Grace VanderWaal Announces Highly Anticipated Sophomore Album + Unveils “Proud”

Alongside the album announcement, Grace releases a brand-new song, Proud. An old music box plays a lilting lullaby in the song’s opening. “Promise I’ll be small. I won’t take up space at all…Ground yourself. Remember your place. You don’t have a voice yet. You don’t get to say,” she sings. Strings hang over a wave of distortion, climaxing on an affirmation, “‘Cause you’re so special.”

“As a kid, you have an undying need for validation,” Grace explains. “In some cases, you abandon yourself, and you aren’t granted what you need mentally. You’re choosing to be strong, only because it’s your responsibility to be strong. You’re adopting strength when it’s not appropriate. It was important for me to use phrases like, ‘‘Cause you’re so special’, because they’re weaponized words to control children. Since you’re young, you want to feel strong, mature, and grown up, but no kid should have to do all of those things. Proud is the story of the ‘golden child’ archetype. A child who neglects their needs in order to be seen as valued, loved, or mature. It’s the first song off my new album CHILDSTAR.” 

Also announced today, Grace will be taking CHILDSTAR on the road, with a six city North American Tour, marking her first tour since 2019. CHILDSTAR – ON TOUR kicks off May 4 in Chicago, and includes dates in Toronto, Washington, DC, New York City, and Los Angeles, before concluding May 21 in San Francisco. The official Artist Presale begins on Monday, March 24 at 10:00 a.m. local time, with the general on sale starting Friday, March 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time. For more information and to register for the pre-sale, visit gracevanderwaal.com/#tour.

TRACKLISTING:
Proud
Brand New
Homesick
What’s Left Of Me
Call It What You Want
Babydoll (feat. Aliyah’s Interlude)
Beg For It
Behavioral Problems
Fade

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:
05/04 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
05/07 – The Great Hall – Toronto, ON
05/09 – Atlantis – Washington, DC
05/10 – Racket – New York, NY
05/18 – The Roxy – Los Angeles, CA
05/21 – Brick & Mortar – San Francisco, CA