By AJ Mun
Staff Writer
In light of the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, it is all too common to see another pop star rise from the ashes of their TikTok trend takeoff. It seems as if everywhere you look, someone has finally gotten their “big break” and is now opening for Taylor Swift or performing after Sabrina Carpenter. While female pop stars come and go with relevance, male pop stars seem to be an all too rare occurrence, and Conan Gray has seemed to slip under the mainstream radar.
Gray was a 14-year-old dreamer with a passion for making YouTube videos and quickly rose in popularity for his quirky videos and aesthetically pleasing outfits. In fact, his first video titled “Let Me Introduce Myself” has a current 3.5 million views despite being posted 12 years ago, in 2014. As a Pinterest “soft-boy” and internet hit, Gray would occasionally post song cover videos accompanied by a ukulele or guitar.
On December 31, 2015, Gray posted his first-ever original song titled “Sometime.” While Gray had published other unreleased original songs on his YouTube channel, it wasn't until the release of his song “The Other Side” on August 22, 2016, that he officially released a single to streaming services. “The Other Side” currently has 3.5 million views and is the predecessor to Gray's first EP, titled “Sunset Season,” released on November 16, 2018.
With a total of four studio albums and a musical career spanning eight years, Gray has yet to secure a Grammy nomination despite having a viral TikTok song, “Heather,” and securing the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart with his latest studio album, “Wishbone.”
While his career is lengthy and he has established a loyal fanbase, Gray has yet to break through the glass ceiling that his other male pop star counterparts have. Counterparts such as Sombr and Benson Boone have had a seemingly shorter career but a quicker rise to mainstream stardom.
What Gray brings to the table is a fresh sound, unlike any other pop star currently in the game. As a small-town boy, he’s able to write songs that his fans can relate to, thus showing that his way with words is seemingly unmatched compared to “moonbeam, ice cream,” but we all have our moments. With the virality of “Heather,” many listeners have felt seen in his heartbreaking lyrics that describe an unknowing love lost to someone else.
Additionally, Gray has proven time and time again that he holds the versatility needed to adapt to what people want to hear without losing sight of himself. With his first studio album, “Kid Krow,” Gray explores a more mainstream pop sound. Giving us hits like “Heather” and “Comfort Crowd” that explore a sound known to regular pop listeners, while combining cleverly written and relatable lyrics. Though when we advance to his following album, “Superache”, Gray taps more into the grieving romantic inside of him with melancholy music like “Memories” and “People Watching.”
During 2024, throwback ’80s synth music was, and quite frankly still is, all the rage, thus prompting Gray to give us “Found Heaven.” In this album, he explores an ’80s rockstar sound, with vocals that hit the range of the late Freddie Mercury. Mercury is clearly an inspiration to most male pop stars, including Boone and Harry Styles, so it's no surprise that Gray should follow suit and aspire to reach the level of fame he left behind, but with Styles on a musical hiatus and Boone being flooded with internet hate, I feel as though we should turn some positive attention towards our beloved Gray.
With his most recent performance of his song “Vodka Cranberry” at the VMAs, Gray hit his high C note at the climax of his performance. By combining stunning visuals and costumes with an impressive display of vocal talent, I could only hope that the general public finally becomes aware of what he can bring to the table and, in turn, throws some roses and respect his way as a true popstar.
In my personal opinion, anyone can make music, but not everyone can be a pop star. We see one or two trick ponies on the day-to-day. Little 15-second-of-fame singers who made their way off of one viral TikTok song that they carelessly made on their iPhone. But it takes a specific person to make art that can truly touch people.
Coming from someone who has been to multiple concerts of his, Gray's fans truly feel seen by the words he writes and vocals he brings, and I think that is something special. I can only wish that the rest of the world soon knows just how much of a powerhouse he truly is.
