Goody plays huge show in TO

RECORD PHOTO COURTESY KAYLA BAKER / KAYLASHEAPHOTO.COM

Selkirk singer and songwriter Goody Grace, 17, opened for Australian singer Cody Simpson in Toronto last Tuesday.

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

A local up-and-coming teenage singer-songwriter had his first stint as the opening act for a big name in Toronto last Tuesday.

Goody Grace, 17, opened for Australian pop singer and actor Cody Simpson at a sold-out show at the Opera House in Toronto.

Grace said opening for 18-year-old Simpson was exhilarating. 

“This was my biggest show so far,” Grace said.

Grace had a 20-minute set and performed four songs, which included Blank Space, a cover by Taylor Swift.

The other three songs were originals written by Grace and were: Youngest We’ll Ever Be, Small Town, and West Side.

The rest of the concert went on for about two hours, Grace said.

Grace said the crowd roared with elation at the concert, and many fans echoed the cheer for Grace on social media following the show. 

“It was great. I got a great response from the crowd and everyone. It was really good the crowd was super awesome and supportive,” Grace said.

Grace met Simpson last November in Los Angeles while he was working with American music producer Cisco Adler on his own music.

KAYLA BAKER / KAYLASHEAPHOTO.COM

Adler, Simpson, and Grace joined forces to write a song called “Flower,” which was Simpson’s first single since leaving Atlantic Records.

Adler is now producing for Simpson. “Flower” was released in February followed by a short-run tour across North America, which included last week’s stop in Toronto.

“It just was fitting that I’m Canadian so me and Cisco and him all set it up, and then I flew out there the day of and it was a sold-out show,” Grace said.

Simpson is scheduled to start touring Europe next Wednesday.

Grace said co-writing the song with Simpson was a huge accomplishment, because the song is the first the Australian singer has released since becoming independent and rebranding himself.

“So that was a big deal because that was the first real release of his new stuff,” Grace said.

“Flower” is the first single off Simpson’s new album entitled “Free,” which is slated to be released in June.

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition April 16 2015 p.3