We’ve been bumping Grace Vandals all week and still can’t figure her out…

Her debut seven-track album, What Can I Burn Here? is a deeply introspective listen. Swaying between these stripped-back dive-bar folk numbers, heavier moments where the guitar does the talking, and even an ethereal spoken-word intro, it’s hard to put a finger on her sound and influences.

This collage-style of songwriting gives the album an overall feeling like the songs themselves have been the guiding forces, and Grace is following them wherever they lead. The tension throughout is palpable, with the raw honesty in the lyrics delivering many goosebump-inducing lines – too many to mention.

Naturally, it got us wondering about who she’s been listening to, and the artists that inspired What Can I Burn Here?. Check out her favourite wax pizzas below and head here to follow her on IG:

Amy Winehouse – Frank

Amy Winehouse is the first musician I can remember becoming completely obsessed with, and Frank was the first record I ever owned on vinyl. My dad must have bought it for me after hearing me spend hours singing along to Amy in my room, long before I could fully comprehend her lyrics. Amy’s early music found the perfect melting point between jazz and hip-hop that scratched an itch inside my brain as a young person. She was a huge early influence in my decision to study jazz singing after high school.

Nai Palm – Needle Paw

After the very first listen, I knew that Needle Paw was going to be one of my all time favourite albums. Nai’s voice alone is enough to make someone feel as though they are melting into a pool of delicious warm honey. The way her voice interweaves with the three backing vocalists and percussive guitar is something truly special. The layering and texturedness of this album creates such a lush soundscape around her songs, which is something that I have taken a lot of inspiration from in my own vocal recording style.

Radiohead – OK Computer

OK Computer blew my mind when I first heard it as a teenager, and it’s one that I’ve kept (and will most likely keep) revisiting throughout my whole life. The percussiveness and grittiness, the poetry in the lyrics, the haunting melodies and Yorke’s voice weaving through it all. Like a lot of people, I find so much inspiration in Radiohead’s music. Every time I listen to this record I find another easter egg, which is such a cool thing.

Jeff Buckley – Grace

This record was discovered in the same place as many of my other early musical influences – the back seat of my dad’s car. He would play all sorts of music on our car rides to and from school growing up, and despite my sister and I’s resistance at first, we grew to love and appreciate this time as our own little incubation tank for musical discovery. Buckley’s raw, emotional vocals and beautifully weird writing style was a huge early influence for my development as a vocalist and songwriter.

Maddison Cunningham – Revealer

Maddison Cunnigham’s Revealer is such a brilliant album, with honest and gritty lyricism and the most delicious guitar riffs. It became such a staple for me in 2023, when I was really diving into exploring new voices in the alt-rock/indie-rock space. The energy and rawness of a live band sound with all of Maddison’s unique melodies, textures and arrangement decisions make this album so captivating and timeless. This album was a massive influence and reference point when I was beginning to write my debut album.

Arooj Aftab – Vulture Prince

Vulture Prince is one of those albums that has the ability to transport the listener into a completely different mental and emotional place. The way Arooj uses her voice as such a powerful vehicle for emotion is so inspiring to me. I was lucky enough to see Arooj perform with her double bassist and guitarist at WOMADelaide in 2024, which was one of the most powerful and captivating performances I have ever seen.