Grace Gaustad Imagines a Chance to Relive the Past in ‘Old Ways’

If you had the chance to completely change your life in an instant, would you take it?

That's the question 20-year-old singer-songwriter Grace Gaustad asks in their PILLBX series, sharing incredible new tracks, complete with colorful and thought-provoking music videos, to highlight their exploration of the concept of change. The videos feature a bodega owner with a series of magical pillboxes that can show you a different type of life, and in Grace's video for the new song "Old Ways," out today, a pillbox allows them to rewind, pause and replay time in order to relive the past, with all of the knowledge of the present. It's a stunning piano ballad that builds up into an anthemic chorus, and we got the chance to ask Grace precisely what the powerful song, and its lyrics, mean to them.

The Story Behind 'Old Ways'

Grace Gaustad: The story behind "Old Ways" is one of revisiting the past or staying stuck within it. A lot of us fear change greatly because there is a lot of comfort in old habits, even though they may not be what is best for us. I was inspired to write "Old Ways" because I was afraid to change and grow from my past, and although it's not possible, "Old Ways" greatly reflects my desire to revisit the past with knowledge of the future.

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What 'Old Ways' Means

GG: The song reflects tremendous vulnerability and that is something that means a lot to me. My favorite music to write is the music that makes you really sit back and think about the story and the message within the song. I hope that anyone who listens to "Old Ways" can take away that although change and growth can be very scary, you cannot exist within the past, you must move forward and continue to evolve.

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Grace's Favorite Lyric

GG: My favorite lyric from the song is, "A stranger to this world, I can't be who I 'm supposed to be." I think every single person is faced with the pressure to fit into societal norms and outdated social constructs. Society likes to tell us who we're "supposed to be" and I find that outrageous. We live in a world where everyone fights to fit in and strives to be normal, but I don't believe in the word normal. I believe that everyone is unique and special in their own way, and it's time that the world stops shaming people for being their most authentic self.

(Image courtesy of Grace Gaustad)

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