Grace Enger is the friend on the other side of the aisle — a powerful songwriter who taps into vulnerability with ease. At just 22 years old, this emerging artist is building on the success of her single “The Neighborhood” with the release of her sophomore EP, The Alchemist, out today, Dec. 6. The project turns some of her most introspective moments into pure gold.
A New Jersey native, Enger has made a name for herself as a music experimenter, blending elements of alternative pop, indie, garage and rock to create a collage of sounds that feels inspired by numerous rising artists yet distinctly her own. Having first gained attention for her stripped-down covers on social media, she conveys her deepest emotions and desires with just her voice and a piano or guitar.
Whether you’re curled up in bed under a comfy blanket or cruising down the freeway, Enger’s music makes her feel like your most relatable friend. And turning pain into pleasure isn’t always easy, which begs the question of how and why Enger became the alchemist on her sophomore EP, just a little over a year after releasing her debut project, Well Here We Are (2023). Her music lends itself to deeply introspective and emotionally heartbreaking anthems. Beginning with previously released tracks like “Think I Wanna See You Again,” “Habits Die Hard” and “Girls Like Boys,” The Alchemist explores themes of transformation and healing, diving into relationships and mental health.
The EP opens with, fittingly, the title track, “The Alchemist,” which symbolizes turning pain into beauty, showcasing her ability to create relatable, raw music from her heartache — and not just romantic heartache. A songwriter “first and foremost,” Enger discovered that writing songs is, for her, a form of alchemy. She explains that the title track serves as the thesis of the EP, with the other songs acting as body paragraphs.
“Writing songs is a form of alchemy because you can take pain, shame or these negative emotions — and at least for me personally, I feel most compelled to write from that place — and turn them into something beautiful, something healing,” Enger said. “It’s something you can share with people and use to connect. I just thought, ‘That’s really beautiful.'”
Enger drew inspiration from older pop music and influential artists like Radiohead (OK Computer), Fiona Apple (The Idler Wheel…) and classic Beatles records while crafting the EP, working with producer Brian Names to elevate her sound.
One of the standout tracks, “It’s No Fun,” is a playful energetic song about a one-sided relationship, where Enger tries to please someone who fails to reciprocate her emotional needs or efforts (“It’s no fun, the way I need you”). The song contrasts outward enjoyment with the hidden struggles people can face internally, capturing the feeling of having fun on a surface level while still dealing with the pain of the relationship.
“I’m often the kind of person who wants everyone to be okay, who wants to fix people who maybe don’t want to be fixed,” Enger said. “Writing from that place of pain and moving through it is where I find my songs.”
Regardless of personal turmoil, Enger reflects on where she sees herself a year from now with a hopeful yet grounded point of view on “A Year From Now.” Having evolved both as an artist and an individual, she aims to explore the light and dark sides of life, with a focus on being open and vulnerable in her storytelling. She collaborated with Derek Sutherland, a prominent country songwriter, to write the track, which was born out of the uncertainty of a moment but held onto the belief that time would bring healing. Still, her mother reminded her: “This too shall pass.” The track, while exploring deeply emotional themes, is an upbeat track that plays on pop sounds.
The EP is deeply rooted in Enger’s experience of moving through personal pain and heartbreak, but ultimately finding healing on the other side. As she explains, “I was kind of like, ‘Wow, I’m on the other side of all of this pain and heartbreak and suffering.’ I moved through it, and that’s why I chose Alchemy — both for what it represents to me personally and what it represented in the process of making these songs.”
Transformation can seem like a long game when some things feel too difficult to bear or overcome. Enger finds that being in the present moment is most powerful, experiencing life in utter detail. On “3D,” she finds that the three-dimensional world is rich, complex and ultimately, fulfilling. Turning life’s raw and sometimes heartbreaking experiences into something precious and meaningful is not easy — even for mythical alchemists or Enger herself. Ensuring that her most raw and honest self is laid bare, Enger becomes the alchemist, turning raw pain into absolute gold.
Enger is embarking on her very first headline tour, The It’s So Fun Tour, in 2025, with support from Jake Minch.
Keep up with Grace Enger: Instagram // Spotify // X // TikTok
