Written by Bec Loades in Interviews on the 12th September 2022

Let us introduce you to LA-based record producer, songwriter, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist Dan Griffith, also known in the music industry as GRYFFIN. To be honest, he doesn’t need much of an introduction as his extensive musical portfolio speaks for itself; he currently has 11 million monthly Spotify listeners and his list of collaborations (previously with Tove Lo, Aloe Blacc, Maroon 5, and Years & Years) is ever increasing. One of his most recent collaborations has been with OneRepublic (‘You Were Loved’ has already been streamed over 20 million times) and a new single, ‘Reckless’, has just been released with Danish singer MØ. GRYFFIN is currently busy kicking off his Alive tour travelling across the US; from New York to Washington, DC. There’s no wonder, thanks to his catchy summer dance-pop hits, that some of the shows are already sold out. Having trained from a young age in classical piano and guitar, his current style of music is a perfect blend of organic and electronic instrumentals; creating melodic and emotional dance-house anthems. In 2019, he released his debut album Gravity which deservedly topped Billboard’s Dance/Electronic album chart. Since then, he’s packed out the festival grounds of Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo with his fully immersive sets. There’s clearly a lot more to come from this artist, and we are certainly adding his music to our Summer 2022 playlist. MenswearStyle had a chat with Gryffin to find out more about his developing style of music and luxury fashion interests. Let’s hope he drops by the UK soon so we can see him live on stage!

Could you give us a little bit of an insight into how you first discovered your passion for music, particularly electronic music? 

Starting at a young age, I was heavily involved in classical piano and picked up the guitar when I was a teenager. I first discovered electronic/dance music in college, and I quickly took an interest in teaching myself how to produce via Ableton. I used producing as a creative outlet from school and ended up making a number of remixes. I then decided to start uploading my remixes to SoundCloud, and shortly after, labels would hit me up asking for me to remix songs of their artists officially. My classical training really helped with how I constructed melodies and create my own unique sound.

For anyone who is new to your music, which track would you recommend as the first one to listen to? 

I would tell them to dive into my debut album, Gravity, and start with Nobody Compares To You, All You Need To Know, Tie Me Down, and Body Back. All of those records will give you a sense of the various production styles I like to work with as well as the type of lyrical content I gravitate towards. 

How does it feel to be performing live again (at the likes of Bonnaroo) after the hiatus over the period of the pandemic? 

It feels amazing to bring back the live show. While I love DJing, the live show is truly a different experience where I try to bring fans a truly immersive show and Bonnaroo is just the start of this new GRYFFIN era. We created a brand new stage, new visuals, and brought in all new lights to really take the show up a notch. 

Did the pandemic have any effect on your style of music? 

Creatively, I really tried to push myself in terms of what type of music I was making during the pandemic. There are a lot of records I worked on that didn’t fit the GRYFFIN mold that will never see the light of day, but the time at home allowed me to try new things as a producer without the pressure of having to release music quickly. 

What are you most looking forward to during your tour in the US later this year? 

I’m most looking forward to reconnecting with my fans at shows and meeting new fans that may have discovered me during the pandemic. It’s been so hard not being able to perform and have meet and greets with my fan club, Gryffam. I am also excited that the live band is back together after a 3-year hiatus. 

Can you tell us about your recent track You Were Loved, with One Republic? And how did that collaboration come to fruition? 

You Were Loved came about when one of my managers sent me the demo, and I immediately connected to the topline, as I’m a big fan of OneRepublic. When producing around Ryan Tedder’s vocals, I really wanted to channel euphoric and summer-feeling vibes. Once I had a rough version, Ryan and Brent from OneRepublic, and I passed the song back and forth to finish it together so it felt like a true synthesis of both of our sounds. It was a really fun experience.

Can you pick out one of your favourite collaborations in your career so far? 

That’s a hard one. I really love working with Calle Lehmann as our styles and ways of creating just click, which is probably why we have three records together. I also really enjoyed creating my latest single, Reckless, with MØ as she’s been an artist I’ve always wanted to collaborate with, and she’s just a joy to work with. 

I read that Calvin Harris is someone you really admire and would love to collaborate with. Are there any other British artists that you really enjoy listening to? 

I’ve been really into Fred Again.. recently. He’s making some of the most exciting electronic music right now. I got to see him perform live at Coachella this year and am very excited to see what he does next. I’ve also always been a massive fan of Jamie xx. 

Could you describe your own personal fashion style? 

I would say my daily style is on the casual streetwear side of things. I love keeping up with trends but also staying comfortable. However, I am a sucker for high fashion pieces as well and have been getting more into the top-tier brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, Fendi, and Gucci. 

What’s your go-to outfit when you’re on tour? 

The band and I love rocking our GRYFFIN jerseys, black pants, and some cool sneaks. 

Do you have any favourite designers that you like to wear? 

For designers, I love wearing Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, and Fendi. But I also love Versace, Prada, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Celine.

We interview the LA-based record producer, Songwriter, DJ, Multi-instrumentalist Dan Griffith.