Photo courtesy of Semler.
This story was originally published in the July/August 2025 edition of Paducah Life Magazine.
Click here to read the original publication.
Grace Baldridge was in her freshman year of college in Boston when life took a turn for the worse. She was injured, broken hearted, and overall struggling with her mental and physical health. Her grades were in bad shape which prevented her from returning to school the next year. Her parents had just moved back to the United States after spending years in Belgium, the home that Grace had known for most of her life. After a heartfelt conversation with her parents, they encouraged Grace to come stay with them for a while. That voice of encouragement led her to Paducah — a small, creative retreat that was an unexpected, yet welcome invitation to creativity and personal reflection when Grace needed it most.
Grace, who performs under the stage name Semler, is a nationally known Christian artist who recently released her first album, Revival in My Mind, in February of 2025. The ninth track on the debut album, titled “Little Light,” features a nod to Paducah, as the autobiographical song shares a part of her story for the first time. “The chorus for Little Light came to me when I was getting dressed. I was standing in my closet and I remember recording a voice note,” Grace detailed. “From there I worked backwards in a storytelling sense… I was thinking in the context of a debut album. You want to introduce yourself to the listener and I felt there were some pieces of my life that I had not shared — the Paducah chapter being one of them that I had not shared in my songwriting.”
Grace’s Paducah Chapter
Grace would spend about a year in the new creative city that was now her “home;” a town yet to be discovered by her but, filled with the love of her family. She worked some odd jobs, attended classes at West Kentucky Community & Technical College, and, with any true story, made some new friends in new spaces. “I didn’t know anyone there but, I knew enough to be like ‘you don’t make any new friends by staying inside,” Grace shared. She decided to try something new blended with her love of music; audition for Clemens Fine Arts Center’s fall production of the hit musical Nunsense. “I had never really done musicals,” Grace warned, “but I did like performing and I always connected with creative people participating in shows.”She continued to find new creative outlets, including and open mic night at Etcetera Coffeehouse. Every Friday, Grace would alternate performing stand-up comedy or singing music, an opportunity she cherished to find her own creative voice. “I really enjoyed that artistic community where people were just really wanting to share and encourage each other,” Grace expressed. “It’s pretty rare… that there’s true open mics where you get to share your expressions and there’s no judgement. It really helped me get more comfortable sharing my music.”
Even as Paducah served as a place where Grace was able to find her creative spirit, she most importantly found a place to slow down and get a better understanding of her own identity. “I remember just how scary and difficult it was to admit to people how bad things had gotten for me,” Grace recalled. Grace shared Paducah gave her the opportunity to “recalibrate,” address her health concerns, and really find what she wanted to do with her life. “Things are not always going to work out in a linear way and things are not always clean cut, but there is always help and support for you… There are people who care about you and love you and it might be people who surprise you.”
Developing a Creative Career
Now traveling the country, most recently with sold out shows in Nashville & Chicago, and soon to be traveling to the United Kingdom this fall, Semler has launched a successful music career with a wide audience. But even as Grace continues to grow in popularity, Paducah still holds a special place in her life and career. “I think if I had not had my year in Paducah… I don’t know that I would have been brave enough to choose a creative path,” Grace shared. From the musical to open mics, Grace shared she found a new sense of courage. “If I could be brave in those rooms, I should be brave in other rooms, too,” she thought.
Grace’s parents continue to reside in Paducah, the town that she may not call home, but credits for formative years that helped her become who she is today. When asked if she would ever perform in Paducah, she shared an interest. “It would be a dream of mine to do a Paducah show this summer,” Grace shared with a smile in her voice. “I tried to get a show at the Paducah Applebee’s for old time sake, but we did not hear back,” she laughed. But most importantly, she hopes Paducah understands the creative power it has. “I hope people in Paducah know how special of a community they have. There’s a tender energy that I found very healing when I was in Paducah and I’m…I’m thankful for it.”
