By: Tanya Rogers
Photo Courtesy of Warner Records
In case you haven't heard, there's a new genius in town. Meet Griff. She's everything you would expect from the Rising Star Winner at the Brits. She's got talent, emotion, passion and a photo eating fries with Taylor Swift at her side. But that's not all to her. Keep reading this article to find out just how much Griff has succeeded at just 20 years old.
Born in January 2001, Sarah Griffiths was raised in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire to a Jamaican father and Chinese mother. Mixed kids, where you at? She stated in an interview that because of her ethnicity she felt a little out of place with her school mates, so at age 10, she learned how to use Logic(production software) by herself. Crazy talented kid. As a lot of people are, she is a major Taylor Swift stan and you can very well hear it in her music. Fearless was one of her first albums she listened to when she was 8 years old. Taylor Swift also liked a cover she did of "Exile" with Maisie Peters. She's got a knack for songwriting and beautiful unique voice and her art reflects her and what's going on in her life. Apparently the Brits think so too. Not only did she receive shout outs and flowers from Taylor Swift but she also won the Rising Star award at the Brits 2021. Congratulations Griff!
Something else that really sparked my interest is that Sarah's parents foster children, which is so nice to see that they are really good people. She also has 2 brothers so she's got a big family. Her experiences with her foster siblings allowed her to write a piano driven ballad called 'Good Stuff" which is probably one of my favorite songs from her. She says in the song, " Why'd you leave me with the good stuff babe, and forget about the mess we made? Oh, I wish my mouth didn't smile when I think of you, but you left me with the good stuff babe and I know that it's a crying shame, It's a million times harder when I don't hate you." This may sound like a breakup song at first listen, but Griff has said that this song is based on the memories she's had with her foster siblings, which just makes us feel sappy and cute.
Here Griff is wearing London based designer Susan Fang, who was a nominee for the LVMH prize. Susan Fang is also Chinese born just like Griff.
I'm not one to be jealous, but for Griff I've made an exception. She was signed to Warner Records in 2019 just as she was taking her A level exams, something as an American I don't understand because school works differently for me. But basically she was finishing high school to enter college but as you saw, she was signed to a record label and decided to take a gap year to pursue her music career. Now see, I myself write songs and sing but I'm not that talented to get signed at 17. That same day, she released her debut single "Mirror Talk". It was featured on BBC Radio 1 under the "New Name Playlist". What a dream. Billboard described the song and I quote, " an electrifying debut" , which is just incredible and they praised her " powerful voice and vulnerable lyrics. Just amazing. Griff, if you read this just know I'm jealous. (just kidding)
Okay, so what have we covered? Parents, award, Taylor, Warner Records, Mirror Talk. Good.
Next up we have what really made me love Griff even more. She's a designer. AHHHHH. She makes her own clothes and that's so cool to me. She originally started doing this because hiring a stylist is very expensive and she started bringing some of her own stuff to shoots and even wore one of her own dresses at her Brits performance of her song "Black Hole". She also stated in an interview with Vogue that she loves to support up and coming designers like London based, Chinese Born Susan Fang as well as Chinese and Black talent which is good to hear.
She's made it very clear that she is a triple, quadruple, infinity - threat. She's a singer, songwriter, designer and so much more. She shines like a diamond and she’s just so unique in our world of bubblegum pop. She says in that interview with Vogue, "I think I'm very used to being different.. and I've found comfort in that." With her bubble ponytail, independence and confidence to be herself, she has proved to be one of the most talented in the pop genre and one of the kindest people in the music industry AND SHE'S ONLY 20.
Make sure you listen to her mixtape One Foot in Front of the Other, listen to her recent single One Night( my favorite, no bias here) get tickets for her upcoming tour and COME BACK FOR MORE!!!!
Kommentare