![]() ![]() In fact, it just makes ‘Checkmate’ more delightful. By the second listen, you’ll be able to sing along to the predictable lyrics, but this makes it no less fun or relatable. The journey through different yet cohesive sounds is perfectly suited to being played on repeat, preferably while dancing with abandon in your bedroom. Gray croons “‘Cause I’ve gotten tired of the games that you play / When you tell me you love me then you throw me away” and the Gen Z’s currently experiencing their first crush on someone who doesn’t reciprocate their feelings can relate-but so can millennials who grew up listening to “ Just the Girl.” It’s simultaneously a timeless complaint and a product of the moment.Īt its core, ‘Checkmate’ is a delightful bubblegum pop tune whose beat grows on the listener with each play. ![]() There are references to well-known classics (“ Build Me Up Buttercup” “ Cry Me a River”) in the lyrics, but it still feels like a modern heartbreak anthem. The juxtaposition inherent to ‘Checkmate’ defines the song. His first outing of 2023 was the bright synth pop cut "Never Ending Song.Then on the chorus, it’s back to the upbeat pop sound we were entrenched in ten years ago, but with new influences that connect the beat back to the current day. Once again produced by Nigro, Superache arrived in June 2022 and found Gray further expanding his sound, balancing pop hooks with candidly personal songs dealing with abuse, childhood trauma, and heartbreak. In keeping with the tradition of his debut, Gray teased his sophomore album with a series of tracks released online, including "Astronomy" and "People Watching," all of which arrived in 2021. Released in March 2020, the album made a strong showing on the Billboard 200 (hitting number five) and earned praise from the likes of Taylor Swift and Elton John. Throughout 2019, Gray released a string of singles, including "Checkmate," "Comfort Crowd," and "Maniac." All of these were included on his full-length debut, the Daniel Nigro-produced Kid Krow. In 2018, he released his debut EP, Sunset Season, which featured the singles "Generation Why" and "Crush Culture." ![]() But with 2017's "Grow" and "Idle Town," he showcased a move to a more fleshed-out sound, mixing in synth and minor electronic flourishes. On his full-length debut, 2020s Kid Krow, YouTuber turned pop auteur Conan Gray offers a coming-of-age album that showcases his knack for turning melancholy feelings of loneliness into buoyant pop confections. Initially, early songs like "Those Days," "Lovesick Boys," and "The Other Side" were more barebones, showcasing his voice and ukulele or guitar. He continued to build his online presence, adding original pop songs to his repertoire. He found similar success on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and SoundCloud.Īfter high school, Gray relocated to Los Angeles, where he enrolled at UCLA. Posting vlogs about his life, his interest in art, and acoustic cover songs, he built a loyal following, gaining upwards of 900,000 subscribers. After his parents' divorce, he moved to Texas with his mother and at age 15 launched his YouTube channel (originally called ConanXCanon). ![]() He also spent time living in Hiroshima, Japan while his parents cared for his grandfather. More tracks arrived in 2021, including "Astronomy" and "People Watching," leading up to the release of his emotionally potent sophomore album, Superache.īorn in Lemon Grove, California in 1998, Gray grew up in a multicultural family of Irish and Japanese heritage. His full-length debut, Kid Krow, arrived in 2020, hitting number five on the Billboard 200. In 2018, he gathered a handful of his tracks, including "Generation Why" and "Crush Culture," on the Sunset Season EP. Over time, he found a dedicated audience who tuned in for videos about his life, as well as his original acoustic- and electronic-inflected songs. Gray initially emerged online in 2013 with his successful YouTube channel. Known for his buoyant, if often melancholy sound, Conan Gray straddles the line between dance music and confessional indie pop. ![]()
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