Popular English singer-songwriter Griff released her new song “last night’s mascara” last Friday. She opened for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour last year and is currently supporting Sabrina Carpenter on her Short n’ Sweet Tour.
Her debut album “Vertigo” was released last July and this single further extends the era for Griff. Originally written for the album but was never released, this unfinished demo gained attention on social media when the singer posted several tracks that never made the cut. In response, she and her label decided to release the song soon after, giving her fans an extra track to listen to along with the album.
This fresh single starts with slow and minimal instrumentals, highlighting Griff’s voice and storytelling. She confesses, “Last night’s mascara’s such a pretty thing / It covers my eyes, I’m a beauty queen.” The singer continues to end the first verse with, “It’s as dark as my heart, yet it’s sparkling / And it stayed with me sitting on the back of the last train home.”
As the song builds, she asks the subject of the song through first perspective to “look at [her] now” and tells them she is “rubbing it off” as if the mascara was a memory of them. The drums create a rhythmic effect as she passionately repeats herself within the chorus.
The audience receives further storytelling after the second verse, where Griff expresses how she is “on [her] knees at the altar…asking God to wash you from [her] soul.”
Performing sorrowful lyrics accompanied by an optimistic melody, the songwriter continues her trend of cathartic songs. Griff delivers another upbeat song about heartbreak as she finishes the track with emotional acapella, once again asking the subject to “look at [her] now.” Listeners going through their own heartbreak may find comfort in this track.
“last night’s mascara” by Griff is cohesive with the other songs on “Vertigo,” both theoretically and tunefully, fitting the signature sound throughout her discography. Her audience will appreciate this tune and may find it relatable, as will others who discover her after this release. The expanded fanbase she has after Swift’s and Carpenters’ tours proves this to be great timing for new music. Continuing at this pace with such projects, she has the potential to be viewed as more than a “supporting act” in the near future.
5/5 stars
rross1@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @wiffygriffy, Instagram
