Undoubtedly, some of the best musicians have come out of Britain—what would we do without Adele, The Beatles, or our beloved Harry Styles? It could be something in the water, but

year after year, the U.K. music scene, and by extension, the annual BRIT Awards, has introduced us to some of our favorite artists of the moment, including Dua Lipa and Jorja Smith, the Rising Star Award recipients from 2017 and 2018 respectively. It’s no wonder, then, that our latest It-Brit obsession is this year’s Rising Star winner, Sarah Faith Griffiths, known by her stage name, Griff. Unlike many pop icons of the past, Griff is not your typical star—that’s what makes her, her. She first appeared on our radar due to her beauty and style chops. Griff’s signature look (think: Cecilie Bahnsen-like puff-sleeve dresses paired with a protective bubble ponytail with extensions) is far more unique than the prototypical British exports of the past. 

 

Looks aside, her sound is equally as differentiating from her predecessors. Griff’s sonic cannon ranges from euphoric electronic beats to stipped-back melodies played on a piano in her home. Griff’s focus breaks the mold by writing about every facet of being a young woman trying to find her footing in the world (that’s not to say she doesn’t have a crowd-favorite breakup hit, i.e. the song “Black Hole”). It’s this one-of-a-kind approach that makes her one not to skip over. 

That fact is crystallized when Griff joined us for an interview over Zoom from her backyard in Kingsley, London. The sound of birds chirping in the background fused perfectly with her calming voice. And as the sun shined brightly on her as we spoke about everything from the inspiration behind her most recent mixtape (One Foot in Front Of The Other), the role fashion plays in her life, and how growing up bi-racial in a small, predominantly white British town propelled her to channel her creativity into music. Through her self-penned lyrics, self-designed style, and even this interview, it’s abundantly clear that while it’s easy for many rising stars to lose touch, her feet stand firmly planted on the ground in who she is and what it’s all about: the artistry.