Written by Ben Province

Pittsburgh, Pa.-based singer-songwriter Grace Campbell released her debut album, “Bloom,” in 2024.

A year later, the results of a readers’ poll conducted by Born & Bred, an online music media outlet, named Campbell as the best pop artist from West Virginia, where she’s originally from. 

Getting its name from the brand’s 2018 music festival and 2019 concert series, the West Virginia-focused outlet, which began in 2023, has readers from all over the world, according to founder and editor Brendan Gallagher. 

“To establish that within 2 years of launch is pretty awesome. Plus we are just excited to showcase the amazing talent of WV and being able to get that in front of so many people is an honor,” he said in a Facebook message.

Though pop is an accurate description of Grace Campbell’s music, her songs contain folk elements, the occasional electric guitar solo and well-placed chord choices. The focus of centering her songs around real instruments, rather than synthetic, stereotypical pop, makes the spirit of her music reminiscent of that of Sara Bareilles or Ingrid Michaelson.

It’s a thinking person’s pop. 

Ben Province: You’ve been posting original music to YouTube since 2019, so I was curious about your journey of doing those early videos, which featured just your voice and a guitar, to releasing a proper studio album last year. 

Grace Campbell: I started posting online as I developed a knowledge of marketing and the necessity that is musicians [and] artists being present on social media. After I learned more about the way that artists reach their audience through the internet, I realized that I needed to have ways for people to remember me and my music. That also began my hunt for a way to record a full-length album – with a college student budget. After I began attending West Virginia University, I got connected with Mon Hills Music Group, a student-run label associated with the Music Industry program. It was there, over the course of several years, that I developed more comfort in the studio and was happy to release my 10-song project, fittingly titled “Bloom.” 

BP: Can you take me through your songwriting process of how you determine if a song will be more acoustic-driven or centered around the electric guitar? 

GC: I start all of my songs the same way – sitting with my acoustic guitar. Generally, I will build out an entire song by myself, and then bring it to my band where I figure out what kind of sound I want the song to have.

BP: What did it mean to you to be voted Born & Bred’s best pop artist of 2024?

GC: Being voted the best pop artist in WV for 2024 by Born & Bred was huge for me! I knew how competitive the award would be, and I was so happy that my listeners and supporters lifted me up to be awarded the spot. It was so gratifying, especially after a year of really hard work for big shows like supporting The Plain White T’s, Melissa Etheridge, and Avery Anna all in the same year. 

BP: Who are some of your influences?

GC: My biggest influence is Brandi Carlile, but I am also inspired by artists like Hozier, Dodie, Laufey, The Oh Hellos, and Greta Van Fleet. Lyricism is at the forefront of my music, and those artists all lean into a story-telling side of songwriting that I love.

BP: Are you working on new music? 

GC: I am! I hope to have some singles coming later this year. Stay tuned! 

Interview was conducted by email and has been edited.