Words: Gabrielle White / @gabrielleblanche
- GRIFF bursts into 2021 with a teen-pop heartbreak anthem.
- Her latest hit ‘Black Hole’ has already achieved over a million streams on Spotify alone since its release in January.
- FFO: Lorde, Beabadoobee & Halsey.
It’s the decade of the Gen Z pop takeover; the 20’s is seeing the teenagers of today toppling the music industry. From Billie Eilish to Beabadoobee, and now the newest addition to the lineup of teen idols: the British-born, Chinese/Jamaican artist, GRIFF.
It’s been a triumphant freshman year in the industry for GRIFF, with a sync on Disney’s 2020 Christmas advert, public endorsements from Taylor Swift, as well as making BBC’s coveted ‘Sound of 2021’ list. GRIFF’s newest release ‘Black Hole’ is an effortless contemporary classic, echoing the wry pop-sensibilities of Lorde’s early music.
GRIFF grew up exposed to Soul and Gospel music, along with a healthy dose of Taylor Swift, all of which shines through in her flawless, yet vulnerable vocal riffs and candid explorations of heartbreak and teenage angst. Though layered over a relentlessly catchy beat, GRIFF’s hyperbolic lyrics expose the real-life drama of youthful heartache. Commenting on this, GRIFF says: “I actually love how melodramatic it is, as there’s obviously not ‘a big black hole where my heart used to be’, but the melodrama of the lyrics – over a really interesting beat – keeps the song fun, and not too serious”. She captures the heightened state of teenage emotions we’ve all lived through at one time.
At the age of only nineteen, GRIFF is already making big moves in the industry. With her reputation as a producer and fashion designer as well as her musical prowess, she sets a successful precedent for bedroom pop everywhere and will undoubtedly encourage a new generation of self-made musicians. There’s raw potential underlining GRIFF’s career, and a black hole is far from how she shines.