Multi-talented Manu Grace shares with us some of her favorite lyrics written by numerous artists during a recent interview. The South African songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist continues to be one of the more promising acts to surface from the South African alternative music scene. Manu wrote her first full composition when she was 15, and soon after realized that songwritting was something that became second nature to her. The artists style of music can be distinguished as ‘Sensitive Pop’ – vulnerable and groovy. The rising artist gained respect after releasing her debut EP, June, which categorized her as Apple Music South Africa’s ‘Favourite New Artist’ in 2019. She also received two well-deserved South African Music Award nominations in 2020- ‘Female Artist of the Year’ and ‘Best Alternative Music Album.’
The artist’s sophomore project, ‘No Room For Error,’ is now available on all platforms. This EP mirrors the artist’s experience dealing with love, loss and traveling internationally while making this album over the course of these unprecedented months. The seven-song sensation is a chronological series of her travels as she progressed from Italy to London to Berlin to record. ‘No Room For Error’ is a bold look into freedom and feminity- shameless about longing; unguarded yet powerful. Manu voiced, “This record taught me to trust my instincts and to trust the muse. The songs always arrive, if you’re open to receiving them. I approached the process with a sense of freedom and fearlessness — no idea was ever too wild, and I really love working like that.” The young artist’s ability to demonstrate solid songwriting abilities is what is differentiating her from similar rising artists within the music scene.
Manu Grace – Two Weeks
“I love this line. By some divine (mis) interpretation, my best friend misheard the first verse as this, and I couldn’t not write it in.” -Manu Grace
Daniel Gadd – Sleep Turns Her Face
“The most romantic line of all time.” – Manu Grace
HAIM – Gasoline
“This line is so great. Sassy + self-aware + just perfect.” – Manu Grace
Jackson Browne – These Days
“So loaded, so beautiful. Can’t seem to wrap my head around the fact that he was only sixteen when he wrote this.” -Manu Grace
Caroline Polachek – Look At Me Now
“I’m such a sucker for self-reflective stream-of-consciousness writing. This verse hit me weirdly hard. Great imagery and super relatable.” – Manu Grace
Bob Dylan – Just Like A Woman
“I feel this fully each time I hear it. Pretty sure it’s about me. Haha.” -Manu Grace
Pheobe Bridgers – Kyoto
“Both are great lyrics standing alone, and the way the sections reflect back to each other is just so wonderful. Love a good lyrical variation.” – Manu Grace
HAIM – Up From A Dream
“Something you see wakes you up from the dream wanna go back to sleep but now you’re up from the dream. Walk into the kitchen, pull the dishes from the sink and you have changed in the blink of an eye.”
“So ordinary, so perfect. Hard to explain why this piece of writing really really does it for me.” -Manu Grace
