More about: Mallrat

There are many twists and turns in Grace Shaw's journey to becoming Mallrat. But no matter how many musical projects she takes on or if it's her first gig supporting a teenage idol, she never loses her cool. Enamoured by the production side just as much as the performance, Shaw’s bounding confidence in who she is artistically is wholly authentic.

With her debut album Butterfly Blue out now, Gigwise catches up with her to get the inside scoop on how she got to where she is today. 

Gigwise: Hi Grace! Where does Gigwise find you today? 

Mallrat: I am in Hamburg and we have a bit of time to kill before soundcheck. So we went for a walk to a pond to look for tadpoles. It’s very cool! 

GW: You’re supporting Conan Gray currently: how does it feel to have the Hammersmith Apollo on your schedule ahead?

M: It's crazy. I cannot wait to see it. All the venues we’ve played so far have been beautiful. Being in Europe in spring is such a delight.

GW: How do you prepare for a tour? 

M: We’re playing shows all the time. There's not much preparation that needs to be done, except that my tour manager has to book a whole lot of stuff and sort out visas. But I rock up and sing my songs. 

GW: Did the pandemic allow you to recharge? 

M: When lockdown first happened, the first few months were a much-needed break and rest. And so I was glad to have had that. But eventually it got boring. 

GW: Did the time-off change your perception of being an artist? 

M: When we first went back to playing shows after the first show back I felt like myself again and I didn't realise how much I enjoyed touring and being able to work and travel. I didn't realise how important that was to me and how I'd slowly become a much grumpier version of myself! So it is a really interesting contrast to play a show and be like, ‘Oh my God, this is what I'm meant to be doing’, I feel like me again. 

GW: Did you have a musical upbringing? 

M: No, not really! Mum and Dad made me do choir at school, but that was it! 

GW: When did you realise your calling was music? 

M: I went to an Allday concert when I was about 14 and I had this moment at the concert of like a weird little psychic premonition that I would be at airports with this artist!. I thought that was really interesting. Like, why would that happen? Maybe I should be on tour with this artist that I love. Like, how would I? How would a fan end up in that position? And initially I thought about becoming a DJ. So I learned how to DJ. Then I thought, maybe I should make my own beats. So I started making beats on GarageBand. Then I thought maybe I should sing over these beats that I'm making. And then it progressed from there to my first shows, which were supporting Allday! We've lived together, we've moved to America and lived there together. He’s become one of my closest friends and collaborators. It was wonderful; what you would call a full circle moment. 

GW: Your debut album Butterfly Blue is out now and it’s been a work in progress for a few years. Do you think it's grown, developed and changed in that time? 

M: I think that the luxury of time meant that I could really get things exactly the way I wanted them and not have to compromise on anything. I used all of the time I had for fiddling! 

GW: Is there a track that represents the artist you are today or is the whole body of work a reflection of you?

M: They're all very different songs, but I'm especially proud of the track 'I'm Not My Body, It’s Mine'. And also track one 'Wish on an Eyelash' because I feel like they kind of capture very precious feelings that are hard to pin down. And I think the production and the lyrics on both of those songs are magical! 

GW: What are the overarching themes of Butterfly Blue? 

M: I don't know. It's one of those things where maybe when I listen to it in a few months, it'll be clearer to me. But I didn't think consciously about any specific themes when I was writing it, and I think maybe it's a little bit fresh still to be able to look at it objectively and be like, 'oh, that's what I'm talking about there'. 

GW: How did the collaboration with Azealia Banks come around? 

M: I have been a fan of hers for a really long time. And the first album that I bought with my own money was Broke with Expensive Taste, her debut album. She played my song a couple of years ago on a live stream. She said ‘Oh, this is a girl from Australia, Mallrat. She has some really good music.’ In the end, she turned 'Charlie' all the way up and said, ‘Wow, that girl does have some really good music!’ I was shook.

The thought that a woman that I admire so much likes my music was always in the back of my mind and I hoped one day we'd make something together. 'Surprise Me' was taking shape, but I felt like it still needed the energy of another vocalist, preferably a rapper. And she was the first person that came to mind. So I just DM'd her on Instagram and luckily she saw it and even more luckily she replied and was keen! 

GW: Which artists would like to collaborate with in future? 

M: So many. I would love to produce music for someone like Vince Staples or Skepta or even Rosalia, because I think they're incredible artists with an interesting taste in production. 

GW: Would you consider yourself half-producer, half-artist? 

M: I would say I'm half and half, but to me, it's the same thing. I feel most creative when I'm producing.

GW: Why is that? 

M: It’s because sometimes I don't have anything to say, but I always have textures to play with and new sounds to experiment with. It feels very playful and fun. If I don't have anything that I feel like sharing, I can still have fun and be creative and make interesting sounds. 

GW: How do you stay true to yourself both as an artist and a person? 

M: I find it really easy. It is very natural and I feel very comfortable in most aspects of myself and especially when it comes to music. It feels very instinctive and natural. I'm quite lucky that that's not a real issue that I've encountered. 

GW: Do you find yourself facing many obstacles? 

M: There'll be long periods of time where I don't make anything that I'm proud of or feel like sharing, but that’s part of the process. And when stuff like that happens, usually I try and pivot my perspective to go from focusing on creating something to focusing on learning something. Or usually, I have to step back and be like: 'maybe I'm trying to make a square fit into a circle'. 

GW: Now that Butterfly Blue is out, what is next for you? 

M: I think we're about to announce a whole bunch of touring, so that'll take up a big portion of the year. And in between that, I'll start working on my next album! What that will sound like? Your guess is as good as mine!

Butterfly Blue is out now.

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More about: Mallrat