Have you listened to Grandson before? He’s a solo producer, singer/songwriter who makes a wide range of types of music. He’s considered to be alt-rock, rap, rock, alternative, hip-hop, trap, and EDM. Sometimes all at once, and sometimes he transitions between them. What results from this style of producing is a sound that is hard to pin down.
Grandson, whose real name is Jordan Benjamin, was born in Englewood, New Jersey, but moved to Toronto when he was only three years old and has dual citizenship. As a child, his favorite bands were Rage Against the Machine, Nirvana, and Led Zeppelin. These legendary groups inspire his music to this day.
His songs touch on controversial topics like financial inequality, governmental and environmental accountability, and social justice, plus personal issues like adolescence, relationships, and the insecurities and difficulties of growing up through your 20s. The music sends a powerful message.
I first heard the single “Blood // Water” in 2018, which was a big hit that skyrocketed his popularity and took him to the next level. Other songs like “Bury Me Face Down,” “Best Friends,” and “thoughts & prayers” helped raise his profile so that by the time his first EP came out in 2018, called A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1, he was already extremely popular, and that popularity has continued to climb. He followed that up with A Modern Tragedy Vol. 2, and A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3 in 2019.
Impressively, he then released his debut album, Death of an Optimist in 2020. That’s three EPs and an album in less than two years! How does he have any free time being this busy?
He took a bit of a break during the pandemic, but things ramped up last year as he prepared to release his second album, which featured three singles. That album, called I Love You, I’m Trying was released on May 5th, so go check it out. It’s a lot more mellow than his previous work, which tended to be very angry and angsty. My favorite song on this album is “Eulogy.” You know what a new album means: A tour.
And that tour will stop here in Vancouver on Wednesday, August 2 at the Harbour Events Centre!
Now’s your chance to get your tickets to see one of the fastest-rising indie artists in North America! You’d better hurry, as the show is selling fast and will likely sell out soon.