Grant Trammel
When a seventh-grade Grant Trammel picked up his dad’s old guitar and some chord sheets, he never could have imagined what it would lead to. Within a year, he was composing and performing his own songs. Today, Trammel is the next up-and-coming musician based out of Indiana. He aspires to create a sound similar to artists such as Ed Sheeran, citing Sheeran’s “acoustic style and guitar contribution” as sources of inspiration. Trammel’s debut song, “If I Wrote You a Song,” reflects exactly that—infusing the moodiness of a love song with the bright, rhythmic tones of pop, resulting in a truly unique take on the Sheeran-esque style of songwriting. As for the future, he has big things in store. Not one to sit back and idle in the success of his previous song, Trammel is hard at work at his next project: creating a five song EP with the help of producer Mica Naisang. We recently spoke to the artist about his new project, songwriting process, and more!
How did you start making music?
I guess the real catalyst was when I picked up my dad’s old guitar and a chord sheet in seventh grade. I had been learning piano with my mother for a while, but never felt the same attachment that I now realize I have with my guitar. I wrote my first song that year, and later performed it for a few hundred people at a school fundraiser. It is crazy now to look back on how my songwriting and overall creating has evolved, but to me, just sitting down with a guitar is still my favorite way to write.
What's your favorite non-musical activity?
In high school, I was rather determined to involve myself in as much as I possibly could. While this led to a busy schedule, it also gave me so many experiences and incredible friendships that I wouldn’t give up for anything. Some of my favorites were joining the school soccer and baseball teams, participating in theatre, and joining Rotary exchange for a short term program in Verona, Italy.
You recently released a track titled "Hey Baby" with Abbi Naisang. What was that collaborative process like?
All the work that I have released was the result of myself and my good friend and producer Mica Naisang working, thinking, and drinking way too much coffee together. We have really grown in our teamwork and looking back, our ability to create together has increased exponentially which makes me so excited for the future. That said, Abbi is an incredible talent and adding her to a track was a no brainer. Mica and I had been exploring duet possibilities for a while and I couldn’t be happier to have Abbi’s name next to mine on “Hey Baby.”
Who's someone that inspires you?
Someone that inspires me is my older sister Paige Trammel. We have been singing together since before I can remember, and watching her grow musically was what inspired me to begin creating in the first place. Maybe my music will go somewhere, and maybe it won’t, but one thing I can always count on is sitting in the living room with a piano and a guitar belting our hearts out.
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
Recently, one of my dear friends told me to never let other people’s opinions define your work. In the music industry, you face a lot of rejection and almost unavoidable failure. It’s very easy to get down on yourself and the music that you make. The fact of the matter is this: you can’t write music for other people, you have to write for yourself. If the result of that is something that other people enjoy then I guess that’s just a bonus. If I write music that I like, even if no one else in the world will give it a second glance, I will be more than happy.
Who would you pick for your dream collab?
Without a doubt Ed Sheeran. I have so much respect for him musically and lyrically. His acoustic style and guitar contribution is something that I really draw inspiration from. Maybe a few pieces are overplayed, but they are overplayed for good reason. Ed, if you ever see this I love you and your music and you will never not be a mainstay on my playlist.
What can fans expect from you in the future?
This was a question I was hoping for, because my producer [Mica Naisang] and I have been working hard on our next project, a five song extended-play. Since I’ve been back in the same city as him, we have been using every spare minute between us each working full-time to put the finishing touches in place. We are really starting to see it come together and are hoping that the audience we gained from “If I Wrote You a Song” will be enough to make something happen! Music will always be as much of a priority as I can possibly make it, and despite not having the funds to make it our main focus at the moment, Mica and I will continue taking every opportunity to make the most of what we have. I am so beyond grateful for everyone that is supporting our music, and at this point all I can say is, stay tuned!
