State Of Grace

Grace VanderWaal’s world is exactly like you’d expect it: creative and incredibly chaotic—yet surprisingly chill. Before she crisscrosses the States on tour this summer, get a look inside the 14-year-old singer/songwriter’s life RN.

- Sydney Adamson

What’s one way to win over Grace VanderWaal in an instant? Ask her about her pet pug, Frankie. “He is so cute it hurts!” she says of the silver pooch, whom she adopted after she won America’s Got Talent in 2016. The two have been inseparable ever since: She takes him on tour, he’s the star of her Instagram feed and she even threw him a birthday bash last year (complete with a bone cake and party hats, natch).

But Grace has done so much more than just bond with her puppy bestie since claiming that top AGT spot two years ago. After releasing her first EP, Perfectly Imperfect, in December 2016, she dropped her first full studio album, Just The Beginning, last November. Her raspy vocals and songwriting prowess landed her on Billboard's 21 Under 21 list last year, and she recently inked a deal with Fender guitars for a signature line of ukuleles. Oh, and she’s signed with IMG Models and starred in a Kate Spade campaign—all before finishing middle school.  

It’s safe to assume, like the album says, this is just the beginning for Grace, who just a few years ago was singing at open mic nights at a cafe in upstate New York. Now, with one sold-out national tour under her belt, she’s getting ready to hit the road again in September—this time opening for Imagine Dragons on their Evolve tour. Not bad for someone who’s still a couple of years away from getting her driver’s license. 

OLD SOUL 

Grace may be barely a teen, but her talent tells otherwise. The term “old soul” is often tossed around when describing her—not only because of those wise-beyond-her-years lyrics and her throwback singing style, but also because of the totally together vibe she exudes most of the time.