Griff @ Le National

The era of girls rocking the music world is upon us, and I am determined to serve them up to the people of Montréal, one review at a time. From Chappell Roan to The Last Dinner Party, to Towa Bird, to The Aces, to Charli XCX, it has never been easier to find women in the music industry to support.

I discovered Griff in the most backward way possible—not from my Spotify daylist, hearing her on the radio, word of mouth from friends, or by her opening for a show I bought a ticket for. Instead, I found her through a TikTok where she made her button dress to open for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. In the age of “get ready with me” videos for the Eras Tour, it was wild to see an opener for arguably one of the biggest tours of my lifetime frantically hustling to create her outfit from scratch. That’s when I knew I was going to like her.

Whoever chose the locations for Griff’s concerts is a genius. Her style blended perfectly with the beautiful, handcrafted decorations and architecture from the 1900s on proud display at Le National. She was ethereal, floating across the floor in her ballet flats and wispy, jellyfish-like skirt. Her edges were gelled back fully, except for her signature front Vertigo swirl.

Her dainty and angelic appearance was only overshadowed by her insanely powerful voice. Her strong, soulful vocals leave you feeling as though you’ve seen her at her most vulnerable—and she’s seen how vulnerable you can be. Her songs evoke feelings of honesty and hopeless romanticism, bringing me back to my teenage years, hoping that my crush liked me back.

Melted chapstick at the bottom of my backpack, thrifting dresses for the big school dance, uncertainty about the future, nostalgia for childhood (which will soon become nostalgia for the present), Wouldn’t It Be Nice by The Beach Boys, waiting for the Valentine’s Day decorations to go on sale, summer beach sleepovers, writing poetry in the backseat of the bus, kisses that taste like cherry coke, stealing hoodies, late nights waiting for the sun to rise, and the fall after heartbreak.

Finding music that reflects girlhood and the feeling of loving so openly and wholeheartedly is refreshing. With such a commanding voice combined with catchy backing music, I look forward to seeing what Griff comes up with next. She already has a solid history in the music industry despite only dropping her debut album Vertigo on July 12, 2024. In 2021, she was named the Brit Awards’ Rising Star and went on to open for Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift. Though she isn’t as popular in Canada as she is in the UK, now is a great time to add her to your playlist and claim that you’ve known her since her first album.

Griff’s love for her fans shone through her entire performance. She continuously danced from one side of the stage to the other, asked fans to sing along with her, and even had a B-stage in the middle of the pit. I’ve never seen a crowd so quiet and respectful as when she sang some of her most sorrowful songs (So Fast, Earl Grey Tea, Everlasting) in the heart of the theatre. It felt as if the building had its own pulse running through us.

Earl Grey Tea was listed as a surprise song on the setlist and was exclusively added to the Montréal concert after Griff saw the griffieshq Instagram story takeover, where the fan in charge said it was her favourite Griff song. Griff also clearly wanted to nail the French phrases she planned to say, as her setlist included handwritten notes: “chant avec moi,” “Salut Montréal,” “Je vous aime <3,” and “merci beaucoup.”

Going the extra mile to ensure that her fans had the best possible experience made the concert electric, even if the contents were so emotionally devastating. She had the floor shaking and mascara running, which is the mark of emotional epiphanies and a new or renewed lease on life. As I left the concert, watching people hugging out their feelings, the phrase echoing through my mind was, “You’re scared of love, well, aren’t we all?” — Griff, Vertigo.