Today’s pop singer-songwriter scene is led by the influx of “Taylor’s children”—artists who admire Taylor Swift’s 20 years of contributions to pop music and follow in her footsteps when it comes to writing their own music, building connections with their fans, and striving to become the next big thing. The Taylor they wish to emulate is a musical legend who anchors her art in the grammar of country and folk, transforming universal, everyday experiences, like fleeting encounters, into intimate, puzzle-like songs. This formula—sincere, straightforward, and effective—has become even more effective now with the universal reach of social media, making it easier than ever to gather a following. From emerging country stars like Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris to pop artists like Lorde, Maisie Peters, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, and indie singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor’s influence looms large. The key lies in how cleverly these artists can make use of Taylor’s legacy while carving out distinctive identities of their own.

Standing as one of the most exemplary cases among the Taylor’s children generation is Gracie Abrams. As the daughter of renowned filmmaker and producer J.J. Abrams, she grew up with a heightened awareness of art and signed with Interscope Records in 2019, embarking on a career of evoking chill images through her pop music. Gracie had the opportunity to collaborate with Aaron Dessner of the National—who notably worked on Taylor Swift’s folklore and evermore albums—to release her EP This Is What It Feels Like. The collaboration further led to her debut studio album, Good Riddance, and the honor of opening for Taylor Swift during her historic Eras Tour.

Gracie continued into 2024 with incredible momentum and released her second studio album, The Secret of Us. She teased the album while on the Eras Tour, unveiling then-as-yet unreleased tracks and piquing the curiosity of Swifties. With her sophomore release, which she put out in June, she’s been leapfrogging her previous achievements and moving steadily toward even greater success. The Secret of Us peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, with tracks like “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” “us.,” “Risk,” and “Close To You” charting on the Hot 100. By the time she was nominated by the 67th Grammy Awards judges for Best New Artist, she had already long since outgrown the description. But the real highlight is “That’s So True,” poised to become the last big hit single of the year. Featured on the deluxe version of The Secret of Us, the song is currently climbing its way up the Hot 100, having soared as high as number six so far. Fueled by an explosive increase in streaming and from going viral on social media, it represents one of the most significant jumps on the Hot 100 in recent memory. Propelled by the success of “That’s So True,” Gracie made her debut on SNL, solidifying her status as a leading pop star.

Of course, there’s no discussing Gracie Abrams’ rise without bringing up Taylor Swift. At the same time, the fact that Gracie has been clever in the way she’s leveraged that influence to flesh out her own distinct musical identity is undeniable. Her genius lies in her approach to reinventing Taylor while paying homage, creating a unique musical sanctuary that’s not only surprisingly fresh but also provides a new alternative for where today’s pop music fans can catch a break. This becomes even clearer when you examine the world of her music and the path to success that her hit single “That’s So True” has traveled down.

Gracie co-wrote “That’s So True” with her close friend and songwriting partner Audrey Hobart, exploring themes of regret surrounding an old flame and a warning to their new partner. While the subject matter isn’t especially groundbreaking for one of Taylor’s children, what makes it stand out is how it stands in contrast to Gracie’s overall career. In collaboration with Dessner, Gracie has developed her own sound resting on a foundation of intricate, melancholy teenage dark pop with layers of country, folk, and minimalist electronic music. Her work aligns with last year’s “sad girl” folk movement spearheaded by artists like Lana Del Rey, Boygenius, Lizzy McAlpine, Mitski, and Katherine Li. Up until recently, Gracie Abrams’ music had been a lonesome cry of missed connections, strained relationships, and a murky sense of self over simple arrangements.

That makes “That’s So True” a significant departure from her previous discography. With its clear melody, highly singable chorus, and uplifting rhythm, the track has an infectious energy that makes it a real toe-tapper. Even before paying much attention to the lyrics, the melody is more than enough to draw you in. And it reflects the same artistic growth that can be heard all throughout The Secret of Us: Genre-spanning tracks like the country-infused “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” the power pop anthem “us.” layered in mandolin, Mellotron, and synths thanks in part to Jack Antonoff, Dessner, and Taylor, and the synthpop closer “Close To You,” all paint Gracie’s world, once sinking in a nearly monochromatic sea, with lush, vibrant colors.

To make “That’s So True” a song for everyone, Gracie employed another pivotal strategy: She strapped on a guitar and took to the stage. In the streaming era, the culture surrounding music has shifted from the long-standard passive experience of merely listening to new music once released, to a collaborative process where artists and fans set out on the journey of song creation together, in turn listening to the final product in a way that’s more akin to a party. Fans are often already familiar with a single’s melody and lyrics before its official release, meaning they’re quick to latch onto the hooks and spread them far and wide across social media, which is exactly how “That’s So True” came to dominate TikTok so quickly and become a Gen Alpha anthem.

Even before the song was properly released, fans were listening to unofficial copies of it through recordings of live performances that circulated around the Internet as the background music for viral videos. Sam Riback, one of the heads of A&R at Interscope Records, told Variety he foresaw the song becoming a career highlight for Gracie after witnessing the overwhelming response it received from the singer’s hardcore fans at concerts. Seeing as most deluxe editions of albums are released just weeks if not mere days after the standard version, the three-month delay between versions of Gracie’s album served as a promotional period to build excitement for “That’s So True” by performing it during the Eras Tour and at other live performances. This can also be seen in the low-key media push placed behind the pop star’s single, videos for which were limited to a minimalistic music video with nothing but a close-up of her mouth, a live performance at Radio City Music Hall, and a lyric video. It’s clear that she intended to make it into a massively popular anthem that spread through the connection she fostered with her fans through the live experience, and it turns out she couldn’t have made a better choice.

The sight of Gracie Abrams singing with her guitar in hand speaks to the recent craving for authenticity in pop music, too. It’s the very same sentiment that explains the ongoing rise of country music in the US, which has become a tool for exploring confessional songs with artistic expression through instruments, and has expanded its horizons by giving a voice to all races, generations, genders, and sexualities. Incidentally, the most visible leaders of the trend this year were male artists like Shaboozey, Bruno Mars, Hozier, and Post Malone, who battled it out for control over the Billboard Hot 100. Shaboozey alone held number one for a record-breaking 19 weeks straight. In contrast to female singer-songwriters exploring an alternative kind of pop music in line with Taylor’s approach, those men used a relatively conservative, but still effective strategy. The way Gracie Abrams has reinvented herself as a singing, guitar-playing icon feels particularly profound, as she’s not only giving the public what it wants but is also paying homage to Taylor’s early career in the most faithful and direct way of any of her children.

The secrets that fill The Secret of Us aren’t really all that extraordinary. They’re the same tears, jealousy, and fury surrounding love that whip through the average depressed American teen on a regular basis. It remains to be seen whether it can fully counter criticisms that, while there are flickers of brilliance, they’re flickers that have been seen before, and that will surely be seen again. Ironically, it’s here that Gracie Abrams proves she’s got the chops to be a pop star. In an era where bold, new, and unique music strives to define a generation, the power of Gracie’s music to evoke nostalgia, quietly rage, and offer poetic solace—and stick with you—shines a light on both its own ability to transcend eras and the artistry of singing with all one’s might onstage. In closing out a year belonging to the likes of Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter, the rise of someone as divergent as Gracie Abrams encourages us to calmly revisit the things we’ve overlooked. “That’s So True”—and truly, it is.