Heath Ledger protege Grace Woodroofe reveals fight to reignite career after facing emotional abuse

Singer songwriter Grace Woodroofe was a star on the rise on the world stage thanks to Heath Ledger. But she now reveals the painful secret of why she disappeared from the music scene.

Grace Woodroofe was just a teenager when she was thrust into the global pop spotlight after Heath Ledger signed her to his visionary artistic collective The Masses.

After his sister shared a link to the three songs she had uploaded to Triple J’s Unearthed website, the acclaimed actor brought the young singer songwriter to Los Angeles to help develop her career, introducing her to his friend Ben Harper who would produce her debut album Always Want.

She continued to write, record and tour with Harper, Australian artist Matt Corby and others but eight years ago, her career stalled.

Her powerful new single You Call That Love explains why she disappeared.

Woodroofe suffered five years of emotional abuse from her partner, an older man she met when she was just 21.

Grace Woodroofe’s new song You Call That Love turns the spotlight on emotional abuse. Picture: Tony Gough

“Jealousy was the first red flag, his reaction to something so small was so big,” she said.

“One of the biggest moments in my life was getting the news I would be working with a big producer. I was so excited but he just turned to rage and punched a hole in the table.

“Any tour I got, he would accuse me of sleeping with the lead singer. If I was having a night out with friends and drinking, he was convinced I was going to do something bad. He would smash his laptop, punch the fridge if we had an argument.”

Depression and anxiety took hold as all her energy was consumed by appeasing the man, seeking to avoid any behaviour which might set off one of his rages.

Her self-esteem plummeted as she was isolated her from family and friends. She knocked back opportunities to record and tour in fear of his reaction which eroded her reputation within the music community.

And when she reached rock bottom and told him she was leaving the relationship, he threatened self-harm.

It wasn’t until Woodroofe finally walked out a few years ago, returned to Australia and began seeing a psychologist that she identified she had been subjected to a damaging pattern of emotional abuse.

Slowly she started documenting her experience through song as part of her healing process. She chose to release You Call That Love as an anthem of empowerment not only for herself but others who may be suffering emotional abuse.

“There is a point where you lose yourself and when you’re second guessing yourself, losing your passions, your relationships and making yourself a smaller version to appease someone else, that’s when it gets to a serious place,” she said.

“I wanted to be a voice for them I guess and make them feel like they’re seen and they can get through it, most importantly.”

She has also reunited with Harper as a mentor, opening for him on his Australian tour this year.

And she often thinks of her time with Ledger, who died in 2009 just as their plans for her music were coming to fruition, whenever she is wrestling with an artistic dilemma.

The video he directed of her performing David Bowie’s Quicksand featured in an exhibition spotlighting his myriad creative projects.

Heath Ledger shooting and directing Grace Woodroofe in a video for Quicksand. Picture: Supplied.

“I really try to ground myself by thinking about my time with Heath because the industry is so incredibly hard and there have been opportunities when I could maybe put out a song I don’t like because everyone else thinks it might get playlisted or something,” she said.

“When I’m thinking about will it help my career if I do that or do I stay true to myself, I think about what Heath might say. And Ben has also been such an amazing support to ask about those things as well.”

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL ABUSE?

ReachOut’s Clinical Lead Linda Williams said types of emotional abuse range from yelling insults and gaslighting to intimidation and isolation from family and friends. Controlling money and your schedule can also factor into the abuse.

Williams said emotional abuse, unlike physical violence, can be difficult for people to identify.

“For example, something like yelling at someone might show up in relationships, which is not ideal. But with abusive relationships, what you’re looking at is patterns of behaviour,” she said.

“And you are also looking at how that behaviour is impacting the other person. Are they constantly walking on eggshells trying to avoid an argument because they worry about the other person getting angry at them?

“Is the relationship changing their sense of themselves, their confidence and causing themselves to doubt themselves and feel undermined?

“Those kinds of things would be really common where there is emotional abuse.”

Williams said emotional abuse can occur not only in romantic relationship but within family and friend groups and the incidences of harmful behaviour increase over time.

She said anyone concerned about emotional abuse should talk to someone they trust or support services such as 1800RESPECT and search out information to help them understand what they are experiencing.

“For people who are concerned about a friend or a loved one, they may not want to talk about the issue, they may deny there is a concern,” she said.

“Don’t press them to admit that there’s something wrong in the relationship or press them to leave the other person because that can risk them feeling like they want to avoid having the conversation.

“Be there to talk with a person when they are ready and willing to talk about what they need in support is important.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.

Originally published as Heath Ledger protege Grace Woodroofe reveals fight to reignite career after facing emotional abuse