GRAE – 7 Minutes ‘Til Heaven

There’s something gloriously anarchic about the way GRAE unpacks her dark feminine energy on 7 Minutes ‘Til Heaven. It’s the kind of record that feels as at home in a hazy Berlin nightclub as it does in a midnight drive playlist. With this full-length, the Toronto artist leaves behind the bedroom-pop restraint of her earlier days and crashes headlong into something far more daring: a sonic love affair between Prince’s swagger and Joy Division’s gloom.

Opener “American Dream” sets the tone with a bold spoken-word manifesto delivered by none other than Purple Rain royalty Apollonia — a collaboration that’s not just for show. She reappears throughout the album, stitching a surrealist narrative arc through GRAE’s genre-defying soundscape. Tracks like “Dark Energy” and “Cha-Ching” shimmer with brooding synths and noir-pop polish, but there’s blood under the gloss — real vulnerability, real rage.

“Motorcade” and “Fantasy” are particularly striking — cinematic in scope, emotionally raw, and not afraid to linger in discomfort. Meanwhile, “God In A Woman” isn’t just a statement piece — it’s a battle cry. GRAE’s voice soars over thunderous production with a confidence that demands attention, even as she navigates themes of identity, power, and the pressures of fame.

If the record has a flaw, it’s that its ambition occasionally borders on overindulgent. But when the curtain falls on “Hollywood”, a devastatingly tender closer, it’s clear GRAE’s risk has paid off. This isn’t just a collection of songs — it’s a fully realized world.

With 7 Minutes ‘Til Heaven, GRAE doesn’t just evolve — she detonates expectations, emerging as one of alt-pop’s most fearless new auteurs. All killer, no filler, with Apollonia’s haunting interludes turning this from an album into an experience.

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