Grace Inspace Opens Up: A Personal Look Inside Heavy Hair and Her Artistic World

Immerse yourself in Grace Inspace's heartfelt journey as she reveals the emotions behind her latest EP, Heavy Hair, blending music, art, and vulnerability.

A Warm Welcome and a Peek Inside Grace's World

Stepping into Grace Inspace’s cozy Los Angeles home in Highland Park feels like entering a creative sanctuary. On arrival, a package waits at her doorstep, sparking her infectious excitement. She greets both me and the parcel with a smile, inviting me inside as she rips open the padded envelope in the kitchen. Out comes a romantasy novel—yes, she admits with a blush, she’s an unabashed fan of the genre. As a teacher librarian, I quickly reassure her she's in good company, sharing a passion for today’s popular literature.

The dining area is a book lover’s dream: shelves bursting with volumes, teetering under the weight of her ever-growing reading habit. She jokes about needing more shelves to house her literary treasures. But books aren’t the only art in this space. The walls are adorned with a vivid collection of paintings—Grace’s own watercolor creations. They radiate a complex self-reflection, mirroring the emotional depth of her newest EP, Heavy Hair.

Heavy Hair: More Than Just Music

Leaned against the bookcase, several vinyl copies of Heavy Hair gleam, still wrapped in pristine shrink-wrap. Grace picks one up and brings it to the table. Each physical copy sold through her Bandcamp store comes paired with one of her original paintings—a beautiful touch that fuses her musical and visual talents.

As we settle in with cups of tea, the soundtrack of the house hums on. Her housemates, the twin brothers Marshall and Parker of the songwriting duo Mulherin, are busy in the studio recording with a guest vocalist. “Are you sure the music won’t get in the way of our chat?” I ask. Grace laughs, “Definitely not!” I can’t help but wish I’d been around when Grace and the twins collaborated on Heavy Hair—a creative synergy sparked after a devastating fire forced Grace to leave her Altadena home.

An Artistic Heritage and a Life of Movement

Grace’s life has been one of constant movement and creative influence. Born in Los Angeles, she moved with her family to the Bay Area—her father’s hometown—before spending her formative years in Wigan, England, the birthplace of her mother and the legendary band The Verve. Her teenage years unfolded in London, oscillating between the UK and California, where she lived with her grandfather. Throughout it all, her parents led an “artistic itinerant life,” a phrase that perfectly captures the creative restlessness she inherited.

Her mother, Kate Garner, was a pop icon in the ’80s as part of Haysi Fantayzee and later established herself as a sought-after photographer and visual artist. Her father, musician and writer David Turin, was once an editor and has influenced Grace’s artistic mindset.

Grace reflects on this upbringing with fondness and clarity: “I don’t think I ever imagined a different life for myself. It was passed down to me. I was always academic at school—my dad’s family is full of professors—but I had to be an artist. I knew exactly what I was getting into: the financial struggles, the highs and lows. But my parents are magical beings. They’re still best friends, still make each other laugh, and have a wall of optimism that I feel I inherited. No matter the difficulties, they gave me a shield I’m deeply grateful for.”

Finding Solace and New Perspectives in the Wilderness

Four years ago, Grace finally settled in Los Angeles after a soul-searching stint living in an Airstream trailer at her parents’ Northern California home during the pandemic. She fondly calls it “the wilderness.” It was here, in this starkly beautiful isolation, that she created the Sunshine Kid EP in 2023.

“That period was transformative,” Grace shares. “Everything slowed down. I was in a cabin surrounded by woods, with nothing but music to focus on. I taught myself so much and gained a fresh perspective. I’m still influenced by everything I learned during that time.”

Collaborations and a Shift Toward Intimacy

Grace’s musical journey has been rich with collaborations. Earlier works featured powerhouse names like Zach Dawes of Last Shadow Puppets, John King from the Dust Brothers, Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins, Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa, and The Verve’s Nick McCabe. But Heavy Hair marks a shift. It’s a focused, intimate collection—songs rooted in personal emotion rather than elaborate collaborations.

Originally, Grace wanted to call the EP Helium Balloon, named after one of the tracks. But a childhood drawing changed everything. Her mother found a sketch Grace made at eight years old: a little girl weighed down by her heavy hair. At the time, Grace explained that her hair felt “too heavy with my thoughts and emotions.” That innocent image resonated deeply.

“I’ve been feeling like I’ve been carrying emotions that I couldn’t express my whole life,” Grace confesses. “I’m more vulnerable on this EP. I’m talking about things I don’t usually share. It’s a peek inside my hair.”

Hair as a Metaphor for Emotion and Femininity

Interestingly, on the day of our meeting, both Grace and I are battling unmanageable hair days—and both have surrendered to it. Grace muses that it might be because it’s the year of the horse, and she’s scheduled a haircut, something she rarely does. “Post-EP, I feel like I must cut some emotions off, or at least trim them,” she laughs.

One song, “Emergency Contact,” touches on how women often suppress their feelings and the symbolic link between hair and femininity. Grace wonders how different she might feel if she shaved her head, referencing Sinead O’Connor’s powerful transformation after doing just that.

A New Vulnerability and Creative Freedom

In a departure from her past work, Grace steps into the spotlight on Heavy Hair, singing in first person for the first time. Previously, she channeled her stories through fictional characters—proxies for herself but still a shield from full exposure.

The Los Angeles fires forced a reckoning. Exhausted and shaken, she found herself unable to hide behind characters any longer. Writing became urgent and raw. Living with her partner Parker, along with the support of close friends and fellow musicians like Josh Mehling and Luna Li, helped coax these deeply personal songs out of her.

“I used to think work was something separate from my friendships,” Grace admits. “I forgot that everyone around me was a musician. It was almost harder to ask them to collaborate because we were so close already. But once I took that first step, it was seamless. It felt natural, not like meeting a stranger in a session and baring your soul.”

Visual Art: The Heartbeat of Heavy Hair

The project Heavy Hair isn’t just about sound; it’s a full sensory experience. Grace spent two weeks painstakingly painting the font for the album cover from scratch. She collaborated with Iris Kim, Violet King, Lauren Kim, Marshall, and her mother on photography and visualizers. But mostly, Grace directs and edits the visuals herself.

“The visuals are a huge part of the music for me,” she says. “I remember hearing Paul McCartney talk about how fans would sit on the top of the bus poring over album artwork, discovering every detail. When vinyl was king, the artwork was designed to excite and engage those kids.”

Grace loves that music invites personal interpretation. “My view of a song might be completely different from someone else’s. I want that. If I can help narrate people’s lives, I feel like I’ve done my job. Making this record was a godsend—a port in the storm. I don’t know what I would have done without it.”

FAQ

• What inspired the title Heavy Hair?
  Grace’s mother found a childhood drawing where Grace depicted a girl weighed down by her hair, symbolizing heavy emotions she carried since childhood.
• How did Grace’s upbringing influence her music?
  Growing up with artist parents and moving between the U.S. and the U.K., Grace was immersed in creativity and understood the highs and lows of an artistic life early on.
• What makes Heavy Hair different from Grace’s previous work?
  This EP is more intimate and personal, with Grace singing in the first person instead of through fictional characters.
• Who collaborated on Heavy Hair?
  Grace worked closely with her housemates, the twin brothers Marshall and Parker (Mulherin), and friends like Josh Mehling and Luna Li to bring her songs to life.
• How important are visuals to Grace’s music?
  Visual art is a vital part of Grace’s creative process. She personally paints and directs much of the visual content that accompanies her music, enhancing the listener’s experience.

For fans who want to celebrate Grace Inspace’s unique blend of music and art, consider shopping for your favorite album cover posters at our store. It’s a wonderful way to bring the spirit of Heavy Hair into your own space.