(guitar music) ♪ We both have gone our separate ways ♪ ♪ And I'm fine about that now ♪ - [Male voice] If you list Ann Gray, you are gonna go wow.

♪ Let me tell you about my new friend ♪ ♪ The ones that I made after you left ♪ - [Female voice] Her voice is very strong and articulate.

♪ They never leave me ♪ ♪ They treat me well ♪ ♪ Better than yo ever did ♪ - [Male voice] Her music resonate with her audience.

♪ We both have gone our separate ways ♪ - [Male voice] She's a real deal.

♪ And I'm fine about that now ♪ - [Female voice] And you would never expect that, from someone who is 15 years old.

(upbeat music) - I've wanted to play the guitar, 'cause my sisters have played the guitar.

But because I was a lot younger, the guitar was like so big for me at that point.

- Ann Gray's dad reached out to me and asked if I would potentially be interested in mentoring his...

I believe at the time eleven year old daughter.

- Before I met Skye, I would listen to her album on repeat.

I was so excited to meet her.

- Tell me what you've been working on.

- I have like three songs, that I've finished all but one verse of.

So I've been going back and forth between those.

- I've been very lucky to watch this combination of the emergence that we all go through in adolescence.

But then coupled with this intensified artistry.

(guitar music) At some point, she had amassed this huge arsenal of songs and it got to the point where it was like, what are we doing with these?

So then we started working on Ann Gray's E.P.

- My Dad set up a recording booth in our house, and so then we recorded the main vocals and the harmonies, the ukulele tracks.

- She ended up co-producing the E.P.

right along with me, just because so many of the choices and the instrumentation parts ended up being hers too.

- I was really nervous just 'cause I had never done anything like that before, but I learned a lot, throughout it.

- She rights such lovely songs that it was really touching to get to work on them from the inside out.

- And then, Foolish was made.

(guitar music) ♪ Recently I've stated taking therapy ♪ ♪ 21st century person with technology ♪ I started going to open mic nights, before everything got shut down, due to COVID.

♪ I try to love myself but I already do ♪ ♪ when the internet says that it loves me too ♪ But now as things have been opening up again, I've definitely been able to start getting back into performing live.

♪ Oh my gosh your generation ♪ A lot of my songs are about growing up, and the capricious nature of high school friendships.

♪ Tell me what not ♪ ♪ Tell me what's cool ♪ ♪ Tell me who's hot ♪ It's interesting to see how different people can interpret something very specific in my life.

♪ Boys will be boys and boys will be jerks ♪ ♪ Generation all so insecure ♪ Despite differences in ages, we all experience similar emotions.

♪ Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ ♪ Ah aha ah ah ah ah ♪ And especially in today's world with the internet and social media.

♪ Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ More and more people have been able to find and connect with my music.

It's just been such a gratifying feeling.

♪ Ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ (audience applauding) Thank you.

(audience applauding) Thank you so much.

(ukulele music) ♪ She's a kind of girl who always ♪ My cousin Vivi, we've always been really really close.

♪ She's a kinda of girl who never have to try ♪ A year ago, I had this hook idea.

And they got out their ukulele and the began playing this tune.

♪ She's a kind of girl who always gets the guy ♪ We ended up writing "Rich Girl."

♪ She's a rich girl ♪ ♪ Feels like you're walking on air when you are with her ♪ Vivi and I have been working on recording our first E.P.

together.

♪ Cartier bracelets Gucci belts ♪ ♪ She's the kind of girl who can name drop herself ♪ When I started learning mixing through Skye, she would tell me how to make a base line, how to use a MIDI keyboard, which are all things that Vivi and I have been playing around with.

(Ann humming) ♪ Be be boo boo boo ♪ I don't know.

What do you think?

- So where would we put that?

- She's the kind of girl who can name drop herself, or around there?

- That could sound cool.

- Yeah.

- There's so many things that Vivi has suggested.

I never would of thought of had I just been doing it solo.

♪ She's the kind of girl who can name drop herself ♪ (Ann humming) - That?

- Yeah.

- Okay...

Okay - We'll just listen through and be like, this part needs a little flourish.

♪ She's a rich girl ♪ ♪ Feels like you're walking on air when you are with her ♪ - Oh I like that though.

Co-writing definitely gives a new perspective.

♪ She's the kind of girl who can name drop herself ♪ - It's just been so much fun getting to collaborate with Vivi on this project.

♪ No hesitation ♪ ♪ Speaks her mind ♪ ♪ Never gets questioned ♪ ♪ Never asked why ♪ And I'm just so excited for everyone to hear it.

♪ She's a rich girl living in her own damned world ♪ (audience applauding) (guitar music) ♪ Darling tell me why ♪ Writing and playing music has always been a cathartic experience for me.

Something that I have to myself, an artistic outlet.

♪ We'll make the fog begin to lift ♪ Especially as a teenager, song writing has helped me understand and manage my emotions, better.

♪ You haven't changed but I'm seeing you in a different way ♪ It also gives me a voice to say things that otherwise I'd be too afraid or too nervous to say.

♪ Starting to realize ♪ ♪ How I don't quite have you figured out ♪ Music is universal language.

And the world really needs that kind of connection today.

♪ She's wise in a way that she knows not when to speak ♪ ♪ Kind in a way that she knows what to say to me ♪ ♪ Bold in a way that she walks a far this ♪ I have a lot of work ahead of me.

But I'm very excited (giggles).

♪ Wonder how I didn't see it there before ♪ ♪ When she's down she comes back a little stronger ♪ ♪ Why am I only seeing her now ♪ (guitar music) ♪ Maybe we're getting a little bit older ♪ ♪ A little more mature ♪ ♪ And a little less stubborn ♪ ♪ And have to be able to change our minds ♪ (guitar music)