The 12-year-old singer-songwriter on the radar of Australia’s top musicians

Grace Flanagan has always had a talent and connection with music which has helped her feel confident and express herself beyond the boundaries of her autism.

After winning the 2022 Edstart Achievement Award in the Performing and Visual Arts category, the Year 6 student from St Vincent’s Primary School in Canberra hopes her original music will encourage others to achieve their dreams regardless of their situation.

An instant connection with music

Grace was introduced to the ukulele through her school’s music program when she was six years old where she managed to teach herself how to play in under six weeks. She started writing lyrics and adding chords to her very own song a year later.

It was around this time her music teacher realised that Grace had a natural ear for music. She was impressed by her ability to pick up any tune easily and from then on was keen to develop Grace’s talent and confidence as a performer.

Grace has always found it difficult to articulate her emotions but she’s discovered music to be an effortless way to express herself. She’s been able to clearly communicate her honest emotions when writing them down as lyrics which has given her the tools to better connect with her peers and friends.

Finding her voice

Grace was introduced to Youth Support Worker Luke Ferguson shortly after being diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) late in 2021. Luke was immediately struck by the quality of her voice and was quickly convinced that the rest of the world needed to hear it. The pair quickly bonded over their shared love of caramel slices and even travelled all over the ACT searching for the best as part of their own ‘Caramel Slice Olympics’.

She joined Daydream Machine that same year, an initiative Luke started to nurture the talent of neurodivergent young musicians and filmmakers. By spending time with other kids who shared and understood her ASD she gained a support network that helped bring her out of her shell and understand that it was not only ok but good to be different.

Releasing her music and inspiring others

Daydream Machine has helped Grace continue writing her music with complex mature themes of loneliness and acceptance. She’s also produced art for her own music video and experienced first-hand the process of producing and recording a record single. Her debut single “Blank Wall” was released last year under the stage name ‘Charlie Grace’ and talks about overcoming life’s hurdles no matter the difficulty.

She was given her first chance to play for a live audience at the 2022 Australian of the Year Awards where her performance was so impressive and emotional that it left many in the room with teary eyes. It was at this event that former Australian of the Year Grace Tame discovered her story and recorded a very personal message to show support as someone who shares the same condition and has not let it hold them back.

Besides Grace Tame, her talent has also been recognised by successful Australian Artists Amy Shark and Montaigne who praised her tone and vocal layering.

Chasing her dream

Winning the Edstart Achievement Award has boosted Grace’s confidence and given her the motivation to pursue her goal of becoming a successful independent Australian artist.

She plans to build on the momentum she’s created with her debut single using the $1,500 grant to record and release a full-length ‘Charlie Grace’ album. The funds will go towards mixing and mastering songs as well the printing of a small collection of CDs that she will sell at her future concerts.

She hopes that her music will inspire others to pursue their goals and not let their circumstances or condition define them.

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