Can you find me, you, us?
Sam Gracie x Cece Alaniz
May 2026
The beautiful mixed-media artwork (watercolour, Conté crayons and charcoal) by Sam’s mother, Alison Gracie, vibrantly captures the two artists and message of the lyrics - Sam and Cece are shown reaching out to one another, “extending themselves”.
The Song
Sam Gracie joined with Cece Alaniz for their fifth collaboration, "Can you find me, you, us?”, a hauntingly beautiful indie art pop piece which fuses soulful and ambient guitar and synthesiser melodies with alternative R&B rhythms.
The song, which is paired with a captivating stop motion lyric video, reflects on the relationship between the climate crisis, humanity, division and connection across the Earth. The repeated questioning phrases "can you find me”; “can you find you”; and “can you find us” touch on the fragility of connection, which contributes to the increasing risk to the planet year-by-year. These phrases act as an anchor within the song, and reinforce that listening to and empathising with one another, and understanding difference and diversity are crucial to reducing violence alongside reducing damage to nature and the environment.
This release marks Sam’s transition from his alias “Avid Beats” to “Sam Gracie”, with the new identity reflecting his shift from primarily making instrumentals to full production and singing/songwriting.
This deeply resonant song has a fluid and effortless arrangement which lifts the synergy of Sam’s and Cece's voices. The dynamics between the mellow warmth of Sam’s live electric guitar and the brighter and musical brass synthesisers bring the meaning of the piece home, while the two basslines provide a cohesive and fulfilling richness and the smooth drums keep a consistent pacing. The many layers and meticulous attention to detail in the production, including the subtle personally-made field recordings and analogue tape delays, add to the immersive atmosphere.
The spontaneity yet insistence of the track is like waves returning, reminding us gently that there is an important issue that won’t go away without listening.
The Stop Motion
The accompanying mixed-media stop motion music video, created by Sam Gracie and Alison Gracie, utilises poetic visual metaphors to evoke the layered meanings of the song, creating an emotional and vivid visual tapestry.
Sam's ten-part video diary, recording the making of the animation, offers a fascinating insight into the intricate creative process and elaborates on the project’s carefully thought-through message and symbolism.
The magnolia flower falls apart in verse 2 signifying “losing it all”, and subsequently joins together again with the leaves becoming wings, carrying it across the scene, representing “extending ourselves”.
The zigzags in verse three act as a metaphor for diversity, and the charcoal shakily covering them illustrates violence.
The arms forming a world out of beads in verse four is a symbol of joining together, rescuing the world from climate change.
In verse five, cutouts of Sam and Cece, which mimic the artwork, are coloured like a butterfly’s wings to embody connection making the world a more vibrant place.
The ending line of the song “break the cycle of harm” is depicted through lava beads being gradually replaced by colourful ones, forming a rainbow circle around the lyric. This emphasises that through connection and embracing diversity, we can “break the cycle of harm”.
Biodiversity Day and News Coverage
The release was timed to coincide with the United Nation's International Day for Biological Diversity on 22nd May 2026. This year's theme was "acting locally for global impact".
James Cracknell, editor for the Enfield Dispatch, covered the release on the day:
"Enfield environmental campaigner releases song to raise awareness of biodiversity".
Sam Gracie
