“Difficult” by Gracie Abrams
Sometimes you may ask yourself, amidst all of the personal misery that we all already know is floating around out there, why many popular musicians these days still feel compelled to share their own intimate self-doubts, self-esteem issues and what have you.
Apparently, it has something to do with such celebrities feeling as if the listening audience needs to recognize that they too go through similar experiences.
So it is with Gracie Abrams in “Difficult”, with the vocalist putting forth that she regularly speaks to a therapist, etc. And yes, perhaps we can imagine that there’s other young ladies out there listening to songs like this and, if going through likewise issues, identifies with Gracie.
But pieces like this are now in such abundance that sometimes, you have to wonder if it’s overkill or if maybe, on the flipside of that coin, the masses have yet to get the point.
A Failed Romantic Relationship?
If you read between the lines, it does theoretically come off as if the main source of Gracie’s woes may have something to do with a failed romance.
If such is the case, then this piece is a bit more clever than it may appear on the surface, as that topic is not really harped upon at all. Instead, a couple of lines found respectively in the first and second verses read as if the vocalist is addressing a romantic interest, as in her ex. Indeed, the very first sentence of the song gives that impression.
But if we were to interpret it like that, then to reiterate this vocalist obviously isn’t the type to stress such issues. That is to say that yes, romance may be a factor, even the main one, but Gracie is still able to understand that she is suffering from a more holistic sense of depression.
In terms of the title, she also seems to be coming to the conclusion that perhaps her own way of thinking – pessimistically if you will – is likewise a major contributor to this reality.
Credits for “Difficult”
This song is a behind-the-scenes’ collaboration between Gracie Abrams and Aaron Dessner, in that the both wrote “Difficult”, and Dessner also produced it.
The two can be considered regular collaborators. To note Aaron is a couple of decades older than Gracie. Owing to this, he has been in the business much longer than she has. Furthermore, he is currently the more-tenured and renowned of the two.
In promoting the release of “Difficult” on Twitter, Gracie referred to Dessner as her “favorite friend”. She also stated that he “knows the inside” of her brain better than she does.
Release Date of “Difficult”
“Difficult” was formally released on the 7th of October 2022. At the time this song was released, it wasn’t associated with any LP or EP.
