Maddy Monjo and I began a relationship as distant family friends: Maddy grew up in Sydney, Australia and I was in New York City. While we were both aware of the other’s love of art and music, we never discussed it in detail and saw each other rarely. As we got older, Maddy and I began a friendship that was separate from our familial connection. Most recently, it has been the mutual support between Maddy (and her girlfriend Rose) and me that has kept us connected, especially when it comes to our artistic endeavors. Recently, I went to Los Angeles to meet up with Maddy and Rose and discuss the music they make as duo January Grit. I was inspired by how visionary Rose and Maddy are when it comes to what their music is about and who it is for. It is clear that the art and romance go hand-in-hand to make January Grit a successful band with purpose and direction. After a formative year of struggle in which they dropped out of college together, sustained serious injuries, and moved around the country, they have proven that their art only gets stronger as they overcome obstacles and communicate through music and poetry. They have created a standout debut album, Here in Fahrenheit (the title, a clever nod to their coming together in the United States despite both being raised in locations where Celsius is used to mark the weather), which sets cutting spoken word poetry to aerodynamic harmonies and whimsical melodies, similar in style to Brandi Carlyle, early Clare Bowditch & The Feeding Set, and Weezer. January Grit have defined what it is like to be in a romantic and artistic partnership in 2019. One foot may be in the business of art and the other in the creation of it, but their hearts are linked in love and friendship, making their work authentic and honest and leaving their audiences with the idea that art should always survive, no matter what happens in a relationship.