Sarah Griffiths, known better by her stage name Griff, has become a triple threat in the music industry. Not only does the 23-year-old from London write and sing all of her own songs, she is also credited as a producer in many of her tracks.
Following her appearance as an opener for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Griff just released her debut album titled Vertigo. The record features some of Griff’s greatest works and came from a place of “vertigo,” while finding the balance of highs-and-lows in the music industry.
Griff was signed to Warner Records in 2019 and has since released her debut project Mirror Talk and her first full-length record One Foot In Front Of The Other. The latter of which, Griff was listed as a producer for six of the eight tracks.
Having a hand in the production is something that sets Griff apart from a lot of artists. She joins the less than 7 percent of women who make up the music producer base of 2023. In a recent interview with NME she stated, “It’s definitely felt like I’ve had to wrestle for an album that doesn’t have a million and one producers on the credits.” She adds: “Even producers respecting me, as a producer, is a funny thing to navigate.”
Enter Vertigo.
Griff’s debut was released in three parts. Vol. 1 consisted of Vertigo‘s darkest moments with titles like “Astronaut” and “19th Hour.” Vol. 2‘s collection focused on euphoria and introduced a higher energy than the previous collection. The second volume was led by the single “Miss Me Too” and fully released in April, just three months before the full album.
Of the release schedule for Vertigo, Griff clarified that she wanted to introduce each volume individually rather than all at once and in many ways that tactic worked. When the title track “Vertigo” released last year, I was already hooked on whatever this project would become. By the time, Vol. 1 was released in full, it was apparent that Griff has mastered her craft and was ready to embark on what would be her biggest project to date.
“You’re scared of heights, that’s vertigo,” are the lyrics that open the album. Those words, while simple are a representation of the 14 tracks that are to follow. The album, while released in different volumes, follows a cohesive narrative. The theme of fear is a back track to Griff’s debut.
In the opening tracks, there are many moments where Griff is afraid of losing her love. The album follows a similar structure to its release schedule whereas the center of the album is focused around euphoria like Vol. 2. While, just about every song is tinged with loss and sadness, it is in these moments (with tracks like “Anything” or “Cycles”) where that fear of losing someone becomes the reality that leads to acceptance.
That acceptance in then explored in moments like “Everlasting.” In the track Griff sings, “The truth is that I don’t know if I can or believe in the everlasting/ Sure, I want to, and I’ll keep wishing /And crushing every part of my fingers / But who am I to think that I’m different or ever live in the everlasting?”
Every moment of Vertigo feels anthemic. From the booming chorus of “Astronaut” to the insanely fun “Cycles” there is a lot to unpack in what seems to be the start of a huge career.
Listen to Vertigo here!
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