GOOD GRIEF
about us
Good Grief is a Toronto-based songwriting and production duo founded by artists and multi-instrumentalists Kirstyn Johnson and Bryn McCutcheon. Known for their resonant storytelling and connection-centered approach to creating, Good Grief has quickly become one of Canada’s most forward-thinking creative forces.
Formed after a chance pairing at a Dreamhouse Studios writing camp, the duo built their practice on a shared belief: that music becomes most powerful when artists feel safe enough to tell the truth. Since then, Good Grief has collaborated both locally and internationally with a wide range of artists and producers, including Delaney Jane, Dragonette, Fefe Dobson, Gabriela Bee, Luminati Suns, Nelly Furtado, Nicolina, Rêve, Saint Harrison, Shawn Desman, Sofia Camara, T-Minus, and more.
Their writing and production credits include “Tongue” by Rêve (from Saturn Return, winner of 2024 Juno Pop Album of the Year), “Take Me Down” by Nelly Furtado (from her 2024 album 7, produced by T-Minus), and the vocal production for Sofia Camara on her 2025 duet with Dean Lewis, “With You”.
In November 2025, Good Grief released their debut producer project, Happy Home - a five-track holiday EP featuring Priyanka, Nicolina, Andye, NIIVA, Bryn and Kirstyn Johnson. The record reimagines the modern holiday narrative through themes of nostalgia, belonging, and longing and was recorded at the Deane Cameron Studios located inside Massey Hall. Happy Home will make its live debut on November 27th at TD Music Hall for a special Holiday edition of Good Grief Presents: The Inner Circle. This will mark the fourth volume in Good Grief’s one-of-a-kind artist showcase series.
Beyond their studio and live work, Good Grief continues to expand their creative ecosystem through Good Grief Retreats - a wellness-centric songwriting initiative uniting artists and health professionals in an immersive weeklong residency supported by facilitators including psychiatrist, Dr. Eloise Ballou, and Juno-nominated producer and mix engineer, Tim Abraham. Good Grief Retreats 2025 hosted some of Canada’s most promising emerging talent, including Raymond Salgado, Nicolina, Kassidy, and Heather Russell.
Good Grief is reimagining what it means to create art in community - building a space where inspiration and craft meet to make career-defining songs.
Meet the Team
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Co-Founder, Artist, Songwriter, Producer
Kirstyn Johnson is a Toronto-based artist, songwriter, producer, and pianist, best known for her work in the writing and production duo, Good Grief. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, she has quickly become a multi-faceted and sought-after creator both on and off stage.
Originally from Strathmore, Alberta, Kirstyn moved to Toronto in 2019 and has since built a career that blends artistic depth with technical versatility. Her work spans songwriting, vocal production, touring, and her emerging role as a producer. Her credits include “Take Me Down” on Nelly Furtado’s 2024 album 7, “Tongue” by Rêve (JUNO Pop Album of the Year, 2024), “I’m Coming Home for Christmas” by Forest Blakk (Holiday Road; Hallmark, 2024), and vocal production for Sofia Camara on her duet with Dean Lewis, “With You.”
As a performer, Kirstyn has appeared on major stages across North America and Europe. She opened for Forest Blakk at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall in November 2024, and spent 2025 touring internationally with Sofia Camara as a pianist and background vocalist, supporting both Dean Lewis and Stevie Nicks.
Kirstyn’s latest single, “Resolutions,” appears on Good Grief’s holiday EP, Happy Home. As a songwriter, executive producer (Good Grief), and featured artist on the project, the EP showcases Good Grief’s creative vision and her own versatility as a vocalist, composer, and storyteller.
Her forthcoming solo single, “I’ve Seen You Naked,” arrives in January 2026, marking the beginning of a bold new chapter in her artistry. With a diverse background of experience and a compelling instinct for emotional truth in her writing, Kirstyn Johnson is leaving an ever-growing imprint on the Canadian music landscape — an artist defined not only by what she creates, but by the resonance of her impact.
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Co-Founder, Artist, Songwriter, Producer, Engineer
Bryn is a Toronto-based artist, songwriter, producer, and engineer whose work blends emotional excavation with meticulously crafted sound. Known for her unmistakable warmth, poetic lyricism, and cinematic production style, she creates music that feels both intimate and expansive - inviting the listener to dive inward.
Her individual artistry runs parallel to her work in Good Grief, the songwriting and production duo she co-founded with longtime collaborator Kirstyn Johnson. Together, they have contributed to projects shaping Canada’s pop landscape, including Rêve’s “Tongue” (JUNO Pop Album of the Year, 2024), Nelly Furtado’s “Take Me Down,” and vocal production for Sofia Camara and Dean Lewis on their 2025 duet, “With You.”
Bryn’s own writing and performances have appeared in screen projects such as Apple TV’s One Week Til Doomsday, My Little Pony, the queer holiday film Last Exmas, the upcoming film “Seahorse”, and the Canadian Screen Music Award–nominated “You Found Me.” As a vocalist and collaborator, Bryn has been featured on national releases such as “What I Wouldn’t Do (North Star Calling)” for Kids Help Phone’s Feel Out Loud initiative.
Her upcoming EP, Songs From the Medicine Cabinet (Spring 2026), marks a pivotal evolution in her creative trajectory. Fully engineered and produced (and co-produced) by Bryn, the project’s first single, “Always Around,” was released in August 2025. The EP boldly defines her identity as a producer and technical creative, expanding her artistry beyond the role of writer and vocalist. The project promises a collection of songs that transforms internal landscapes into sonic worlds that feel lived-in, honest, and deeply human.
Bryn’s latest single, “Our Hometown,” appears on Good Grief’s holiday EP Happy Home. As a songwriter, engineer, executive producer (Good Grief), and featured artist, the project showcases her expanding creative range, highlighting her command of emotional storytelling and her emerging signature as a producer.
Across her work - in sessions, on screen, and within the Good Grief ecosystem - Bryn remains dedicated to crafting music that meets people where they are, offering honesty, resonance, and something that feels a little like medicine.