Alice Merton (born 13 September 1993) is a German-Canadian singer and songwriter. “I Don’t Hold A Grudge” is from Alice Merton’s album Mint (2019).
Merton was born on 13 September 1993 in Frankfurt, Germany to a German mother and an Irish-born father. Merton’s family moved frequently due to her father’s job as a mining consultant. When she was three months old, Merton moved to Connecticut. Shortly thereafter[specify], they relocated to Oakville, Ontario, Canada where she was raised until the age of thirteen, learning classical piano and singing. Her family then relocated to Munich. Merton’s return to Germany prompted her to learn German which enabled her to speak with her German grandmother whom she had only seen annually growing up. While in Germany, Merton wrote her first song and attended a German-language high school before graduating and moving to England.
Merton first drew major attention in 2015 as a songwriter and singer on Fahrenhaidt’s album The Book of Nature. On 14 November 2016 while in Hamburg, she won the annual award for the promotion of talented newcomers in the category Acoustic Pop.
After moving to Berlin, Merton and her manager Paul Grauwinkel founded the record label Paper Plane Records International, and released the song “No Roots” at the end of 2016. The song’s lyrics were inspired by her feeling of “There’s no one place where my home is.” On both Hype Machine and Spotify’s Global Viral 50 charts the song reached number one, and was soon included on the “Hit Play” lists of several radio stations. The song was also featured on episode 5×09 of the NBC TV series, The Blacklist.
[Intro: Spoken]
I’m really sorry
I really don’t understand
[Verse 1]
Where were you when the lights went out?
Where were you when I almost drowned?
Where were you when the fire went down?
Where were you, were you lost or found?
But you, lost in the weight of your mind
Oh and you, you take it all in your stride
Don’t apologize, mhm-mhm
Don’t apologize, mhm-mhm
[Chorus]
Oh-oh, I don’t hold a grudge
I just know if the feeling’s right, hmm
I don’t care if you say that you’re sorry
I know she’s right
I, oh, don’t apologize
Don’t you come back
Don’t apologize
Don’t you come back
I don’t hold a grudge
I just know if the feeling’s right
[Verse 2]
Where were you when they cut a hole?
I was sick and I waited for you
Where were you when they tied me down?
I was broke, and I could have used you
Oh, where were you when I lost control?
Sirens rang and they sent me home
Told me I should be on my own
Where were you when I lost control?
I was sick but you never called
You missed out on it all
[Chorus]
I don’t hold a grudge
I just know if the feeling’s right, hmm
I don’t care if you say that you’re sorry
I know she’s right
I, oh, don’t apologize
Don’t you come back
Don’t apologize
Don’t you come back
I don’t hold a grudge
I just know if the feeling’s right
[Bridge]
Where were you? (Where were you?)
Where were you when I lost control?
Where were you?
Sirens ringing, they sent me home
(Sirens ringing, they sent me home)
[Outro]
I, oh, don’t apologize
Don’t you come back
Don’t apologize
Don’t you come back
I don’t hold a grudge
I just know if the feeling’s right
Delìrivm Còrdia 