Welcome to our artist spotlight, where today we delve into the whimsical world of Granni Gret. Born out of an eclectic mix of humor, creativity, and inspiration from unexpected muses, Granni Gret has taken the electronic dance music scene by storm with her unique persona and sound. Granni has crafted a character and musical style that defies convention and embraces joyful spontaneity. Join us as we chat with Granni about her journey, artistic inspirations, and her debut EP, "Granni's House".

As we embark on Granni's journey, the story of how her vibrant persona came to be is as intriguing as her music itself. Let's hear from Granni about the humble beginnings of her unique character.

Q: Can you share more about the inspiration behind developing the persona of Granni Gret and how it has evolved since its inception at that local EDM show in Albany, NY, circa 2018?

A: Honestly Granni was inspired by a hoarder. My landlord at the time kept a bunch of random things in our backyard, including several “walkers”. One day I was looking through the pile of stuff and I saw the walker and immediately decided to take it and go to a Halloween store and grab an “old lady” costume and Granni Gret was born. Or I should say, Greta, was born, as that was the name I went by as her for a minute. At some point or another, when I was moving, I lost her original glasses and wig (which was more gray) and had to replace it once I decided to reincarnate her into a DJ. So now it’s a white haired wig. Her pearl necklace needs to be replaced at some point, it broke when she was out head banging one night.

Transitioning from the genesis of Granni's persona, we explore the dynamics and decisions that shaped her identity further. Granni shares how external influences helped mold her into the iconic figure we see today.

Q: You mentioned drawing inspiration from drag queens Katya and Trixie in developing your alter ego. How did their discussions on building personas resonate with you, and how did it influence the creation of who Granni Gret is today?

A: Yeah, I really got stuck on their questions of how much of yourself do you incorporate in the act, what lines need to be drawn? And they go further into details of like, okay what is the aesthetic going to be and what will the personality be? Fortunately a lot of that was chosen for me by trying to portray the stereotype of a Grandma versus starting from scratch. But I still think I’m developing her personality. I think its essentially similar to mine but I just play up the act of saying some cliché old woman lines. Like talking about a retirement home, having arthritis, treating everyone like they’re my grandchild. Furthermore, its really hard to decide what to do when answering questions, do I still pretend to be her or do I offer a different, outside perspective like the way I am now. I recently also had a friend tell me I should play up the saggy assets because she watched videos of Granni and was like, “she’s too fit!”. But hey, I want to be an 80 year old gym rat so let’s normalize in shape elderly! But it just also made me realize, I kind of enjoy the peaks at reality of me that poke through Granni, within reason. It almost makes it all the more ridiculous. I also really enjoy playing up the inappropriateness as much as I can, watching Granni run around with a vape in one hand and a bottle of alcohol in the other or ripping off her blouse for everyone to see her naughty Walmart negligee is always a hoot.

Diving into the heart of Granni's art, we explore how her presence and music foster an environment of liberation and joy. Here, Granni offers her perspective on the freedom her work permits.

Q: In what ways do you feel that Granni Gret's presence and music contribute to creating a sense of positive disinhibition and freedom for those who engage with it? How important is this aspect of your artistry to you?

A: As much as I say I like to be silly with Granni, I think I end up taking it more seriously than others do. Once they see me dressed up as that, they immediately laugh and smile and play along. They sometimes make it hard for me to keep up the act because I think they really want me to break character while simultaneously supporting it. I can’t tell you the number of good Samaritans that have “helped Granni walk” up and down stairs. I think it adds that extra level of playfulness to everyone around her as opposed to if you’re just at a show and everything is status quo. We all go to shows like this almost as an outlet from the everyday, a place to heal through dance and community, and I’ll just say laughter is the best medicine so let’s make sure that’s thrown into the mix as well. I think Granni alone embodies freedom of expression in the sense that I’m showing people you can go out there and essentially “make a fool of yourself” and instead of it being a shameful experience, it’s a positive one for myself and everyone around me. Which is what the entire EDM community taught me long before Granni was born. Furthermore, when it comes to Granni’s sets and music, I certainly bend a lot of the DJ/producer rules and would likely be ripped apart by experts and veterans at times. but it’s important for me to make something that I’M happy with that I hope others will enjoy through the contagiousness of my spirit alone, not just making and mixing music that follows all the rules. There’s been sets where I know I could have done things better at a “technicality” level, but the people run up to tell me how much they enjoyed the set so for me its worth the sacrifice. Especially because I recognize that the Granni persona is part entertainment, so I need to be up there playing a set that I can physically interact with and entertain even if I make unorthodox decisions. This is not to say there’s so much room for Granni’s skills to evolve and grow and this may change and it may align more, but for now this is the MO.

Now focusing on her latest musical endeavor, Granni walks us through the creative decisions that defined "Granni's House" and how it reflects her distinct style and personality.

Q: Choosing the direction for your debut EP, "Granni's House," must have been a significant decision. Can you walk us through the creative process behind selecting the tracks and overall theme for this project, and how it aligns with the essence of Granni Gret?

A: I always enjoyed DJing Dubstep the most, but one day the idea of having a curated set called ‘Granni’s House’ where I just mix house music popped into my head. Like when Subtronics does ‘Wooked on Tronics’. That initial idea transposed into debuting Granni’s production as a House artist. The songs popped themselves out serendipitously. I never had to sit and brainstorm. They were all inherently goofy as well, that seemed to be the only theme that could inspire me and get me excited to work on them. I even tried to make a more refined track at one point and the click wasn’t clacking so I ended up goofing off and making Wiles Woof instead. That’s when it all sort of tied together and I realized that it’s not up to me to debut Granni any other way beyond a fun and silly production.

With the release of her EP, Granni Gret aims to create more than just music; she aspires to craft an experience for her listeners. Listen as she explains the essence she hopes to convey through her tracks.

Q: As Granni Gret, how do you hope the listeners and audience will connect with and experience "Granni's House"? What do you ultimately aim for them to take away from this musical journey with you?

A: I certainly do not want them to go into it expecting to hear the most remarkable music they’ve ever stumbled across. This was my first stab at making music, its not going to be perfect, that wasn’t even the goal. The goal was to create something that will make people smile because its not so serious. It reminds me of something I heard Chappell Roan say about her inspiration behind “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”, which is so entirely different from her older work. She wanted to make something happy and upbeat and campy so that she could have fun performing it and everyone else could be uplifted in the process. The world needs more outlets like that, so I hope this EP generates a similar experience for the listener, while also inviting them to follow me forward on this musical journey because I am only at the beginning!

As we look to the future, Granni hints at plans that promise to be just as exciting as her current projects. Here’s a glimpse into what lies ahead for Granni Gret.

Q: What’s next for Granni Gret after "Granni’s House"? Any future plans or projects you’re excited about?

A: Funny enough, I already thought of the next two projects before I even finished this one. I am going to continue on the theme of this one in a sense. I plan on developing something called Granni’s BASSment where I dive into more bass heavy tracks. I also want to create something one day called Granni’s Kitchen, where it’s more of a free for all because you’re going to “let her cook!” as the kids say.

And that's a wrap on our artist feature of Granni Gret! Don't forget to be on the lookout for new content related to the release. Be sure to save the date of Granni Gret's release: December 7th, 2024!