Pop is an ever-evolving genre of music that can change in the blink of an eye. Each generation of pop stars is marked by iconic names that feel directly tied to a certain decade.
Names like Britney Spears or Madonna instantly bring back the nostalgia of the pop eras during which their popularity was at its peak. Similarly, the end of the 00s and the beginning of the 2010s sparked the generation of singers such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, or Taylor Swift.
Now as we are venturing further into the decade, a new generation of pop stars begins to form in a unique fashion. With the introduction of TikTok, a lot of musicians have taken advantage of the platform to take their shot at promoting their original music.
In result, musicians like Tate McRae, Joshua Bassett, and, of course, Olivia Rodrigo are becoming more popular and they are starting to appeal to bigger audiences. One of such artists is also Conan Gray, a 23 year old singer, most widely known for his song “Heather.”
Gray was born on Dec. 5, 1998, in Lemon Grove, California. His career began around 2017, when he self-released his debut single “Idle Town.”
Only about one year later, he already signed a record deal with Republic Records, under which he released a five track EP titled “Sunset Season.” The record gained him his initial popularity and even his late-night television debut, as he performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
In 2019, Gray began releasing singles from his next project, a debut album called “Kid Krow.” His freshman album included songs such as “Maniac,” “Wish You Were Sober,” and “Heather,” with the last one becoming his best known hit as a result of a TikTok trend that gained popularity in Aug. of 2020.
The regained popularity of the song is what prompted its status of a single and became Gray’s first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also charted in the top 40 of various countries.
The album once again placed Gray on the radar and he was scheduled to perform at Coachella and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Unfortunately, due to the safety precautions related to the pandemic, both performances ended up being canceled.
On Oct. 25 of last year, Gray announced his world tour and, at the moment of writing this article, he is nearing the end of the North American leg. Only a few months later, he followed his announcement with another one, in which he shared that he will be performing at the 2022 Coachella.
During his tour, Gray gave out coffee to his fans, with the cups being marked with what appeared to be random, singular letters. Soon after, he updated his website with a red rose and a countdown that ended in seven days.
The mystery started to make sense only as each day more petals began to fall down, revealing letters that matched the ones written on the coffee cups given to fans. When the countdown came to an end, Gray announced the release of his sophomore album titled “Superache,” which will be available on June 24.
Some of the singles that Gray released during the last few months are a part of the album. The newest one, “Memories,” was released a few days after the announcement and is already available.
His new album is highly anticipated by both fans and general pop music lovers. Gray’s career is only beginning, but he already gained the love of millions.
