His album reached No. 27 on the Billboard album charts. “I just put out this record, and it seems to be doing really well. My fans are loving it, and it is all very rewarding,” he said. “That feels amazing, and it is very affirming that people care about the work I put into this. They are supporting what I am doing, and that it is a great feeling.”
For Grand, creating this album from the ground up was a passion project. “It has been an amazing thing to watch, experience and go through,” he said.
He listed “Time” and “Soakin’ Wet” as two of his favorite songs on the album, due to their fun nature. The opening track, “Say You Love Me,” is yet another “special song” that he wrote at the age of 19. “Back to California” is the song that he claimed as his “most personal” tune on the project. “It’s about a very intense adolescent friendship. I am really proud of ‘Back to California’ as a songwriter, and I think I beautifully captured that dynamic that was true for myself. A lot of people could relate to that feeling that I was trying to express. It is beautiful,” he said.
Regarding his new single “Time” and its music video, Grand said, “It is one of those songs that I am most proud of on the record as a songwriter. It captures something that is more difficult to put your finger on, and the song does a great job explaining it on its own. It deals with the awkward transition between youth-hood and adulthood. It is clinging on blissful ignorance.”
His “Time” single garnered a favorable review from Digital Journal, which dubbed it as “compelling.”
Grand had nothing but the nicest words for fellow Chicago-based singer-songwriter Matt Ryanz and his music, especially since Ryanz has covered Grand’s “All-American Boy” in many live events. “Matt is a very sweet guy, and I appreciate all of the support that he has given me. He featured Chicago in his ‘It’s Love To Me‘ music video and I thought that was really cool. I would love to see other artists feature Chicago in their videos cause I think it is a cool city that has a lot of art,” he said.
Each day, Grand is very touched by his fans and the people that have supported him, and expressed his gratitude towards them. “They have come to me with their stories, their struggles and their dreams, and it is very inspiring to me and my record. They continue to inspire me every day,” he said.
The Chicago heartthrob concluded our interview with his definition of success. “Living purposefully in a way that positively affects the world, and being able to inspire people by what I do, all while doing it,” he said.
For more information on singer-songwriter Steve Grand and his new album, check out his official website and on Facebook.
