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Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo revisit songwriting lessons on Spotify, with Abrams citing her past approach as “careless”
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Culture/The Apex Times/Jul 7, 1:58 PM EDT

Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo revisit songwriting lessons on Spotify, with Abrams citing her past approach as “careless”

In a new Spotify video conversation ahead of Abrams’ upcoming album, the two pop stars discussed how they write about love and conflict, including Abrams’ shift away from “pointing fingers” after reflecting on earlier material.

3 min readEditor-approved Apex article

Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo reunited for a Spotify video conversation posted Tuesday, July 7, using their long-running friendship and past creative overlap to talk about songwriting choices, including Abrams’ decision to move away from narrating songs through blame. The discussion comes as Abrams prepares to release her new album, Daughter From Hell, “dropping in a matter of days,” according to Billboard.

Rodrigo, who brought compliments to Abrams’ upcoming work, told Abrams that one of her favorite songs on Daughter From Hell is “Afflictions.” Abrams described the track as distinct within the project, saying it is “the only straightforward love song” on the album and framing it as both “pure” and “mature.” She added that, in her view, the love in the song comes across as “very deep and not superficial,” as quoted in Billboard’s report.

Abrams also described her personal difficulty writing about love. She said it can feel like trying to reduce something that is hard to put into words, explaining that when she has tried to write about love before, it can “diminish what it actually feels like.” In the case of “Afflictions,” she said the song feels “super real” for her, positioning it as an example of how she can write romance without changing its emotional meaning.

The conversation broadened beyond love to the tougher themes Abrams has explored on Daughter From Hell. Billboard reports that Abrams and Rodrigo spent time discussing how “careless” they have felt in how they handled subjects in earlier writing, and how they have tried to capture relationships with more intention. Abrams’ comments included a theme of moving past simplistic blame, with Billboard characterizing the album direction as her stepping away from writing that relies on “pointing fingers.”

Rodrigo and Abrams also discussed negative relationships and how Abrams’ approach has changed. Billboard says Abrams told Rodrigo she examined more difficult relationships on the album but that she “approached them differently than in the past,” contrasting her earlier framing with a revised, less accusatory perspective.

Billboard’s report also ties the discussion of love on Daughter From Hell to Abrams’ real-life experience, stating that “Afflictions” is “likely” about her relationship with actor Paul Mescal and that Abrams has been dating him “for about two years.” In the same framing, Billboard notes that Abrams has described in earlier coverage how she feels “secure and stable” with him compared with previous relationships, though the songwriting connection is presented as a likelihood rather than a direct confirmation in the Billboard summary.

The Spotify video conversation adds to the pre-release media cycle for Daughter From Hell by centering craft and reflection rather than chart-focused promotion. With the album due soon, the exchange may also help listeners interpret Abrams’ reported creative shift, from earlier “careless” songwriting toward a more deliberate method for writing about love, conflict, and accountability.

Key parts of Abrams’ message in the conversation, including her stated readiness to stop “pointing fingers,” suggest a focus on how writers construct emotional responsibility on the page. For fans, the immediate next step is the album release, which will determine how consistently the themes described by Abrams show up across the full tracklist and how the lyrical tone compares with her earlier work.

Why It Matters

  • The Spotify conversation provides a direct, platform-based window into how Abrams is shaping the emotional framing of Daughter From Hell ahead of its release.
  • Abrams’ stated shift away from “pointing fingers” may influence how audiences interpret the relationship dynamics and accountability language in the album’s lyrics.
  • The discussion highlights how major pop artists use interviews to explain creative process, which can affect media coverage and listener expectations during an album cycle.
  • With Daughter From Hell scheduled to arrive “in a matter of days” from the July 7 conversation, the pre-release craft framing will be quickly tested against the full body of work.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo sat down for a Spotify video conversation posted Tuesday, July 7.
  • Billboard reports the conversation centered on songwriting, including how the artists have felt “careless” in past writing decisions.
  • Abrams told Rodrigo that “Afflictions,” from Daughter From Hell, is “the only straightforward love song” on the album and described it as “pure” and “mature.”
  • Abrams said she finds it difficult to write about love generally and that earlier attempts could “diminish what it actually feels like.”
  • Billboard says Abrams has been dating Paul Mescal for about two years, and frames “Afflictions” as likely connected to that relationship.
  • Billboard reports Abrams discussed handling negative relationships differently than she did in the past and characterized the album direction as moving away from “pointing fingers.”