I first discovered Griff when watching a Disney commercial that represented a Filipino family passing down a stuffed Mickey Mouse. This commercial was the first time that I had ever seen a company like Disney embrace my Filipino heritage. I will admit I got a little teary-eyed watching the commercial. After watching that commercial, I had to find out more about the singer who sang this song.

Sarah Griffiths is an English singer songwriter of Jamaican and Chinese heritage. She is a self taught musician who learned how to create her own songs by watching tutorial videos online. She decided to create her stage name Griff as she felt her real name was too “corporate”. She rose to fame and the music scene in 2019 when she was signed to Warner Records. Since then, she has toured with Coldplay, Florence and the Machine, and Dua Lipa. 

Griff’s new EP, Vertigo Volume II came out this month and I can’t stop listening to it. In less than fifteen minutes, Griff takes us on an emotional journey. Her music video for the single “Miss Me Too” is a masterpiece. It starts in a warehouse where she takes out her walkman and lies on the floor. As she lays, dancers appear around her and she starts to dance. This video reminds me of the inner workings of our unconscious minds. It reminds me how much we lose in relationships and how we should never let the spark of who we are leave our bodies. 

Griff is a wordsmith through and through. Her next song, “Hole in My Pocket” is a sincere reflection comparing her ability to hold onto people in her life to having a hole in her pocket. She admits that perhaps she didn’t love them enough until they were gone. Her imagery is simple yet extremely relatable. It’s almost like the older we get the more effort we realize is necessary to keep our friendships and relationships alive.  In addition to her lyrical talent, Griff is admirable as an exceptional music producer. In 2022, it was reported that less 3.4% of females in music are music producers. Griff produced all of her  songs on her EP except for one. Her beats and her melodies combined are so infectious. It makes everyone want to dance and sing. The last song, “Cycles” creates a circular movement that ties into the metaphorical nature of feeling like you are stuck in your feelings. I cannot rave enough about how much I admire Griff as a musician and producer and I cannot wait to see what she ends up doing next.