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Unwrap ‘granola bars’ With gnash In This Exclusive Interview

Unwrap ‘granola bars’ With gnash In This Exclusive Interview

We’re already obsessed with all things gnash, but this new single with Annika Wells has us gazing at the stars and pitching a tent! ‘granola bars’ is a simple but moving track with minimal background music and a focus on the back-and-forth between him and Annika.

With lyrics that describe the perfect getaway and vibes that are upbeat and happy, this track is a shoo-in for that camping-for-two playlist. Get the lowdown on how the track came to be and where the lyrics found its inspiration with an exclusive interview with gnash!

If you’re thinking his name sounds familiar, it’s probably because his song, ‘i hate you, i love you’ featuring Olivia O’Brien has over one billion streams on Spotify alone – so it’s probably snuck its way into a playlist or two since its release in 2016. And if you loved that track, we’re sure you’ll love ‘granola bars’ as it feels very gnash. Learn about the new track below!

Congratulations on your new single, ‘granola bars’ with Annika Wells! How did this collaboration come about, and where did you get the inspiration for this song?
thank you! i reached out to annika on dm as a fan of her songwriting. we got together, she picked up the kalynnba (a small kalimba from my aunt lynn), & it wrote itself from there.


You’ve done a handful of collaborations throughout the last few years. What’s one thing you’ve learned from Annika that will stay with you on your career journey?
annika understands pop much better than i do. her natural knack for keeping melody consistent in the chorus is something i’ll carry with me. usually, on a chorus like this, i would vary those landing notes “city”, “350” & “dizzy” on lines 1 & 3 (or 2), but she pushed for consistency, & i think it’s super beneficial for the mesmerizing nature of the chorus. same goes for tags (most commonly heard as big “oh” chants like in ed sheeran’s “sing”). i usually bounce all over the place & get lost in lyric land, but it’s important to give people something easy to remember melodically too.


We absolutely love the contrast between your two voices against the minimal background tracks, and the adventures you go on through your lyrics seem like a great time! Did real-life experiences inspire any of these lyrics? Any on your bucket list?
so, i’ve actually never been camping. annika is gorp (granola or raisin people) to the core. when we got together, she was filling me in on some recent adventures & about her newly renovated van, a ford 2000 e-350. so the song is 2 people fantasizing about the places we could go with our respective partners (or as friends) beyond the sofa & another night of 90 day fiancé.

With the song being called ‘granola bars,’ we must ask, what is your favorite granola bar? And besides granola bars, what’s your go-to snack?
the og is nature valley & i’m all about the classics. my favorite of all time is the (gone but not forgotten) m&m kudos bar. but lately, i’ve been on kind bars as well. they have a new mint chocolate one that brings me so much joy, & their ceo daniel lubetzky is my fav on shark tank.

Image Source: Bianca Ortega

‘granola bars’ is essentially about escaping the repetition of every day with your favorite person. How do you actually get away from it all to clear your head and spend some time alone or with loved ones?
lately, i’ve been mediating on it. i think sharing tv shows & books is important. my partner & i are big on travel. we always have a trip planned to look forward to. we’re actually in london at st. pancras now waiting on our train to paris. i miss my cat.

The lyrics also paint some awesome pictures in our heads! Can we expect a music video to accompany this single? If so, what can you tell us about it?
no plans for a video now, but you never know! it might finally get me out of the house 🙂

Looking back, where do you think you have grown the most in your music?
i used to be focused 100% on the melody & lyric, but in the last couple years i’ve recognized that’s only serving about half of listeners. people like myself hear the music first & then the lyric, so i’ve been expanding my musicality by bringing in creative collaborators who help push that narrative forward while i focus on the words.

Image Source: Bianca Ortega

What would you tell 2015 gnash to prepare him for now?
relax, you’re gonna be okay, & follow the path of least resistance. have fun!

See Also

You recorded your first two EPs in your garage, including ‘i hate u, i love u.’ When did it hit you that you have over 4 million listeners on Spotify alone?
to be honest i don’t really remember the moment. nobody can prepare you for what that’s like. there isn’t a book on it because everybody’s journey is so unique. there have been so many amazing moments over the last 7 years, both hard & beautiful, that i’m extremely grateful for. but if anybody reading this is blowing up & would like someone to talk to, hit me.

You’ve released a few tracks this year. Can fans look toward an EP or album before the year is over? If so, can you give us any details?
i think the way we consume music has changed. it takes me an incredible amount of focus to listen to even my favorite artist’s new record, & i find myself going back to comfort classics & scrolling tiktok for 15 seconds of something that hits me. dsp’s have lost the heart & are just as algorithmic, & i can’t blame them. a lot of this has been public trial & error while recalibrating for a post-covid world. right now i’m obsessed with finding ways to deliver new music to my core based on how i discover & love new songs. so with that being said, i do have an album of new material, & it’s ready to drop – but what i know is how that happens will be anything but traditional.


We’re itching to hear the new album, but until then, you can check out gnash’s latest single below!

Have you already packed your bags to journey on the perfect getaway with this song in the background? Grab your favorite snacks and your favorite person and let us know what you thought of ‘granola bars’ in the comments below! You can also hit us up on Instagram and Twitter!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GNASH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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