She turns her phone towards us and I take it from her. The video shows Mia and me mid-performance ofCollapse Into You, faces close, in perfect harmony. I barely recognize the guy in the video, thinking,is that really me?That guy is calm, happy, completely in his element, so unlike the guy I’ve been trying so hard to keep buried under the surface.
“You guys are on the cover ofPeople!” Rylee adds, taking her phone back to flip to the latest headlines.
Grayson Harris (@catastrophically_gray) and Mia Alexander (@miaalexandermedia) shock Philadelphia crowd—is Alexander Catastrophically Charismatic’s newest member?
Fans of the alt-rock group, Catastrophically Charismatic, were stunned earlier tonight when front man, Grayson Harris, wasn’t the only one taking the spotlight on stage. Mia Alexander, one of the band’s photographers—and Harris’ girlfriend—joined him, leaving the crowd speechless.
Alexander, who until now has stayed behind the camera, stunned the audience with a captivating, emotionalperformance that had fans asking: is this her official debut?
While the response from most showgoers has been overwhelmingly positive, a small contingent of critics claim Alexander was trying to “steal Harris’ spotlight” or that “Harris could do better.” However, the majority of the show’s attendees were thrilled for the couple and thought the show proved how perfect the two are for each other. One fan wrote, “Mia’s voice? Grayson’s reaction? I’m never recovering.”
Harris took to Instagram Stories shortly after the show to clear the air:
“Can’t believe I even have to do this, but I asked Mia to come on stage with me tonight. She didn’t want to at first. This was all me.”
He followed up with another post, adding: “Been going through a lot. Mia makes that better. Pls try to understand. x Gray.”
We’re curious to see what Alexander does next, but whatever it is, we hope it brings her back on stage. Check back here for updates!
I scroll through some of the comments. Most are amazing:
“ICONIC! Give Mia a mic every night.”
“Where has Mia Alexander been my whole life?”
“Hayley Williams vibes for real.”
But others…
“She’s just a PR stunt.”
“Catastrophically Charismatic doesn’t need a female lead ruining their vibe.”
“Thank you, next.”
For the most part, I’m thrilled—relieved, even—that minus a small but vocal minority, people love me and Mia together. That the show had gone well. That I made it through the damn thing at all after everything that’s been going on. The media hasn’t always been like this for me and the band, covering us so closely, hence the need for us to have media management in the first place. Sometimes, I miss being able to do and say whatever I want without having to worry there might possibly be a reporter or “anonymous source” listening or watching.
“You guys are trending worldwide now,” Brandon says, pulling me back to the present.
“The label rep is freaking out in the best way,” Eric adds with a grin.
Mia blinks at them, clearly overwhelmed. “I just… sang,” she says.
“Yep, and now you’re a phenomenon,” Johanna beams, but then seeing Mia’s expression, crosses her arms and sighs. “I hope you’re ready for what that means.”
I pull her away from the craziness of the group and into the privacy of our dressing room. The moment the door shuts behind us, the noise and chaos backstage fades like it’s miles away. It’s just me and Mia—finally.
I take her hand and bring it to my lips. “You’re magic,” I whisper.
She looks up at me, those green eyes I love so much softly glowing under the low lights. She gives me the faintest smile, but I can see the weight it holds. She’s still processing it all—the show, what’s being said about her, what might happen next.
“You could do it the whole time,” she says quietly. “You didn’t need me—you just needed to remember who you are.You’rethe magic, Grayson. You always have been.”
My throat tightens a little.
Jesus.
She has no idea what it means to hear that from her.
