Friends Like These: Zedd and Griff

“The reason I feel good about releasing ‘Inside Out’ is because it’s like therapy to me,” says superstar DJ and producer Zedd of his latest track. “I listen to it, and it has made me happy for the last 17 months of working on it. And that’s never changed, me feeling happy about it. So I feel like this is something that will help people.”

‘Inside Out’, the smash-hit-in-waiting from Zedd and fast-rising vocalist Griff, took almost a year-and-a-half to come to life. It was not until February this year, when the pair finally met for the first time in LA, that a series of demos alchemised into a lively, much-needed cut of positive dance-pop.

• READ MORE: Griff: British pop phenomenon taking control of their destiny

“I recorded one really talented singer, like, three times, and she recorded herself twice. And something about it wasn’t magical when I listened to it back,” he explains of the early part of the recording process. “A part of me was not getting magical vibes about the song… until my manager told me about Griff.”

“I was supposed to be leaving LA two days before this happened!” the British singer says of the surprise collaboration. “But obviously, this was huge, so we just quickly recorded a demo. And then I think he liked it.”

Less than a week later, just before the first coronavirus-enforced lockdown tipped the world upside down, Griff flew all the way back from London to LA to record the final vocal. “Your performance is absolutely phenomenal and it was really, really fun to work with your voice,” Zedd says to Griff in this new interview.

For the latest instalment in NME’s Friends Like These series, the duo also spoke to each other about their favourite artists of all time, a mutual love of Gordon Ramsay, and the real meaning behind ‘Inside Out’. Watch the full video above.

Zedd and Griff’s ‘Inside Out’ is out now