Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Lara Callahan
We got to chat with singer/songwriter Alma Grace about her song “Girl Fight” and how Frida Kahlo inspired the songs on her EP.
When did music go from something you enjoyed to a passion?
Music has always been the most important part of my life. My mom has old home videos of me standing on boxes and forcing everyone to listen to me sing show tunes. I started in professional theater when I was 8 years old, which is where I fell in love with performing. At 16 I started songwriting, and at 19 I took time off from school to write and record my first EP. Since taking that leap of faith, I haven’t looked back––this is what I’m doing for the rest of my life.
Tell us about your single “Girl Fight.” What influenced the sound and lyrics?
I wrote “Girl Fight” during my freshman year of college after finding out that the guy who ghosted me had started seeing someone new. I met her by chance, and she turned out to be a lot more attractive and cooler than he ever could be. I had already started working on my EP, and was watching a Frida documentary when I learned that Frida had an affair with the same woman Diego had cheated on her with. “Girl Fight” is me imagining that I could be as much of a badass as Frida was. The song also fights against the trope of women fighting over men… we’re better off with each other and supporting each other!
“Girl Fight” is a single off your EP Frida Kahlo which explores the life of Frida Kahlo. Was it a bit daunting to create a body of work based on such an iconic figure in history?
Yes!! I started this body of work two years ago, and I definitely needed distance from it to better define my sound. I spent the past year focusing on other projects until this summer when I wrote and recorded the last two songs on the EP. Since I was young, Frida Kahlo has been such an inspiration to me… my grandmother would always bring me back coasters and matchboxes from Mexico City with her face on it. Frida broke boundaries placed on gender, indigeneity, and sexuality, and made me feel beautiful for my bushy eyebrows. I want to pay homage to her with this EP, while also showing the world who I am as an artist. It was also important that the EP had songs in English and Spanish to reflect my second generation identity.
Do you have a particular songwriting process?
I wrote “Girl Fight” in my college piano practice room, and then sent the voice memos off to my producer who made me bawl my eyes out the first time I heard the demo. It was the first time I had heard work of mine produced! In terms of general process, I write on guitar or piano and start with a concept… whether it’s a feeling, a quote, or that morning’s journal entry. I start with melody and the lyrics always come last.
As an activist you have advocated for immigrants facing deportation. With a new administration has the work you’ve been doing changed?
I’ve only ever worked as an advocate under the Trump administration, which presented very unique difficulties. Even before COVID, the Department of Homeland Security wasn’t allowing detained immigrants to be present in court and translators were undertrained and overburdened. We also had to turn away all cases for “positive” applications––individuals who wanted to apply for green cards but didn’t have a warrant for their detention and deportation. More often than not, under Trump, presenting yourself to ICE meant that you would be immediately detained. We’re hoping that under this new administration, ICE won’t be as dogged. But just because Trump is out of power doesn’t mean the fight for immigrant justice is over. Barack Obama was nicknamed the “Deporter in Chief” for a reason, and we have to hold Biden’s administration accountable.
What advice do you have for aspiring singers?
Practice practice practice! You take care of the quantity and the creative universe will take care of the quality. I’d also recommend learning an instrument so that you can accompany yourself––whether that’s watching guitar/piano tutorials on Youtube or hiring a teacher, musical proficiency is an asset and is essential to songwriting. Finally, don’t wait for anyone to give you permission to pursue your passion. Your voice is unique and if you’re persistent, it will be heard.