The Secret of Us

Gracie Abrams's second studio album, The Secret of Us, arrived on June 21, 2024, through Interscope Records. Recorded between 2022 and 2024 at Long Pond in Hudson Valley and Electric Lady Studios in New York City, the 13-track standard edition runs 47 minutes and 33 seconds. Abrams co-produced the record with Aaron Dessner of The National, marking her first hands-on role in production. She wrote most of the songs with her longtime friend Audrey Hobert, capturing the feeling of spilling the details of a night out to a close friend. The album's only featured guest is Taylor Swift on the track "us.", a collaboration that generated significant buzz.

Musically, The Secret of Us blends pop with country pop, indie pop, and contemporary folk, wrapping introspective, emotionally direct lyrics in warm, melodic arrangements. Abrams described the album as more extroverted than her debut, and that energy comes through in songs like "Risk" and "Close To You". The standard tracklist includes "Felt Good About You", "Risk", "Blowing Smoke", "I Love You, I'm Sorry", "us.", "Let It Happen", "Tough Love", "I Knew It, I Know You", "Gave You I Gave You I", "Normal Thing", "Good Luck Charlie", "Free Now", and "Close To You". A deluxe edition dropped on October 18, 2024, adding seven tracks: "That's So True", "Cool", "Packing It Up", "I Told You Things", plus live recordings of "I Love You, I'm Sorry", "I Knew It, I Know You", and "Free Now" from Vevo. The deluxe version spans 22 tracks and runs 1 hour 19 minutes.

Commercially, The Secret of Us became Abrams's best-performing album, earning her first number one in the UK, Australia, and the Netherlands, and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200. It also reached the top ten in Canada and several other countries. The album has been certified platinum in Australia, Brazil, and Canada, and gold in Denmark, the UK, and Portugal. The deluxe single "That's So True" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Abrams's biggest international hit. Critics praised the album's growth and stream-of-consciousness, diary-like quality, with Rolling Stone awarding four stars and Billboard calling it "sharper, hookier and more extroverted than ever". The collaboration with Swift on "us." was highlighted as a standout, with its folk-inspired production reminiscent of Swift's Evermore era. [edit]