Grace Bowers Announces Debut Album With Emotional Track ‘Wine On Venus’ – WXPN

At just seventeen years old, guitarist, songwriter and bandleader Grace Bowers has all the makings of a star. His captivating guitar playing transcends his age, bringing a soulful yet electric tone to the six-minute track “Wine On Venus.” Released this week, the single heralds his debut album, Wine on Venus.

Bowers is joined on the album by her band, The Hodge Podge, consisting of Joshua Blaylock on keyboards, Brandon Combs on drums, Esther Okai-Tetteh on vocals, Prince Parker on guitar and Eric Fortaleza on bass. Produced by John Osborne, Wine on Venus captures the band’s live energy across nine tracks imbued with soul and funk. Where others would choose to express their emotions through lyrics, Bowers shares them through his skillful riffs and passionate playing.

Based in Nashville, Bowers rose to prominence during the pandemic, when she began sharing videos of herself playing guitar. Her talent has since attracted the attention of many artists, including Dolly Parton and fellow songwriters Maggie Rose and Lucie Silvas.

“I’m so excited to share my debut album with the world this August! It’s been a long time coming and I’m proud of what’s been created with the incredible production of Hodge Podge and John Osborne,” Bowers said of the album, revealing, “We recorded everything live, as it should be, for this sonic journey. I hope you love it as much as I do.”

Speaking specifically about the title track, she shares that the inspiration came from her grandmother. “My grandmother was 100 when she passed away last year. She always told me that when she died, she would drink wine on Venus. She was a little eccentric but thought it was just such a cool thing. When she passed away, I wrote a song about it.”

Bowers will be playing a handful of shows with The Hodge Podge over the next few months, including at XPN’s XPoNential Music Festival in September! Find more details and view the full festival lineup here.