by martina rexrode
photo by shervin lainez
Synth-pop turned indie pop duo Great Good Fine Ok is starting the year off with a groovy single that explores the complications of how we do our best to remain grounded every single day despite the things that are out of our control. With a career that spans over a decade and a new EP out this March, we were lucky enough to talk to the duo about everything from the music video for “Breathing” to the most influential lessons they’ve learned. You can keep up with Great Good Fine Ok on social media!
Congratulations on your latest single! What can you tell us about how “Breathing” came to be?
Great Good Fine Ok: “Thank you! ‘Breathing’ started with a musical and melodic idea that Luke came up with and sent to me. Immediately when I heard the vibe I was inspired with a concept. We are all living through such a uniquely difficult time right now, and I wanted to capture the idea that it’s more important than ever to learn how to give up control… to just breathe. Our favorite mantra is, ‘It’s not what happens to you, but how you handle it.’ As we started to put the pieces together, it became clear that we wanted real instruments on this one, so we got a bunch of our talented friends and went to work! It was one of those magically collaborative creative experiences.”
The music video is beautifully shot and seemed to be very simple at first, but after a few watches it seems like it holds a lot of meaning behind each frame. How were you able to incorporate the meaning of the song into this visual format?
Great Good Fine Ok: “Thanks! We really wanted to create an epic visual representation of the song — really glad to hear the meaning came through for you. The brainchild of director Zebulon Griffin and the team at Columinati Films (Zebulon Griffin, Cory Messer, Robyn Griffin), the video explores the all too familiar habit of living our lives with blinders on while the world metaphorically and literally crumbles down around us. The satirical portrayal of people bringing clothing to get dry-cleaned as the world is ending paints a heavy-handed picture of how numb we’ve all become. There’s a meteor headed towards earth and cars are on fire, but we still go to work and plan for the future. But maybe there’s another way… we find a portal into a neon universe and get transported to another, more vibrant time and place. Perhaps there are ‘portals’ in everyone’s life waiting to be found.”
How did you discover this funky synth-pop sound? Were there any specific artists or people in your lives who inspired you to make this kind of music?
Great Good Fine Ok: “When Luke and I started GGFO 10 years ago, it didn’t take long to realize where our musical tastes converge. We are both huge fans of Prince, MJ, Whitney, etc. and love funk and R&B. ‘Breathing’ definitely has a very yacht rock, Steely Dan (who happens to be Luke’s favorite band of all time) sound.”
How would you describe your style of music to someone who’s never listened to you before?
Great Good Fine Ok: “For the first few years we would say synth-pop, because that was definitely accurate, but over the past six or seven years it’s evolved into what I’d describe as indie pop.”
After making music for ten years, what are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
Great Good Fine Ok: “Wow, there are so many things we’ve learned… for starters, collaboration is key. It’s so important to bring other minds into the creative process. Luke and I have always been perfectionists, but it’s more clear than even that only the best stuff rises to the top. Even in today’s TikTok culture, I STILL think quality or quantity. Lastly, smell the roses. It’s so easy, and the nature of being an artist can rarely be satisfied, but life is short and if we focus on the journey (which we should), it’s important to celebrate and enjoy the small victories. Don’t get too obsessed with outcomes.”
In another ten years, where do you see yourselves as artists? What do you think your discography might look like?
Great Good Fine Ok: “I hope we are still releasing songs that resonate with people! Our discography will likely be about 75 songs larger.”
Can you share anything with us about your upcoming EP out on March 22?
Great Good Fine Ok: “Without saying too much, it’s called EXIST and is our favorite project to date. Can’t wait to share more on that!”
What are some of the biggest goals (or smaller goals) you have for this EP release and beyond?
Great Good Fine Ok: “We are so proud of this EP — we just want it to reach as many ears as possible. We hope the songs travel far and wide and hit people at just the right time, when they need them the most.”