“Daughter From Hell” finds Gracie Abrams apologizing to her parents for being a kind of hell child. But the conflict between them also produced a kinetic pop star. It’s not only the title track of Abrams’s latest album, but it’s a defining portrait of the singer—following her evolution and a changing perspective on family.
A Brutal Kid
In conversation with Olivia Rodrigo, Abrams said she was “brutal, growing up, to my parents.” And the track offers both an apology and gratitude to her parents for the person she’s become.
I was a pill, you swallowed me down.
They say that I got your mouth.
Daughter from hell, hungry and loud.
You made me a plate,
You lent me your life somehow.
However, any revolt she may have sought as a child has softened with perspective. We don’t know what we don’t know. And though that’s a cliché, it’s a cliché for good reason. Getting older can be the great softener of domestic friction.
And I want your patience,
I want your grace,
I want your sugar.
And I want to say,
How much I owe you,
I’ve loved your shoulder.
For Mom
The mantle of stones,
Your rosemary cloud,
You talk to the trees out loud.
With both of your hands,
You held up our house.
And down to my bones,
I hope that I make you proud.
Also, age brings with it an awareness of time. Which is to say, an awareness of mortality. Abrams here expresses admiration for her mother in particular. Now she sees the value and security and how much she once leaned on her mom physically and emotionally.
And now I want your metal,
I want your goodness,
I want your current.
And I want to say,
How much I owe you,
I’ve loved your shoulder.
Aaron Dessner’s Invisible Hand
Abrams co-wrote and co-produced “Daughter From Hell” with The National’s Aaron Dessner. Apart from conquering dad rock, Dessner has become a go-to hitmaker for pop stars like Taylor Swift, Noah Kahan, Ed Sheeran, and many others.
Dessner has perfected the art of earthy folk sonics and modern pop touches. But he does so without leaving any fingerprints, allowing each artist’s voice to be dominant and clear. It’s a rare feat for a producer of his stature to avoid stamping an audible signature onto the various projects he produces.
Still, Dessner may prefer to blend into the background, but the tracks he’s guided couldn’t have happened without his creative instincts.
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