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Press Play At Home: Watch Jensen McRae Deliver An Alluring Rendition Of "My Ego Dies At The End" From Her Bedroom
Jensen McRae

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Press Play At Home: Watch Jensen McRae Deliver An Alluring Rendition Of "My Ego Dies At The End" From Her Bedroom

In this episode of Press Play At Home, rising Los Angeles folk singer Jensen McRae lets her eloquent voice shine with an acoustic performance of "My Ego Dies At The End." The poignant track is the lead single from her new album, 'Are You Happy Now?'

GRAMMYs/Mar 24, 2022 - 05:02 pm

On the heels of releasing her debut album, Jensen McRae gave "bedroom pop" a whole new meaning.

The Los Angeles-born singer/songwriter — whose LP Are You Happy Now? just arrived on March 22 — performed the album's lead single for her episode of Press Play At Home. Titled "My Ego Dies At The End," the song isn't exactly bedroom pop — but she did sing the thought-provoking track sitting atop her bed.

"I live the dream like I still don't know what it meant/ Who am I? I've lost the thread/ My ego dies at the end," McRae sings in the chorus. Delivering the somber track with just an acoustic guitar, the rising star makes the message of "My Ego Dies At The End" cut like a knife.

"This song is about growing up and losing yourself," McRae explained in a TikTok, in which she performed a clip of the song.

McRae inadvertently jump-started her career in January 2021 thanks to a simple tweet. It was a clever joke about a song she imagined Phoebe Bridgers might write while waiting in line to get vaccinated. After the tweet went viral, McRae decided to bring the song to life as "Immune." The 24-year-old artist followed the buzz with an EP, Who Hurt You?, that June; hardly a year after going viral, she now has a debut album to her name with Are You Happy Now?

Needless to say, after several years of performing at cozy open mics around L.A., studying music at USC, and a childhood in musical theater, Jensen McRae is ready to step into the spotlight with her heartfelt music.

Press play on the video above, close your eyes, and lose yourself in her gorgeous voice and poetic storytelling. Afterwards, make sure to listen to Are You Happy Now?, and return to GRAMMY.com every Thursday for new episodes of Press Play At Home.

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Press Play: Henry Lau Shows Off His Musical Prowess With A Dynamic Performance Of "MOONLIGHT"
Henry Lau

Photo: Courtesy of Henry Lau

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Press Play: Henry Lau Shows Off His Musical Prowess With A Dynamic Performance Of "MOONLIGHT"

Genre-bending singer Henry Lau uses a loop station to perform his single "MOONLIGHT," incorporating the violin, cello and both electric and acoustic guitar.

GRAMMYs/May 25, 2023 - 05:05 pm

With his single "MOONLIGHT," Henry Lau refuses to be burdened by his past relationships. Now, he's turning a new leaf, dancing carefree under the night sky, regardless of the negative emotions he might feel.

"I'm waking up in a daze, get it out of my face/ The sun is shining on every move that I make," the singer reveals in the second verse. "So, let's get to forgetting everything that went wrong/ Everybody here, we been crying too long/ We can dance about it to our favorite song."

In this episode of Press Play, Lau performs "MOONLIGHT" from a mansion rooftop during sunset. He constructs the entire song using a loop station, playing a violin, cello and electric and acoustic guitars — one of his signature performance techniques that  prompted his nickname, "one-man band."

Lau released "MOONLIGHT" in January — marking his first single in two years — via Monster Entertainment, the label he founded alongside his brother Clinton. He released another single, "Real Love Still Exists," two months later; the track features Malaysian R&B singer Yuna.

Watch the video above to watch Henry Lau's impressive loop station performance of "MOONLIGHT," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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Press Play: Thuy Offers A Stripped-Down Performance Of Her Shimmering Single "Girls Like Me Don't Cry"
thuy

Photo: Courtesy of thuy

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Press Play: Thuy Offers A Stripped-Down Performance Of Her Shimmering Single "Girls Like Me Don't Cry"

Vietnamese singer/songwriter thuy turns her vulnerable single "girls like me don't cry" into a slow, piano-based track, bringing out the song's raw emotion.

GRAMMYs/May 18, 2023 - 05:00 pm

With "girls like me don't cry," Vietnamese singer/songwriter thuy searches for a personal sanctuary. Broken and battered from heartbreak, she's taught herself to hide from her true feelings.

"Tell me that you keep me safe and/ Never let this fade away/ Girls like me don't cry/ Girls like me pretend that we don't cry," thuy sings in the song's chorus. By the end of the track, she realizes that the stoic life isn't how she wants to live, revealing, "All I want to do is hide/ Gotta let it go/ Don't wanna keep this all inside."

In this episode of Press Play, thuy delivers a monochromatic performance of "girls like me don't cry." Compared to the track's original arrangement, thuy offers a slow, stripped-down performance, creating a more emotional sonic experience as a piano accompanies her.

"girls like me don't cry" is the lead single from thuy's latest project of the same name. The emerging R&B songstress is currently supporting Ella Mai on The Heart on My Sleeve Tour, and she will embark on a headlining tour through Europe in October.

Click on the video above to watch thuy's performance of "girls like me don't cry," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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Press Play: XTIE Reclaims The Power In Her Relationship With Eczema During This Performance Of "Skin"
XTIE

Photo: Courtesy of XTIE

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Press Play: XTIE Reclaims The Power In Her Relationship With Eczema During This Performance Of "Skin"

On her single "Skin," Hong Kong native XTIE refuses to let her eczema hold her back any longer — and this powerful live rendition is a testament to that.

GRAMMYs/May 11, 2023 - 05:00 pm

Growing up with severe eczema, Hong Kong native XTIE has struggled with body image issues her entire life. But on her single "Skin," she's ready to embrace what she once believed were flaws.

"I just want to heal on my own/ To take care of my skin," she declares in the chorus, later revealing, "Fighting all of my insecurities/ Stop judging by looking at my skin/ I just want to lift up my chin/ Telling me there's a world to win."

In this episode of Press Play, XTIE delivers a live performance of "Skin," constructing the song with a MIDI controller and keyboard. She wears a vest that exposes her neck and arms, emphasizing her growing comfort in her body.

Chatting with EnVi Media, the singer/songwriter called "Skin" the "most important song" in her catalog. Before her debut, she considered staying behind the scenes as a producer due to her eczema battle. 

"I felt like no one wanted to hear me sing," she explained. "When people consume music, they also consume your singing and your appearance."

Click on the video to see XTIE promote body positivity with her performance of "Skin," and be sure to check back to GRAMMY.com every week for more new episodes of Press Play.

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Press Play: DABOYWAY Adopts A "Cake Diet" In This Euphoric Performance Of His 2022 Single
DABOYWAY

Photo: Courtesy of DABOYWAY

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Press Play: DABOYWAY Adopts A "Cake Diet" In This Euphoric Performance Of His 2022 Single

Life's too short to not live every day like a birthday party, so Thai rapper DABOYWAY is implementing a "CAKE DIET" in this vibrant performance.

GRAMMYs/May 4, 2023 - 05:00 pm

With "CAKE DIET," DABOYWAY promises to celebrate every day like it's his birthday. As he put it himself, "The fundamental idea behind the song is basically just to have fun. The party doesn't stop, so we ought to live life to the fullest and not take the good moments for granted." 

And the songs lyrics illustrate exactly that: "24-hour cake diet, you should try it/ All the girls and guys like it/ Money making, break it to a science/ Whatever we want we tryin' to buy it/ It's not my birthday, but, for sure, we getting this cake," he proclaims in the second verse.

In this episode of Press Play, DABOYWAY continues the festivities with a cheerful performance of the single. Clad in hot pink outfits, the Thai rapper dances alongside five dancers under flashing neon lights before finally throwing a cake at a mirror with a closing declaration: "You know we're never stopping!"

"CAKE DIET" was released in 2022, and marked DABOYWAY's first solo track since his 2020 self-titled album. On April 5, he released his second party-focused single, "BAKA," featuring Japanese EDM collective Repezen Foxx.

Press play on the video above to watch DABOYWAY's delectable performance of "CAKE DIET," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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