Griff On Stage Fright: ‘I’ve Learned That Nerves Never Go Away’
Griff has spoken about the experience of supporting Taylor Swift, working with Coldplay and the influence of Charli XCX in a new interview with bbc.co.uk.
order griff’s debut album ‘vertigo’ here
“The challenge is to try and win over 80,000 people who are not there to see you,” Griff said of playing to a stadium of Swifties. “I learned that people just want to have fun and dance. So I would cut my slow songs, make it a fun time, not take it too seriously.”
“I think I’ve learned that nerves never go away,” she went on. “Like, I get sick to the stomach every single time.
“But it’s a unique high, having people sing [your words] back to you.
“Every now and again, without asking, a whole stadium would start putting their lights up. And that’s when you really feel like, oh my God, I’ve really got this audience.”
Griff went on to discuss Charli XCX and Lorde’s collaboration Girl, So Confusing. “That song was so impactful to so many girls because the competition is real,” she said.
“You’re expected to be picture perfect and support everyone – but we’re in an industry that really does, like, pit you against each other, whether someone’s telling you about [sales] numbers or comparing you with someone else or bitching about you. It can be so toxic.
“And I think that’s why that song was so unique, because the girl dynamic can be so complex, functioning within a world of misogyny.”
The singer also spoke about the experience of collaborating with Chris Martin of Coldplay on her track Astronaut.
“Chris, very kindly, sat down for an evening and listened to a bunch of songs with me – and he picked up Astronaut as one that I just needed to slow down and strip back. So I asked if he wouldn’t mind helping me with that… And now all you hear is Chris on piano and my vocal, essentially. It’s just one take.”