Grace Doty Named One of SPIN Magazine's Artists to Watch
This one is big. Grace has been selected by SPIN Magazine as one of 15 artists to know in their April 2026 "Now Hear This" column — a monthly A&R feature, curated by Ron Hart, dedicated to spotlighting the most exciting emerging voices in music. Grace is featured alongside artists from across the globe, and SPIN describes her sound as "dreamy Connecticut coastal pop that owes as much to Tyler, the Creator as it does Vanessa Carlton."
The feature includes a full Q&A, where Grace opens up about her songwriting philosophy, her influences, and what drove her to start releasing music again after nearly a decade away.
In Her Own Words
Here are a few highlights from the interview:
On her approach to music
"My approach to music is very much song-first. I'll get an idea, write it out acoustically, and then I'll do my best to reverse-engineer the fully produced version that I hear in my head. I really let myself play until it feels right. Tyler, The Creator said, 'Create like a child, edit like a scientist' and I live and die by that."
On what's exciting in music right now
"The resurgence of early 2000s sounds. The band After is making some of my favorite music in that lane right now. Not to brag, but I was totally one of their first 500 followers."
On what's coming next
"I think it's going to be more crucial than ever to preserve human stories — about humans, felt by humans, told by humans, made by humans. Maybe this project is my attempt to keep living in the past, a little bit."
The Bigger Picture
The SPIN feature sheds more light on the album project that "Sunset Colors" is the first chapter of. Grace shared that she began writing it during the pandemic — a period of uninterrupted time that gave her space to process something significant from her past. The songs poured out of her. "Sunset Colors" is just the opening.
“I see humanity heading in a weird sort of anti-human direction… And I think it’s going to be more crucial than ever to preserve human stories — about humans, felt by humans, told by humans, made by humans.”
We couldn't be more grateful for this recognition. SPIN Magazine has been a cornerstone of music discovery for decades, and being included among their April picks is a milestone worth celebrating.
Stream "Sunset Colors" everywhere you listen.