Violet Grohl Carves Her Own Path With Debut Album Be Sweet to Me
Violet Grohl, daughter of Dave Grohl, is launching her debut album Be Sweet to Me and a subsequent global tour. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Justin Raisen, the project marks Grohl’s transition from a musician who has been writing songs since early adolescence to a recording artist and performer.
How the sound of Be Sweet to Me was developed
The album’s sonic identity shifted from a solitary, perfectionist process to a communal effort after producer Justin Raisen entered the project. Raisen, known for his work with Charli xcx and Kim Gordon, was recommended to Dave Grohl by Gordon. According to Violet Grohl, the recording process was rapid and intuitive, beginning with the track “THUM” after only a week of discussing musical influences in Raisen’s home studio.
The record blends several distinct influences:
- Classic ’90s alternative sounds reminiscent of The Breeders.
- The vocal style of The Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler.
- Industrial metal’s rapid, “spazzy” kick drum patterns.
Grohl also integrated her interest in filmmaker David Lynch into her work, specifically in the non-album single “What’s Heaven Without You,” released in early 2026. This blend of surrealism and rock is evident in tracks like “Bug in the Cake,” which Grohl describes as being about both a Halloween party at her late grandmother’s home and a perceived ghost interfering with her television.
What is the tour schedule and performance strategy?
Grohl is preparing for a global touring cycle that extends through the end of the year. The schedule includes high-profile appearances at the Reading and Leeds festivals in the United Kingdom in late August. In the United States, she is slated for sets at Chicago’s Riot Fest, Atlanta’s Shaky Knees, New York’s CBGB Festival, and All Things Go in Columbia, Maryland.
In late November and early December, she will open five European arena shows for beabadoobee.
“I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life, but it was never something that was pushed upon me – like, this is what we do, or this is what I do, and you should do it too. Everyone in my family loves going to concerts, playing music in the car, buying CDs and vinyl and making playlists. It has always been right in front of me or around me.”
To prepare for these venues, Grohl and her band—including drummer Anthony Lopez, guitarist Salar Rajabnik, and bassist Ainjil Emme—are rehearsing in a Los Angeles compound. The setlist strategy involves balancing aggressive tracks with slower, heavier material and incorporating covers from '80s punk bands such as Squirrel Bait and the duo Ween.
Why the project focuses on identity over lineage
While Grohl acknowledges the “osmosis” of growing up in a musical household, she asserts that Be Sweet to Me is about finding a voice outside of her family name. She describes the experience of early press and rehearsals as equal parts exhilarating and unnerving.
Her lyrical focus has evolved since the initial recording. In the song “Mobile Star,” Grohl addresses the pressures of consumerism and the search for human purpose. She questions the “small dopamine hits” provided by modern society, asking where the humanity and purpose lie when people are constantly told how to feel and what to buy.
Grohl’s perspective on performance is shaped by two extremes: the massive scale of London’s Wembley Stadium, where she performed at a 2022 memorial for late drummer Taylor Hawkins, and the intimacy of Los Angeles clubs during Greg Kurstin’s Hanukkah Sessions. She notes that small clubs allow for a “vulnerable and really intimate” connection where she can read the expressions and lips of the audience.
The current trajectory of Violet Grohl suggests a deliberate move away from the shadow of her family name, favoring a collaborative, friend-driven dynamic.