When GRiZ announced his hiatus in the late spring of 2023, no one could fully grasp the historic run that was about to ensue. In one of the most iconic periods in the modern-day scope of dance music, the Denver-based producer, alongside his soulful sidekicks of sound ProbCause and Chrishira, embarked on a farewell journey that will be remembered for generations to come.
From Bonnaroo to Shambhala, Grizmas in July to Ursa Major, the trio, accompanied by their friends Jason Siegel and The Late Night Horns, spent the 2023 festival season traveling the country and simply playing music. While GRiZ was the frontman, ProbCause and Chrishira were integral part of the show. Bringing a live aspect to electronic music never before seen or replicated, they dazzled fans in between face-melting drops of bass with a soulful yet electrifying cadence on the mic.
Together, the GRiZ fam cultivated a Grateful Dead-like following grounded in community and the mantra “Show Love, Spread Love.” From venue to venue, show to show, they performed each set like it was their last until it was their last, giving each and every fan in attendance a memory that would live on forever.
But like the Ouroboros emblem that inspired GRiZ’s final album, when one chapter ends, another chapter begins. For ProbCause and Chrishira, the hiatus didn’t mark the end of an era but the birth of something new. The birth of an experimentation into sound. A duo named VIBELINE who not only embodies the essence of the GRiZ project but pushes the boundaries of music in its own right.
“Vibeline is like if you took ur favorite jam band and mixed it with your favorite DJ, then added your favorite singer and rapper and rolled it into a fat joint,” ProbCause noted in an exclusive interview with The Daily Frequency.
“It started with GRiZ asking if we wanted to do our own set at Ursa. That was really the catalyst for everything. We started working on a couple of songs and realized there was definitely a spark there.”
On top of performing three sets with GRiZ at Ursa Major, Prob and Chrishira joined forces with Sunsquabi to debut the first-ever VIBELINE performance. Through a collection of new tunes, groovy covers, and funkadelic jams the duo not only captivated the Ursa Major crowd (and GRiZ) but realized this could be something more.
“It was really special for us. To see fans jamming to songs they’d never heard before. Seeing GRiZ dancing in the crowd. It was all really magical. I think the perfectionist in both of us immediately knew we could craft the VIBELINE into something even better with some time.”
After a final string of Denver shows and an emotional goodbye the GRiZ project was, for now, officially over.
For the first time in years there was no plane to catch, no shows to play, no stage to dance on. But after years of grinding, the duo saw the break as something needed.
“It’s actually been really nice having some time off the road. Working on solo tunes and VIBELINE stuff and just having some time to catch our breath,” the duo stated. “I think it’s given us both some time to reflect on our careers and think about what the next few years look like creatively. Although we all miss being on the road together, it’s been important for us on a creative and human level.”
It is this breath where the idea of VIBELINE began to fester and quickly come to fruition.
“It’s been a fun experience. Branding the project, seeing the initial buzz, and formulating the sound. I think we have a leg up because we don’t have the same pressure of establishing ourselves. We’ve been trying to just enjoy the process and let it unfold organically.”
Now, just five months after their final GRiZ performance, VIBELINE has dropped their first single as a duo, Shine Bright. Filled with profound, uplifting lyricism, breathtaking vocals, and soulful soundscapes, the single not only foreshadows what to expect from the duo but offers a refreshing taste of good vibes and positivity.
“We’ve been sitting on that song for a little while now,” they explained. It’s gone through a lot of changes. We’re really excited for it to finally be out in the world!
When asked about the inspirations for the song, the answer was simple but powerful.
“The first verse was written as a reminder to trust yourself and not fall victim to other people’s doubts,” Prob stated. “After Chrishira came up with the chorus, I wrote the second verse as a message to Chrishira’s baby Astro, who hadn’t yet been born. Basically words of advice that I feel like anyone can connect with. It’s things we maybe all know but need to be reminded of.”
With the current state of the world, we need tracks like Shine Bright more than ever. Not only does VIBELINE create a track with substance, but formulates a message people can truly resonate with.
“I think music has proven to be inspirational and transformative. I think it has the power to save an individual’s world, and it’s certainly saved both of ours.”
Of course, fueling those uplifting, feel-good vibes is a sound deeply connected to what it means to be human.
The soulful sound “mostly comes from Chrishira,” ProbCause said laughing. “Also, I think just our passion for music and the community. We try to just make stuff from the heart.”
Not only do they display an undeniable passion for the music they’re creating, but they showcase a chemistry like no other.
“I think we’ve had so much time together on stage on the road just in life that our chemistry will always be really strong. We love being on stage, in the studio, and in life together!” They explained.
However, new, music is not the only thing VIBELINE is working on. With massive upcoming performances at festivals like Backwoods, Solshine: A Music and Arts Reverie and two headlining shows in Denver and Detroit they have their work cut out for them. But, they couldn’t be more excited.
Fans can expect “Good vibes!” They exclaimed. “A mix of GRiZ tunes we’ve written together with our own twist, originals, covers. It’s really gonna be a musical collage with all of our favorite elements of all the genres we cover!”
While VIBELINE may have just begun it’s clear they will fill a void that’s been missing in the scene since October. With they’re new single, Shine Bright, they not only cement themselves as one of the must-see acts of the summer but serve as a beacon of love, light, soul, and, of course GOOD VIBES.
But don’t be weary. If you can’t get enough of Shine Bright, there is plenty of more music on the way.
“We have more singles we’ll be releasing soon, and we’ll continue to connect with our fans! We’re gonna be adding shows over the next year, but very selectively. We want each event to be a special experience.”
Keep up with VIBELINE and stream ‘Shine Bright’ HERE!
Check out more exclusive interviews with The Daily Frequency HERE!