How Jewish is singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams?

Who?

American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams has now spent five weeks riding the crest of the UK singles chart with That’s So True, and continues to ward off WHAM, and their classic hit Last Christmas, from the coveted Christmas No1. Could this year give us a Jew(ish) Christmas No1? 

Signed to Interscope Records, the 25-year-old Californian started songwriting aged eight and released her debut EP in 2020, She received a nomination for the 2024 Grammys’ Best New Artist award last November.

Dubbed “the princess of bedroom pop”, Abrams has done her time opening for stars – first for Olivia Rodrigo on her Sour tour and then for Taylor Swift on her Eras tour. While she has sold out her own share of headline shows, her biggest UK tour is coming up in March, with six arena gigs including London’s O2.  Abrams made her album with fellow Jewish musician Aaron Dessner of The National, at his studio in wooded upstate New York where Swift’s folklore video was shot. Her second EP, This Is What It Feels Like, gained its name from a song co-written with the Israeli singer-songwriter Omer Fedi.

Family

Her father is Jeffrey Jacob Abrams, better known as Star Wars and Star Trek director JJ Abrams – and the ninth highest grossing film director of all time. Her mother is Lost and Westworld producer Katie McGrath.

Her New York-born father's family is Jewish, while her mother's background is Irish Catholic.

On her paternal side, her grandparents are television producer Gerald W Abrams and Carol-Ann (nee Kelvin), a Peabody Award-winning television producer, author and law professor. Gracie has two brothers.

Upbringing

We can surmise that Gracie attended shul as a child with her father who told the Jewish Journal some years back, “My family wasn’t very religious, but I’m very proud of my heritage. I do consider myself Jewish, and I take my kids to services on holidays because that is something really important to me.”

What Jewish things does she say and do?

Gracie spent time in Israel as a teenager. On October 10, three days after the Hamas attack, she posted a peace-making statement about the Israel-Palestine conflict on Instagram, where she now boasts four million followers.

“When I was 17 and 18 years old I had the privilege of being part of a program that promotes dialogue and understanding between Palestinian and Israeli youth. As part of this program, I spent time throughout Israel and the West Bank.

Alongside my peers who live in both regions, I had the honor of witnessing the incredible depths of humanity, kindness, brilliance, and tolerance from both communities.

I am heartsick and terrified thinking about what they are going through right now.

What their families are experiencing, how their little brothers and sisters are making their way. My heart is broken and full of love and fear for their safety and their families’ safety. I am praying for all who are being held hostage and for all of the innocent lives that have been lost.

“I don’t presume to know what comes next, but my deepest hope is that as the days and weeks and months go forward there is a suspension of violence and a centering and a witnessing of each other’s common humanity.”

Since then, she has posted appeals for aid to Gaza and the children there.