A fast-rising artist with a tongue-in-cheek name that belies his buoyant sound, Goth Babe — also known as Tennessee native and indie-pop singer-songwriter Griff Washburn — makes his Vermont debut Sept. 1 at Shelburne Museum in support of his shimmering and infectious debut album “Lola,” released in January. Named after the 36-foot, off-grid sailboat on which he was living with his Australian Shepherd, Sadie — in May, Washburn upgraded to a 43-foot Shannon sailboat that he named “Juneau” — the album marries rock-inflected guitar songs and lo-fi synth-pop to great effect.
The long overdue debut album follows a series of well-received singles and EPs over the past five-plus years — including his breakthrough 2018 single, “Sometimes” — some of which have surpassed the 100-million stream mark. And while Washburn’s earnest tunes and renowned live shows have helped Goth Babe gradually amass a sizable fanbase, he’s managed to stay grounded by living a scaled-back lifestyle that allows him to pursue his love of the outdoors and the environment. Leaving Tennessee after trying to start his musical career in Nashville, Washburn has bounced around from the surf and skate scene of Southern California to hiking and rock climbing in the Pacific Northwest, living alternately in a car, a camper van and a tiny house.
These days, he, Sadie and his little mobile recording studio split their time between a modest house on the Oregon coast and, when the season is right, on his sailboat. The freedom and joy of these experiences have helped shaped the music of Goth Babe, as have the loneliness and hardships along the way like being held up at gunpoint while living in his SUV, suffering a severe concussion from surfing and having his house burn down. “There’s no safety in this lifestyle,” says Washburn, 27, in press materials.
“Bad things are bound to happen if you just experience that much excitement.” “You could be sour about it and get callous, or you could grow from it and be grateful,” he adds. “That’s the road I’m trying to take.
” Many of these trials and tribulations are captured in professionally produced short films like the accompanying film for “Lola” on YouTube. The compelling 12-minute film puts Washburn’s success story as an independent musician with millions of streams and countless sold-out shows into perspective, while also telling the tale of his 1,200-mile Pacific Ocean journey from San Diego to Mexico on “Lola” the sailboat that inspired the music on “Lola” the album. “There’s so much beauty in the world, obviously balanced by a lot of pain and suffering,” says Washburn.
“I would love if these songs allowed people, even just for a second, to escape the weight and heaviness of the world.” The Labor Day-eve concert in Shelburne is the third stop on a two-month tour of North America and Australia for Goth Babe, which performs as a trio and is known for its high-energy and cathartic live shows. “Goth Babe shows are a chill, good-vibes time,” said the New York Post about a 2023 show at New York City’s Rooftop at Pier 17, calling it “catchy dream pop fun for all ages.
” Opening the show is Salt Lake City-based singer-songwriter Ritt Momney, who is best known for his 2021 cover of Corrine Bailey Rae’s hit song, “Put Your Records On.” [email protected].
