By Richie Burke Contributor Published Feb 08, 2024 at 5:01 PM

Grace Weber's rise in the music industry has been an amazing ride – from her surprise appearance on "Oprah" in college, to collaborating with Chance the Rapper and winning a Grammy with him and Kanye, to signing with (and parting ways with) Capitol Records.

And now, with the release of her new album "Paper Flower," Grace Weber continues to evolve and make waves in the industry. We cover it all on this episode of Milwaukee Uncut that you won’t want to miss. 

 

Born and raised in Milwaukee, music has always been a part of Weber's life. Singing since she was three years old, her musical journey truly took off when she performed at her school talent show at the age of nine. Singing a Celine Dion song, Weber moved her teacher to tears and realized the power that music holds to touch people's hearts. From there, she continued to perform at various venues in Milwaukee, including national anthem performances at local arenas. Joining the Central City Youth Choir further solidified her passion for performing and connecting with audiences.

While Weber always knew she wanted to pursue music professionally, she also valued education. She attended NYU and initially enrolled in the musical theater program. However, she soon realized that her true calling was in the realm of music business and visual art. Switching to the Gallatin program at NYU allowed her to create a major tailored to her interests and provided a platform for her growth as an artist.

Moving from Milwaukee to New York City was a significant transition for Weber. Initially overwhelmed by the fast-paced city, she quickly found her footing and began performing at hole in the wall venues like The Bitter End in the West Village.

Around that time Oprah announced a karaoke challenge, and Weber reluctantly decided to apply. Little did she know that a few weeks later she would be surprised by an "Oprah" camera crew in a New York subway and would have an appearance on national television, where she walked away with $25,000 and the kind of exposure that can launch a career. 

She then moved off to L.A. and had a chance – no pun intended – encounter with the Social Experiment that led to collaborating with Chance the Rapper, and ultimately winning a Grammy with him and Kanye as well as signing with Capital Records. 

With her new album "Paper Flower," Grace Weber continues to showcase her talent and growth as an artist. She was nice enough to stop by the studio the day after headlining at The Pabst Theater, a full circle moment for the Milwaukee native. 

Tune into this episode for some stories you aren’t going to believe and go behind the scenes of Grace’s career. 

For more on Grace, click here: www.graceweber.com.

Milwaukee Uncut is produced by Story Mark Studios, sponsored by Central Standard Distillery and Nicolet Law, in partnership with OnMilwaukee. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/milwaukeeuncut/.