and I vocalized it to a couple people.

And finally, Josiah Prince, he's with Disciple.

He finally is like, honestly, let's do it.

That sounds like really fun.

And Josiah was in Philmont, and Philmont was such a, like

huge band for me too as a teen.

So we're kind of like, honestly, I, I looked at him the other day and I'm

like, I'm in awe that like I get to.

Revive this genre with someone who shaped the genre for me in the first place.

So it's really cool.

But I had this idea and then it just did well, and I don't know, I can't tell you

how, I don't know, but it's just it's, it's because Gen Z is who's in control

right now, and they recognize those songs.

And so they're, they're recognizing the song and then now they're

like, oh, a whole different genre that I've never heard of before.

So

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

I truly, I truly just think it's like.

Timing.

And I also think too, like you've gotta meet these kids where they're at.

We can't be pushing new music down their throat all the time and

expecting them to like, like it when they don't even recognize it.

So, it's been fun and I've, I've had a mindset shift on covers.

I used to say I'd never do a cover that's bs like IIO obviously am doing covers now.

And, and like I'm noticing the benefits of doing covers is because people get

exposed to the thing they know they like with someone new that they might like,

So I couldn't tell you rhyme or reason.

Honestly.

I posted the Forrest Frank one.

I had just gotten the videos and I was like, is it too soon?

And I was like, honestly, I'm excited about this.

I should just post it.

So

Jason K Powers: Yes, yes, yes.

Couldn't wait.

Couldn't wait.

Well, so it's a lot of, I mean, effectively trial and error

on the social media, it was just trying different things.

You were just posting what you wanted out there.

Oh, you have to have

Jason K Powers: of

fun.

Yeah.

You just have to like, it just, it's trial, like you said, trial and error.

It's like.

But you have to have fun.

Like I'm so tired of all these people, like overthinking it a little bit.

It's just like, put it out.

Just try it.

Why not?

And if people like it and you hate it, how cool is it to know?

Like the thing that you didn't really like that much people love,

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

but like the thing and they might even love even more

the thing you like, like you know.

So, wow.

Jason K Powers: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So that maybe that's a good conversation for people is

the self-conscious side of it.

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: Put my stuff out there.

What if it's rejected?

Well, well then you have to keep going like honestly, there's, yeah.

What if it's rejected?

Then are you gonna stop?

Are you kidding?

Then you shouldn't even start it in the first place if you're gonna stop.

Jason K Powers: that's it.

That's it.

Like, no, like sure.

Jason K Powers: let's.

will tell you, I restarted, so I've always written songs like Hawk

Nelson inspired me as a teenager and this is something I talk to artists all

the time 'cause it's a, a valid thing.

And, and, and this is like why people are like, you know, why aren't you

waiting to get signed and all that?

It's honestly because one, people are dying and like they need an active

big sister out there, like promoting.

But it's like I had someone look me in the eye one day and tell me how much,

all the reasons why I wasn't putting out music were lies, like literally.

And he didn't give any grace around it.

He was like, I hear you, but no.

And it was like, it was kind of disappointing 'cause

it's like, hear me out.

But at the same time it's like, no, you're right.

I'm always gonna have a reason not to do it, so might as well

beat the odds and just do it.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Well, let's kind of spin to, we talked about covers and, and

you just had recently put out this punk version of Lemonade.

And it caught a wave.

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: to speak.

And, and so what, you know, from a standpoint, let's say on, on your end,

was there anything after once that hit and you're like, oh my gosh, you know,

what, what was like the, was there any kind of scrambling efforts to,

Oh,

Jason K Powers: on that?

are you, are you serious?

Yeah, like literally this week, like it's been so much, like even my team is

like navigating like I think they like, it's like it's still new territory, this

whole like overnight social media thing.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

like it's been a lot of Hey we, should I calling up Josiah going.

Do you have any time to finish this?

And then like my, my team, my distribution going.

When do we drop it?

Like we want it to have the best opportunity but this is really

fast and people want it now.

And it's like a completely different world to navigate.

But what it's actually showing me is I need to be ready, like

at all times now, like so.

I've got a game like it honestly put a game plan and a fire under my butt.

I'm posting more and more punk covers and I'm just like, I have

all this content built around just Christian songs going punk.

And and now we're like, well, these are doing well, so let's

just see what top four do the best

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

and, just decide.

And like in November, so by the time we're done recording, all of the

coverage will be out that I've done.

And I even have more producers reaching out to me and asking to

be a part of it, like they want to get involved, which is dope like.

Jason K Powers: great.

So around the time, at the end of the year, like we will

have seen how all of these performed.

And then I, I, I've definitely created a game plan now, like it,

you, like it was exciting to post it and then you get a hundred thousand

views overnight and you're like.

Jason K Powers: Oh,

That was my goal number by the way.

Like of we're gonna release it.

Like we sat there in the studio, like, what number should we

like, release this Uhhuh?

We're thinking it's gonna take a couple weeks to get there.

And it's like, I called Josiah the next day and it is like that just

hit a hundred k. Less than 24 hours.

And it's a lot.

It's a lot.

But I, this is where our world is coming to.

So we have to be ready and prepared and and I have to know now if someone

likes something, I have to be ready.

So, yeah, my team was stressed.

I was stressed out.

And it's like I'm a little indie and I'm paying for this out of

pocket, but God provides so.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

So, I mean, I think the takeaway for, for any of the music guys

listening is have some kind of basic

Oh, have a plan no matter what, like, yeah.

Yeah.

Just if you're, if it's like something like that where it's really cool

and it's like this could like maybe.

But I think people are, I think I was afraid to have a plan

going into it is because what if it did fail at the same time?

And it's like, yeah, what if it does fail?

And it's the same thing we talked about earlier.

It's like, am I gonna stop if it fails?

No.

It'll be like a fun thing.

Like I had so much fun working on those songs.

So like it wasn't a failure no matter what, you know, like

it really depends on your.

Goals, and I'd always wanted to do an idea like this.

And so yeah, I'm gonna jump on it.

It's like, oh, now I'm the punk girl, praise God.

You know, yes, I will, let's, let's capitalize this.

And I was the one who was jumping down my team's throats

of like, how do we get this out?

And it was a lot of like me trying to figure out like what is the best

option from what was essentially.

Handed to me as options.

Like I think that's there's always ways to get it done, but

it, you gotta follow your gut.

Jason K Powers: Sure, sure.

I get it.

So talk to me about the streaming side.

Have you had any luck on the streaming side?

In, I mean, has, has, has there been some direct correlation?

Right.

Social media has exploded.

Oh yeah.

No, it like went up.

Yeah, it went up a little bit.

I mean, I did, yeah, I texted my team like I think a couple days after, like,

oh, it went up by like a thousand people.

That's cool.

But honestly, I'm gonna be really honest with you, I don't pay attention to

that because there are so many, like my numbers on Apple are so different

than Spotify and my numbers on Amazon, like Amazon loves me, but it's like

my numbers across the board are just.

The fan base is just so different.

So I don't really not, I like yes and no.

But I don't think that should ever be the goal.

I think like what that did for me the most was kick a fire under my

booty to get like these songs done.

But I, yeah, if streaming happens, it happens.

Eh,

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

I think, I think like the best takeaway is it has to be for you.

At the end of the day, like people like, sure, it's cool.

This could perform.

That's awesome.

I haven't, I, it is not out yet, so I don't know how it's gonna perform,

but if it doesn't, who cares?

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

What's

was, I was aware I was gonna lose that money

anyways, like, you know, like Yeah.

Jason K Powers: well, what's been your main,

Revenue stream in from music a whole, like

Oh, shows.

Jason K Powers: new

Shows.

Shows.

Mm-hmm.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, shows change everything.

Like I I love playing shows and I'm still smaller and people are still

getting to know me, so it's not something that is like sustainable full time.

But like I know when I have a show coming up, I have a sense of whew.

You know, like, okay.

That's gonna be much better.

But mostly most of my revenue is just from working at my spa.

That's it.

Like I, I will pick up shifts.

When I first started, I worked an opening stocking shift from 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM and

then I went, worked the front desk at the spa, and then I'd work as an aesthetician.

The, the whole point of this is if you want it for you, you gotta go get it.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

Yeah.

That's awesome.

I mean, I, I think that's important and that that's more common than we think it

is with rising artists, you know, is the grind we called it, you know, the grind.

Not just trying to make music, get music out there and get in front of people, but.

Everyone's got a day job also

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: that they've gotta maintain or something, some

kind of side hustle at worst.

Yeah.

I mean like.

Work ethic is really big.

Like it's usually the people who quit, you know, a couple years in or

quit after they're done with a label.

I can't speak, but like it's all about understand, like, I feel like

that now that I've worked this much I understand like what it takes.

And like I don't have to rely on anybody now.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

That's the coolest thing about this is yeah, label will maybe

be a good opportunity later, but right now it's, I've got a good rhythm.

It's not terrible.

Like shows come in and that helps.

But I don't know.

Like I'm not, I don't know.

I'm not doing it for that.

I'm doing it to save lives, you know, and so it's like this is my ministry.

My time is.

You know, my tithe and yeah.

Hmm.

Jason K Powers: Well, it seems like a lot of artists, you know, they, they

kind of come into the business and.

Think the music side is gonna replace their job, we'll call

it job side here pretty fast.

it doesn't pan out, that pan out that way.

And it's a little, it's a little disheartening,

No.

Even if you are taking shows here's the thing you know, like there

might be a season where you're touring a ton and you're making lots

of money, but girl, there's also gonna be a season where you're not

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

you can't just get ex, like you gotta like.

And not to have a scarcity mindset, but it's like you have to have an

awareness to the fact that okay, like it's important like talking about

financial, it's important to have a plan intact for when you do make a

lot of money and it's important to have a plan for when you need to spend

a lot of money and being prepared.

The most.

Like preparation is like the key to even this conversation we're having.

Like my whole thing is, like with my jobs, is essentially I'm prepping in case

I have to step in and the Lord steps in over and over again, but like I, I have

to be ready to go to make it happen And,

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

yeah.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

You mentioned when we were a couple weeks ago about you made a comment

that stuck out for me and it was.

Keep dreaming when it feels impossible.

Hmm.

Jason K Powers: And you're like, I don't even remember saying that.

Right.

I don't,

Jason K Powers: But

but it sounds like me.

Jason K Powers: said, you said, yeah, you said that.

And, and I think that's a, that's a great perspective.

And like you're saying for artists, you gotta, you gotta do it for you,

Yeah

Jason K Powers: one and you know, if you have even further,

cause like in your case, it's.

For other people also, it's not a selfish endeavor in, you know, in the end

no.

Jason K Powers: understanding my music has impact on people in a very personal way,

and that's motivating, you know, and, and

yeah, I Hawk Nelson keeps me grounded.

It keeps me being that Hawk Nelson fan.

Like I know the feeling of what a song feels like when it really impacts you.

And sometimes I'll listen to an old album and I'll be like, wow, yeah, I forgot.

That's really cool, but also like it's kept me grounded 'cause it's.

Man, they had a whole career and they experienced it all.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Man, what if I just put 1% more effort and just to try to save

life even more So, and just followed in their footsteps and and just kept

that number one fan mentality of it, this is so cool that this is happening.

Like

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

I have to walk into every single.

Thing like that.

Even my work, even my job, I have to walk in to work and go in to

make money for music or a show.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

insane that this is happening.

And I never, I really never want to lose that.

And I, I, I think like continuing to like harness like the excite,

like I, I think that helps.

But that's, that's kind of the way I stay.

Grounded in all of that is like, this isn't about me, this is about baby

grace and like what Hawk did for her.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

That's

And if I can be that for someone else, that's like it.

So you have to keep dreaming when it feels impossible because there's a, a

baby version of yourself out there whose life is gonna be saved because of it.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

So

how do you balance now, you know, you're, you're working effectively 24

hours a day, it seems, you know, lately.

And what's a, is there a struggle to, or how do you balance, let's say, we'll

call it work life to include music,

Oh, I mean, there's no, right now,

Jason K Powers: JOB?

Yeah.

All just chaos.

JOB music and a personal life, you know.

I mean,

Jason K Powers: there's a push and pull?

There's a, there's a, what are you finding as you

well, I mean, you, you have your people that you prioritize.

You have like my husband priority.

Totally.

But also like I have like a li like.

I hate to say it like, but like a, a couple friends where it's,

if they called me and we wanna do something that's more important to me.

Like right now, like those relationships are like at the top level.

But I'm gonna be really honest, it's hard for me to make new friends right now

because I don't have any extra time to go.

People wanna get coffee all the time.

It's I, I feel like a jerk, but I just truly don't have time.

I've just actually been inviting them to come get facials.

If you wanna spend time.

Come to my work and see me there.

But I like, and I, I think that's an okay thing for me not to have

a balance right now, because eventually things have to balance out.

Like things will balance out.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

God is called me to this immediately.

It is right in front of me.

It's happening now and I have to enjoy it.

And so it's like, honestly, there's not really a balance, but.

I don't know, like my marriage will always be there.

You know, like my, my, my family will always be there.

My friends, the friends that love me the most, they're always

there when I am ready to call.

But they honestly yeah, I have some friends in Oregon we don't talk all

the time, but there are best friends and every time I go, oh, I'm so sorry.

I haven't called in a while, and she'd be like.

Grace, you're, you're doing what you are made to do.

Do not apologize for that.

And I think that's how the Lord feels about it too sometimes.

Like where it's like, it's like, Lord, I'm so sorry I haven't rested.

Or I'm so sorry.

It's he's like grace, like you don't have to explain yourself to me.

And same with my husband.

Like I will come home from a whole day and be like, I am so tired.

I don't, I don't even know.

Like I'll let me just.

Dump the whole day on you.

You know, it's just like,

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

I don't know, like it's God's active and moving right now.

And so, I think it's okay that it's like this for right now.

It's when we get into the 10 year mark and it's like, it's like, okay, grace, you

are, you are mentally ill at this point.

You know, like,

Jason K Powers: yeah.

That's right.

That's right.

Ride.

Ride the wave.

You know?

yeah.

Yeah.

That's what my cousin, she said to me like, if you feel

like working out, go work out.

If you don't feel like it, you don't have to.

So it's right now it's like I, I have kind of like all the relationships

like I could ask for right now.

And and I have, I'm, I'm full, like I'm on full technically.

So it's like I just lean into it.

So I don't know.

And it just all kind of morphs, like me and my band.

They're just like in my life now, you know, like they're, when I'm like with,

with my guitar player or with my producer, like honestly that's my friend time.

That's my, I don't know it, it doesn't feel like work when

you're doing the right things.

And so I, yeah, I'm working all the time, but I love what I do at the

spa and I love what I do in music.

So, it only gets tired when I, I'm doing something like out of the feeling

of needing to do it, and it is like, oh, like I should not have done that.

I didn't want to do that.

So that, that's exhausting.

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: right, right.

I wanted to kind of talk a little bit about the independent road

Ask me.

Jason K Powers: versus the label road.

Okay.

So tell us a little bit about, you've chosen to go independent maybe,

maybe not even totally by choice, but you, you would qualify as an indie

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: and not signed by label.

Talk to me a little bit about what your thoughts are behind that.

Should everybody go independent?

Well, no.

Jason K Powers: go with the label?

Should what?

What should people be looking at in your opinion?

I understand we have a million schools of thought.

Yeah.

Oh.

Jason K Powers: culture and in this industry, and it's,

it's a, there's so many

you know,

And there's so many different artists with so many

different paths, with so many different options with I mean, think

about the Fort Franks who are just uploading to distro kid to like the.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

know, the people who are signing to these major companies

and doing like huge dis deals.

There's so many, it's so customizable right now.

'cause the sky's the limit.

And for me, so I moved to Nashville and I was, I was trying to get signed.

I was meeting with everybody.

I was trying to say everything I could say that was right.

And trying to do all the right things.

And one of the, the A&R's who he was one of the reasons I moved here.

He watched me do that and he's like, Nan, you're just like the

hustle I have, like the mindset I have is like, I don't need to wait.

I can, but I don't really need to.

So it really just, he, he just was like, Hey, I've got these guys.

They're in the UK.

They just started a distribution company.

They left a bunch of labels.

They were, they used to work for distribution for labels.

And they, they kind have a perspective where you might not need to get signed.

And I think that might be cool for you to chat with because I was noticing it was

gonna take a while for anything to happen.

I had music and like momentum and I didn't wanna lose that.

And I was like, okay.

So I met with them and they were like, you're a pioneer of a

whole different brand of artists.

And I, because like I knew like the traditional thing to do, but I was like

this, there's gotta be more to this than just like waiting to get signed and doing

it the way someone else wants to do it.

Before this was even popular, they offered me a distribution deal.

And it I was, I was told by people, that is a mistake.

You shouldn't do that.

I was told like like that I was told like that was a mistake and

I don't think, I think it was like cool because these guys who.

New, the ropes on distribution, were starting to believe in me and I was

one of the original artists signed to this like distribution company

and now they have publishing too.

And now they have a great team of people who, like, I've created

really cool relationships personally, like in the streaming world

because people believe in them.

And it says a lot when you know you have an artist that's good and

they believe in you, and they're like, yeah, we wanna hear about her.

We wanna know more about her.

And so I went the untraditional before it was popular.

Now it's so popular to do a distribution deal.

Like I'm almost like, y'all told me I was crazy.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

Y'all told me I was crazy and I did it before anyone

else, and now everyone's looking.

And same with social media is I guarantee you let's see what these punk covers do.

I guarantee you people are gonna start doing it.

You know, they're gonna, they're gonna see it works.

But yeah so choosing independent for right now is the best because there is a

lot of energy around what I'm doing and.

Like it's a 10 year town.

That's what they always tell you.

It's a 10 year town.

People don't blow up Chappell Roan did not blow up overnight.

She was signed, she was dropped, and then she blew up.

So it's like there, there's a whole music life that happens before people.

Even blow up out of nowhere.

And I'm aware I've not reached that point yet.

Like it's cool that these reels are like popping off and stuff,

but I know like my overnight like success moment is not here yet.

Like it's gonna take a couple more years probably, and I'm okay with

that, but, but in the meantime, I don't wanna stop the momentum.

I have a beautiful band and producers who.

Like literally my producer Blake Cross has made it possible

for me to pursue this as well.

So it's like he's the other half of Grace Graber in a way.

'cause he makes the music, I deliver the songs and I market it.

So we have a really cool, you find relationships where it's like,

this is ride or die right here.

And we're making music together and kind of, we're kind of unstoppable.

Like we've kind of been unstoppable.

So.

It's like right now I've chosen it 'cause it's kind of like all that's handed to me.

But I think what this is going to line up to be is something where

I have negotiation power late.

If it does blow up, there's an opportunity for me to later to be like,

well, you're gonna, you want all this?

It's gonna take some.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

It is gonna take some convincing because I've

got it really good right now.

I have it really good right now.

Honestly, it would take convincing from a label right now to even but

that's what's cool is like I've built, technically I have built a team, like

I am a signed artist and I keep all my masters and that's where I'm at right now.

I have booking, I have publishing, I have distro.

I've built my team.

I trust them.

And if you can do that, I've had, I've had some larger artists reach out to

me and tell me like, you have the best, the best handful of people like, like

that people work for that kind of stuff.

They, you know, they kill for that kind of stuff.

So there's like,

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

just have to find your people and but independently, the

hardest part is just finding the finances, but what's cool is like the

Lord continues to provide over and over again relationally or resources, like if

I'm having a hard time with something, like there's always grace somewhere.

So, I, yeah, so I hope that answered your question.

I, I, wings really changed and allowed me to think about the independent

route as an option and educated me on.

What if you did an independent thing?

Right.

What it would look like.

And so, it's cool.

It's like they're still in my life.

I'm one of their original artists, and I was the best decision ever.

And now I'm watching artists literally DM me, DM them, how do I get a part of it?

And they're like, maxed out at this point.

So it is like, I was like, that's well, yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Jason K Powers: yeah, yeah.

So did you, I mean, did you start out with the perspective of, I need to find

a label, I need to find a label, and then, then all of a sudden were like,

Yeah, I mean, I had coffees with people that I admired and they were

like, you might wanna do this independent.

I've had labels.

I've had labels tell me, you'll thank us in five years if you don't sign a deal

Jason K Powers: mm-hmm.

because.

I know exactly what I wanna do with this.

Like, and that is some artists need a label because they don't have like me, I

know what my album's gonna look like next.

I know what song they're gonna be on there.

I know what we're doing for this, what we're doing for that.

It's just like other res, like finances is just like the only thing stopping that.

But some people need a label because they don't know what they

wanna do with all of that as well.

They need a creative team.

They need a team who is gonna help them customize things.

They're a performer, that's what some people are and that's okay.

But like I've literally shown labels my two year plan and they're like.

If all you're asking for from us is money, you're gonna regret that.

And so like you have to like.

Understand, like why do you wanna label?

Is it just for financing?

Because at that point they like, you just, it's just a bank at that point.

Like you just owe people money.

Like people don't realize yeah, you could sign a good deal, but no matter

what the money has to come somewhere.

So like maybe there's like a thing that they'll forgive, whatever.

Still that's money being sent spent and that is I don't know, I just like.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Ah I don't know.

I hope the ROI is awesome, but like I'm not betting on that and I really am

kind of glad no one else is right now.

Because how bummer, like how bummer is that?

But yeah, I just discovered like independent with, if I, I was handed

resources to act as an independent, but not so honestly, why not?

See where it can take me and if I get to a place where I can't do it on my

own and I can use that as leverage of the fact that it is all mine

right now, might as well do that.

It might be a

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

later.

I just think it really just depends on the mission of like,

why are you getting signed?

Is it just money or is it you need a team?

Is it you need creative help?

I mean, there's so much more than just the financial side when it comes to a label.

So, and then it's like, are those your people?

I don't know.

Jason K Powers: How much control do you want to give up

Yeah,

Jason K Powers: what you think you want at the end?

exact.

And if I know exactly what I'm doing in a year from today,

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

why?

Why would I just hand them that?

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Like I honestly, I'm way, I would love, and this is where I'd be like,

yeah, a label's a good decision is if they came to me and they said, we have an idea.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Third album.

What about this?

Yeah, that's cool.

Why not?

You know, like I'm so down for that, but I, I don't know, I'm too much of a dreamer

to like, not plan that kind of stuff.

And so, it's like if I can keep playing shows and keep it up, like there'll be a

point where it, it will pay for itself.

So.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

what was some of your motive behind, you said you moved to Nashville.

Was that strictly for op?

A little more local opportunity?

Community for music community.

I was taking so many online co-writes everyone lived in Nashville

and I was talking to labels.

And like I wanted to collaborate and as soon as I moved here, I got an email in

my inbox from a man named Blake Cross who would just get into town, wanted to

see it through with an artist, and like he and his buddies were in a band in

college, and now all of them are my band.

They never wanted to be the artist.

They just wanted to make the music.

And so I have the vision, I have the songs.

They're like, great.

I wouldn't have been able to.

Be doing that without him like he, in a lot of ways like, is kind of

my investor, like, not like he's not investing like money, but he's investing

so much time, like it's his own thing.

So, so like I wouldn't have met Blake, I wouldn't have met like my distribution,

I wouldn't have met my booking like, like I, there's something to be said about

going where people are and just ob, like, I mean, I live where my heroes live.

My drummer was in Hawk Nelson.

I wouldn't have been able to do that anywhere else.

Plus it's central if you wanna tour.

This is central to all the states.

So

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

like, like there's like so many, yeah, there's so

many reasons to move to Nashville.

But I mean, I think I came here with the impression of i'm gonna make it.

And I've slowly just realized now I got to meet like everyone, like

who was gonna help me make it here?

And I don't know.

And there's something beautiful about that to be able to just go to Coffee

with my heroes and, and and just be a part of and watch other people

thrive and there's just, it's so cool.

Jason K Powers: Well, so let's kind of start landing the plane here and

tell everybody where can we find you?

Where can we find your stuff

Everywhere.

Jason K Powers: everywhere?

I look up Grace Graber and I'll pop up somewhere.

Something somewhere will pop up and it'll be a great video.

It'll be a terrible video.

It'll be embarrassing, but yeah, Grace Graber wherever you get music.

And yeah.

Jason K Powers: Any touring intentions

yeah.

Jason K Powers: future?

No, yeah, we're trying to like, we're solid.

Well, Christmas I have a couple shows for that, but yeah, I'm doing this

too called Mental Health Nights.

So we're doing I'm bringing out like some friends who have wanted

to open for me and so I'm pumped.

And, we're gonna just be very intentional about, like, I have

churches all the time reach out and go, are you gonna share your story?

It's like that, my story is like kind of a part of me.

So, yeah.

But this one yeah, we're gonna really get into it.

It's gonna be a little more punk than usual.

For me, what I've noticed with doing shows is the kids don't wanna

be preached out another night.

These kids, they need a break.

And so, I'm Mental Health Nights is gonna be that break for those kids, so, yeah.

Jason K Powers: Well, every show we wrap up with a quick

segment we call Final Riffs.

It's kind of our

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: Short questions short answers mostly,

First thing that comes to mind.

Ready?

Yeah, do it.

Do it.

Jason K Powers: So what band or artist besides Hawk Nelson, will

you never get tired of listening to?

Oh my gosh.

That's the, there's so many of those people, Loveless.

They're not a Christian band, but, oh my gosh, I love Loveless.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

Yeah.

Any others?

If you haven't, you

Our Last Night does a bunch of like covers I'm trying to think.

The Classic Crime Run Kid Run fam.

Oh my gosh.

I've been saying all this.

It's Family Force Five.

Jason K Powers: Yeah.

Family Force Five.

Like, literally forget the rest.

Forget the rest.

It's Family Force Five.

I, I never, I never press skip.

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: How funny.

Yes.

Yes.

Man.

Man, that brings

Throw back.

Jason K Powers: actually.

They've been around a

I brought the Hulk hands for all my shows.

I bring the Hulk hands.

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: Yes.

That's awesome.

All right.

What is a non-music hobby or passion of yours?

Aesthetics.

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: Yeah,

Yeah.

Facials, skincare, makeup, all the things.

Yeah.

I'm serious.

Jason K Powers: Do it.

That's awesome.

Coffee, tea, or something stronger.

Tea, black tea, green tea.

Actually, I, I dabble in medicinal teas.

Funny enough.

Yeah, so like the oh, I need to sleep.

Here's this GABA

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

rolled in Kyoto, Japan.

Yeah I'm like that.

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: yes.

All right.

Here's a harder one.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Something good can work by two Door Cinema Club.

Jason K Powers: Okay, cool.

All right.

Pets.

Oh yeah.

Dog Cat, Gabby, Guinness.

The cat is our world.

She that for Forget me some days.

That is my husband's like world.

That.

Yeah, she is.

She's awesome.

Jason K Powers: Cool.

Alright, last question.

Any closing thoughts?

The first things that come to mind, advice that you would

give musician up and coming.

Yeah, I mean, just get up and get up and coming,

like, you know, like get up and get up and get up and do it.

I mean, here's the thing is it's always, and this is something my

heroes have told me recently, it's always going to be available to you.

You do not need to like, do it perfectly or do it tomorrow.

Or not do it tomorrow.

Like just enjoy it and trust your gut on it.

If it's on your brain and you can't stop thinking about it,

maybe just get up and do it.

But also if you're like, man, I just, it'll always be available,

so get up and do the thing.

However you feel like the gut way is to do it.

It's gonna be right.

And there's a re God has called us so individually and so there is so much room.

For everybody, no matter the genre, no matter the type of music or the message.

Just because I do mental health doesn't mean we can't have a hundred other people

because there's billions of people in the world and I can't do this all on my own.

So it's like we all, we all thrive when we're all as a body in Christ,

hands and feet and neck and nose.

Like I, we can't.

That person you're watching and that's maybe stopping you from doing it.

They can't be all of that.

You, there's gonna be an element to you making a huge impact too.

So I'd say just don't wait or wait.

It's up to you.

It's always gonna be available, but you're never gonna know

if it's time until you start.

So.

Jason K Powers: all right.

Well, Grace, thank you for being so open and honest about the

work behind the art, the, the

Yeah.

Jason K Powers: Approach and, and even just the effort, right?

Talking about the effort that needs to be put into it.

And, and you gotta do your day job if you gotta do your day job.

You

It.

I, I'm so tired.

Like, like, like, and there's a sense of there's so many times

I've had artists just go, I'm gonna quit every I've, I've quit.

Okay.

We can add this to the podcast if you want.

There was a point where I did quit my job too soon.

I thought I'm going on tour.

I'm quit my job, I'm doing this,

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

then the tour fell through

Jason K Powers: Oh man.

and I immediately had to call my old boss

back and go, I am so sorry.

And that is how we worked out the agreement.

Hey, this is important to me.

This is why I moved to Nashville.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

I will make it worth your why.

I will work really hard when I'm here.

I need the understanding that I have to go out on the road every so often,

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

and they have been gracious to allow that because they

understand I'm not here to work there.

I'm here to do music.

And I hope God blesses them tenfold for all the times they understand

that I can't be at a meeting or I have to, I have to go this weekend.

And so I've accidentally quit my job too soon and I've seen like

what kind of impact that can make.

And it always breaks my heart when I like hear artists.

Just sad that they can't do that because I remember being like, oh,

I thought it was gonna happen too.

But again, that just can't.

Be the focus and like my mother-in-law told me and tj, it's like grace, like

you have to be at as long as you have to be at the spa is God will make it known.

Like he will make it known.

And honestly, I believe that like when it becomes too much.

He'll make it known and it'll be, there'll be peace around it.

And it's not anytime soon unless someone, unless money falls outta the sky.

But like, it's like it's, they're still gracious.

They still allow me to tour.

I have clients and so honestly, God still has me there and

I will be faithful to that.

So yeah.

Jason K Powers: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

That's great.

All right.

For everyone listening, if this helped you think about the business

side of your music, head on over to my website at 1024wealth.com/music.

Grab your free ebook, A Musician's Guide to Infinite Banking.

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Keep compounding.

When you're ready to talk about it, let's hop on a call and talk through it.

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musician you think needs to hear this, and I will see you next time.

Until then, Grace, thank you so much for being here, and you guys keep your

money working and your music moving.

We'll see you next time.

Woo.