Photography Courtesy of Sophia Dickson
Canadian singer-songwriter Kirstyn Johnson premiered her latest single, “Passenger Side,” on October 3, 2025, along with the music video, filmed in the city of Toronto.
Johnson is one of two co-founders of Good Grief, a Toronto-based songwriting duo. Meeting her other co-founder Bryn McCutcheon at a writing camp, the two quickly formed their business of writing music. Writing for both international and local acts, their credits include features with artists such as FeFe Dobson, Nelly Furtado, Shawn Desman, Sofia Camara, Tyler Shaw and many more.
“Passenger Side” marks Johnson’s third release to date, singing on how some friendships might slip onto an unexpected relationship.
The intro of the song reads: “What do we do now? We opened up the gates to something we shouldn’t have let out. We’re laying in the wake of destruction. But I could have stopped you. I could have said it was a bad idea. But I didn’t want to.”
Listening to the lyrics at this part of the song makes me think about not knowing what to do or how to proceed with a relationship. The lyrics suggest a fear of change—whether for better or worse—and the difficulty of returning to a friendship after crossing an emotional boundary. Johnson captures the complexity of navigating deep connections— she may have not wanted to stay friends, and it’s possible she did want more than a friendship, but once it’s over, it’s tough going back to the same place you once were with someone you greatly care about.
Watch the music video for “Passenger Side”
KIRSTYN JOHNSON | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
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