Grizfolk

Grizfolk fused pop, folk, and electronic textures to forge a worldwide sonic identity, securing strong commercial traction through their initial long-form project, the 2016 album Waking Up the Giants. Formed via a partnership between two producers from Sweden and one American singer/songwriter, the band merged sleek modern pop and dance production values with the rootsier, acoustic leanings of present-day indie folk. Personal and artistic hurdles prompted Grizfolk to shift their sonic direction on the 2019 album Rarest of Birds, which favored a more organic palette, yet the group retained its uplifting, frequently anthemic character, most notably on the self-titled 2021 release.

Vocalist and guitarist Adam Roth relocated from his Florida origins to Los Angeles in pursuit of a music career; by 2011 he was performing regularly with drummer Bill Delia in the band La Vie. Concurrently, Roth contributed to a music production house, crafting and shaping commissioned material, where he encountered Swedish producer Fredrik Eriksson, who had recently relocated to Southern California. The pair quickly began co-writing and recognized a shared musical outlook. Eriksson then connected Roth with fellow Swede Sebastian Fritze, who was also active musically in the United States; by 2013 the trio established a band that married Roth’s affinity for Americana with Eriksson and Fritze’s expertise in electronic pop. Initially named Griz Adams after the rugged outdoorsman from the 1970s American television series, the moniker was later abbreviated to Grizfolk. The lineup expanded to a quintet upon adding guitarist and vocalist Brendan Willing James alongside Roth’s former bandmate Bill Delia on drums. Their first significant opportunity arrived when “Vagabonds,” featuring guest vocalist Nikola Bedingfield, received local airplay in Los Angeles following its inclusion on the digital-only EP Indian Summer. Virgin Records subsequently offered the group a recording contract; their debut single for the label, “The Struggle,” surfaced in December 2013, with the four-track EP From the Spark arriving in March 2014. Additional momentum came when “Way Back When” was featured on the soundtrack of the successful animated film Mr. Peabody and Sherman.

Following the advance single “Troublemaker,” Grizfolk issued their full-length debut Waking Up the Giants in January 2016; the set produced two major successes, the title track streamed more than 12 million times on major platforms and “Bob Marley” streamed over 29 million times. A subsequent EP presented remixes of four album tracks. In March 2018 the band released the singles “Endless Summer” and “Spoonful.” Despite earlier achievements, internal difficulties surfaced: Brendan Willing James departed, while several remaining members confronted personal struggles including romantic separations and heavy drinking. As the musicians pursued healthier routines, Grizfolk’s sound evolved accordingly; their second full-length album, 2019’s Rarest of Birds, reflected a reduced emphasis on electronics in favor of organic textures and acoustic instrumentation. With Roth now residing in Tennessee and Eriksson and Fritze based in Los Angeles, the band already possessed experience with remote collaboration, easing their adaptation to pandemic-driven distance recording in 2020. The resulting material emerged in July 2021 as a unified self-titled collection that reinforced their signature blend of hopeful folk-rock and electronics.