Gracie Abrams has just made it through airport security when she joins our Zoom call. The singer is on her way to New York City for a friend’s wedding—you might have seen it in the news—where she’ll wear the same red sequin Chanel gown by Matthieu Blazy that she wore for her Vogue cover shoot. If you think celebrities sometimes leave hidden messages for their fans through their outfits, this should have been a clue. Today, Abrams is officially a Chanel beauty ambassador.

“My grandmother had a bottle of N°5 on her sink,” she says, recalling her first memory of the French fashion house. “The first thing I’d do when I went to her house was sit at her vanity and pretend I was her. I remember thinking that a Chanel fragrance was the ultimate symbol of being a woman.”

If wearing Chanel N°5 was the peak of womanhood, then what does it mean to be the face of a new fragrance—an ambery, citrusy, floral scent called Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu? “Confidence,” she says. “Fragrance can change how you carry yourself in an instant.”

Perfumer Olivier Polge describes creating the fragrance as “starting with a blank page” and ending with something sensual and warm. It features notes of vanilla and amber, paired with a bright, energetic touch of grapefruit lychee. This is a new addition to a beauty routine that Abrams calls low-maintenance. “I fluff my brows, put on blush, add the fragrance, and I’m out the door,” she says. Her signature feature, though, is her ever-shorter hair. “I’m not very patient with hair growth. If the back of my neck even slightly feels hair, I’m like, ‘cut it off.’” (She adds that whenever Blazy sees her with a new, shorter haircut, “he embraces it.”)

Chanel

One thing Abrams is embracing this summer—with her upcoming album Daughter from Hell and other creative projects she’s working on—is staying open. That applies to small things, like her new love for pastel drawings. “I’m drawing little portraits of friends whenever we’re together,” she says. “It’s quick and kind of silly, but I also find it very therapeutic and calming. I love it because it’s not that serious.” It also applies to her first acting role ever, in Halina Reijn’s A24 period drama Please.

“I’m trying to stay open to whatever the experience looks and feels like,” she says. “And not get in my own way or let fear stop me from being open. I’m really curious to see how it all unfolds. It feels strange talking about it when I haven’t filmed it yet.” Then there’s her latest favorite outlet: dancing. When I ask if she means taking classes, she quickly clarifies. “No, just going to the club! Over the past six months, going out and dancing has become a really big part of my life. It’s been such an exciting outlet, and I think a lot of my love for it actually started with this campaign, so I’m endlessly grateful for that side of it too.” That’s all she can share about the campaign film (coming out later this summer) for now.

Overall, the 26-year-old says each of these activities is teaching her how to stay present. “I want to be where my feet are, and not hold on to anything too tightly,” she says. “It’s amazing to me that I get to do what I do; I know how lucky I am. So now it’s time to be present with it.”

Chanel

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Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the theme of Gracie Abrams trying to live in the moment based on her music interviews and public persona

BeginnerLevel Questions

1 What does trying to live in the moment mean for Gracie Abrams
It means she is actively working on not overthinking the past or worrying about the future She wants to experience her feelings and relationships as they happen without analyzing them to death

2 Is Gracie Abrams good at living in the moment
Not reallyand thats the point She openly admits its a struggle Her songs often describe her overthinking anxiety and tendency to dwell on memories The trying part is key

3 Which songs show her trying to live in the moment
I know it wont work She overanalyzes a relationship before it even ends
Rockland She wishes she could pause time and just exist with someone
Block me out She admits she gets in her own head too much

4 Why does she talk about this so much in her music
Because its a very real relatable struggle for her and her fans Writing about it helps her process her own anxiety and makes listeners feel less alone

5 Is this a sad or hopeful message
Both Its sad because she often fails at it but hopeful because she keeps trying The effort itself is the message

AdvancedLevel Questions

6 How does her songwriting style reflect this inner conflict
She uses very specific diarylike details to show how her brain clings to moments Then she shifts into a chorus wishing she could let go That tension is the core of her sound

7 Whats a reallife example of her trying to live in the moment
In interviews shes said she tries to put her phone away during conversations or while watching a sunset But she often catches herself mentally writing a song about the moment instead of just being in it

8 How does her anxiety affect her ability to be present
Her anxiety makes her scan for potential problems or regrets She describes it as always looking for the exit even when things