Producer, songwriter, and DJ Dan Griffith makes emotional dance-pop under the moniker Gryffin, blending organic and electronic instrumentation to create a fusion of melodic house and future bass tracks. At the end of 2020 he released his latest single Safe With Me featuring the vocals of rising star Audrey Mika, so Headliner just had to catch up with the SF native to find out how this stunning collaboration came about.
While he can usually be found residing in L.A., Gryffin has recently been taking a break from city life during the pandemic, finding refuge in Palm Springs where he’s been taking up golf lessons and focusing on new music.
His moments of productivity and creativity have been ebbing and flowing of late, and while the lack of routine has kept him on his toes, he currently feels like he’s living in the movie Groundhog Day. He’s not the only one...
“I've definitely been grinding through it and I'm happy with what I've been able to create, but I'd be lying if I said there weren't some real tough stretches,” he starts. “I almost didn't realise how hard I was going on the live side for the last two or three years; I’ve only really just been able to pause and reflect on everything and appreciate it properly.
“Some days I’d have a 1am to 3:30am Vegas DJ set and then have to get straight on a plane to be at a music festival the next day, and I would be dragging because I was so tired, but I’ll never take that for granted ever again...I've really learned to cherish how awesome the times were and hopefully the times will be once once we get through this.”
Gryffin had been playing piano since a young age, but never really got into the classical side of things, instead opting to pick up a Fender Strat during his high school days and mess around in rock bands with friends. It wasn’t until he hit college however that his taste turned to dance music — and the likes of Skrillex and Swedish House Mafia — which has quite clearly had the biggest influence on the music he creates today.