Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Grand. Them and their team share their story with us below:
For artist Erin Grand, all roads led to a career in music from the start. Born and raised just outside of the Twin Cities (an area that, ironically, isn’t naturally known to host a large population of country fans), the pop-country powerhouse – whose new single “Lonely Does” is due out August 28th – always seemed divinely driven toward a vocation in the performance arts. “I never really excelled in school – it just wasn’t my thing. And I’ve never had a full-time job that didn’t involve music. It’s what I was put here to do.”
The tides shifted, though, when her duo partner decided on another career path – and Grand became a solo act. “I had to learn to accompany myself. I knew how to play guitar, but not well. The move to going solo really prompted that practice.” Around the same time, she began dabbling in songwriting. “My first crop of songs was terrible. But you have to start somewhere.” Eager to progress, Grand began taking monthly trips to Nashville, dipping into Music City’s never-ending talent pool to hone her melodic and lyrical skills. During one of those trips, she was invited to join the prestigious group Song Suffragettes – a collective of female artists passionate about supporting one another in their musical endeavors.
In February of 2020, Grand moved to Nashville – and was immediately met with a modified version of what life in music would look like when the COVID-19 global pandemic caused the industry to come to a screeching halt. “It was tough, but I wanted to continue moving in a forward direction. Fortunately, I’d made friends from my frequent trips down. So I set up lots of Zoom writes. It wasn’t ideal, but it kept me in the game.” Drawing inspiration from the stylings of favorites Maren Morris, Keith Urban, Lady Gaga, and Bruno Mars, Grand continued to develop her sound – which she calls “pop country with a LOT of soul” – and find her voice. “I like to write about what could be… made up things. Imagining things in a way that most men or women would dream of wanting.”
From those co-writes came sultry, driving debut single “Mood” (October 2020), followed by carefree, quirky upbeat tune “Better With Wine” (July 2021). As she continues to release new music, backed by a team solely composed of women (“I love working with women”), Grand’s distinct vocal tenor and strength, paired with candid (and oftentimes witty) lyricism continually merit new fans and position her as one of the industry’s most promising talents.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Erin is known for her soulful country sound. “Bringing R&B and soul is really what makes me different. When it comes to country music I think we need more of it.” Grand is influenced by, Maren Morris, Chris Stapleton, Amy Winehouse and many others. When it comes to her day to day it’s writing and recording songs. “Being apart of the process of creating my own songs is so important to me. My evenings consist of performing at local writers rounds or just attending them to network and get to know my fellow singer-songwriters.” Erin says she is most proud of her accomplishment in her newest EP released in January of 2o22 and winning Female Vocalist of the Year for the 3 year in a row at the Midwest Country Music Organization Awards.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up in a family that celebrated music and supported Grand’s aspirations, she first discovered her love of singing at age 8, and began finding her lane in the country genre soon after. “My parents raised me on country and rock and roll – which I’m forever grateful for.” Like many, she began by performing in church, joining the youth band as a lead singer. Eventually, her talents were called upon by the church’s adult worship team. Simultaneously, Grand sang in a secular pop band – which later became a duo. “It was a bit of a balancing act: some of the people at church weren’t too keen on me performing in a secular band on the side. But it was the best of both worlds, and I was able to do what I loved full time. I never had a real 9 to 5. I was paid to sing – it didn’t get much better than that.”
Contact Info:
- Email: eringrandmusic@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.eringrand.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itseringrand/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErinGrandMusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itseringrand
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqz8Sm7fa4pY75m3dWBnjzw?view_as=subscriber
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/44fvtK228KC7YlIWVAsXS2?si=WHAD4DBgSm-QJ2dJsRukUQ&nd=1
Image Credits
Photo 1: Kaylee Steffel
Photo 2: Matthew Hove
Photo 3: N/A
Photo 4: Matthew Hove
Photo 5: Kaylee Steffel
Photo 6: Catherine Powell
