St. Edward’s University alumna Grace Pettis is no stranger to success. The 22-year-old Florida-born singer/songwriter has achieved more in her short years of life than most do in a lifetime.

Pettis graduated from St. Edward’s in May of 2010, and since then her life has moved at unimaginable speeds.

“The past year has been crazy,” she said. “I released my first album, graduated from college, got married, started my career and moved across the country, in one year. It’s not a plan I recommend.”

Although Pettis was born in Florida and moved to Alabama later on in life, she considers herself a native of the Yellowhammer State.

“My family has lived in Alabama for generations,” she said. “Life there was interesting. Alabama is underrated and misunderstood. It’s full of contradictions, which is something I relate to.”

Pettis will be playing a number of shows in her home state this November.

Pettis fell in love with Austin from previous visits, and after graduating high school, she moved. Without stepping foot on the St. Edward’s campus, she decided to enroll.

“I was right at home in all the weirdness,” she said. “That’s why I moved to Austin, along with it being a great place to grow as a young musician. It’s still my favorite city in the world by a long shot.”

Along with having a musician as a father, Pettis attributes her love for music to artists such as Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. She said there is not one single event in her life that led her to singing—it is something that has always been a strong part of her life.

“It’s like breathing,” she said. “It’s always been my first reaction to everything. After every major breakthrough or life-changing experience, and nowadays, on the coattails of any little idea, my first response is songwriting, singing.”

Music is not the only fuel in Pettis’s life.

“There’s more to life than your talents or your career,” she said. “I want to be a good human being. I want to serve God and love my husband, family and friends.”

Pettis released her self-titled debut album last fall to open arms from critics and the general public alike. A mix of folk and pure emotions fuel her project and bring her honest words to life.

She said there is not any specific message her music conceals. She sees her lyrics as a way to respond to her own life and process its everyday happenings.

Pettis married Chris Lopez, also a St. Edward’s alumnus, this summer. When Lopez’s work as a youth minister took him to Virginia, she followed.

Currently, Pettis is touring the country in support of her debut album. She is in charge of her own image, managing and booking, as well as the overall outcome of her music.

“It’s a lot like starting a small business,” she said. “It’s a ton of work.”

In October, Pettis will bring her tour through Texas with recording artist Billy Crockett, who she considers a “musical hero and a mentor.”

Pettis has a sincere and humble demeanor, which is palpable when listening to her music and interacting with her.

“I’m honored to have been asked for the interview,” she said. “It made me feel like a real rock star. A smattering of general goodwill for the whole St. Edward’s community. Have some chicken tenders in Ragsdale for me.”