Grizfolk - Interview
                                

Grizfolk draws influences from two different continents to create a wonderfully refreshing sound. From Sweden come two producers, Fredrik Eriksson and Sebastian Fritze. They met Adam Roth in southern California in 2013 and quickly started to make music together. Then expanding to include Bill Delia and Brendan James, Grizfolk was born.

Just over a year ago they performed for KCRW, a Santa Monica based radio station, and were dubbed an “Artist You Should Know”. Then, after signing with Virgin Records last fall, they released their debut EP, From The Spark in February. Coupled with touring alongside Bastille last spring and this fall, Grizfolk have been propelled on the scene. Thanks to their creative indie/alternative rock sound paired with vivid lyrics, Grizfolk are making waves. We recently got to ask them some questions, hoping to find out what makes them successful and what we can expect soon:

 

MTTM: You recently played in Detroit. What about that show stood out to you, whether it was something about the venue, the crowd, or even anything else?               

Grizfolk: The crowd was one of the most energetic and enthusiastic audiences that we played to on the entire tour. The venue (Masonic Temple Theater) was very unique too. We got to explore the building a bit before the show, and all the little rooms and hidden meeting spaces were really interesting to wander around.

What do you think is unique about your performance style? What makes your show special and why should someone come and see Grizfolk live?

Every night we try to bring as much energy as possible, and our shows have a dancing/jumping/sing-along/party vibe. Also, we re-work and slightly re-imagine some of the songs live, so they don't sound note-for-note exactly like the recordings.

Last year we saw you guys play here at the University of Michigan. What do you like about performing at colleges and to a college crowd?

Last year at University of Michigan was great. We love playing at colleges and the crowds at these shows have been awesome, everyone's been wild'n out!

You guys have a rather innovative sound at the moment, and there aren’t many bands who can compare. That being said, who do you think we should be listening to at the moment? Is there anyone out there similar to you guys that you really enjoy?

We enjoy listening to all of Justin Vernons projects- Bon Iver, Shouting Matches, Volcano Choir. Also the new Ryan Adams record, Blood Orange, Chet  Faker, Jungle, and Seinabo Sey.

If you could cover one song right now, what would it be?

When we were driving back to LA after this last tour, 'Say it Ain't So' by Weezer came on the radio and we thought it would be really fun to play. Not sure if we would ever be able to pull it off, but that song is a classic.

How does your songwriting process work? As a group of 5, do you share some of the same major influences when it comes to writing your music? Or do you piece together a few different ones to create your sound?

Every song has come together in its own unique way. Sometime it starts with a beat, sometimes it starts with an acoustic guitar. All 5 of us are songwriters so we're all writing all the time. One thing we find important is that if its a good song then it can be stripped down to an acoustic guitar or even just acapella and still portray and deliver the emotions and story as it does in full production.

If you could collaborate with any artist right now, who would it be and why?

Justin Vernon. We love all of the projects he's a part of (as mentioned above) and it would be really exciting to work with him.

As the year draws to an end, is there anything exciting stirring in the pot for Grizfolk?

We are going to be playing live with some great artists on the west coast- RAC, X Ambassadors, and Bastille in November. Also we are in the studio working on our full-length album, and we're very excited for everyone to finally be able to hear these songs once they're done.

 

There you have it! We look forward to the upcoming album, and they’re definitely not lying about the energy they bring. They draw you in and keep you dancing for the entire show, so if you have a chance, you should definitely check out Grizfolk live.

Also check out their recently released music video for “Hymnals”, out just a week ago!