Written By Rebecca Ackerman
Mckenna Grace released her latest angsty single “You Ruined Nirvana” on April 21. If her name sounds familiar to you, then you’d be right. Mckenna Grace has starred in multiple films and television shows including Gifted, I, Tonya, and The Handmaid’s Tale. However, she has always found writing music to be something she can turn to as an emotional outlet. She wrote her first song when she was 11 on the ukulele and is inspired by Taylor Swift and Korn. The pandemic helped her realize singing was something she wanted to pursue further, and in 2020 she signed with Photo Finish Records.
Even after the first listen of “You Ruined Nirvana,” I could tell how deeply rooted her emotions are in the song. The intense emotion behind her voice throughout the lyrics really makes you feel exactly what she’s feeling. “You Ruined Nirvana” is the perfect addition to her other two releases, “do all my friends hate me?” and “Haunted House.” Each of her singles places you into a very specific moment in her life and really makes you feel like you’re there.
I was surprised to learn she’s only 16. Her voice sounds much more mature than that. I’m obsessed with the fact that despite being 16, she references songs like “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Nevermind” while also having Nirvana in the title.
One of my favorite things about this song is how Grace has all these bad memories associated with this song, but everything still reminds her of this person. This kind of emotional turmoil is something I’ll always think about. You could be dating someone for years and then breakup but how do you reconcile that in your brain when you know their deepest fears and secrets? I’ve also always been interested in what songs people associate me with, whether good or bad! That’s really what “You Ruined Nirvana” is all about, so it’s a song that resonates with me.
“You Ruined Nirvana” is a great introduction to Mckenna Grace if you’ve never listened to her music before. I think Mckenna Grace is a name you’ll continue to hear both in the acting and singing world. I anticipate wonderful things for her with her music career.
Favorite Lyrics: “Now, every song’s about you in my mind”
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