Unlike Mackay's albums with Sol3 Mio, Grace is composed of original songs, written by Mackay himself, who wanted to portray another side of himself to his work with Sole3 Mio.[1] Mackay dedicated the album to his grandmother, who passed away when he was young. The song "Grace" was written by Mackay when he was 17, in memory of her.[2]
The album was recorded at Furaha Studios in Los Angeles over a period of three months.[1] The album was written without a genre in mind, but incorporates elements of classical crossover and soul.[2][3]
Release and promotion
In December 2022, Mackay performed a special concert in collaboration with Ludwig Treviranus at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, where he performed material from Grace.[4] The first single from the album was "Some Sorta Sensation", on 31 March 2023, which was promoted with a music video shot in Los Angeles.[5] "Embers of Fire" was released as a single on 28 April, the same day of the album's release.[1]
Critical reception
Corrine Rutherford of muzic.net.nz gave the album five stars, describing it as "an album in which you sit and appreciate the beauty which unfolds", and praising Mackay's vocal abilities.[6]
