While aspiring singers trying to make it via YouTube has been the blueprint for quite some time now, Conan Gray has crafted himself as an original, stand out name. Despite the millions of views and social media followers, impressively he has only released one album thus far. All his songs are very expressive and dramatic, in a good way, meaning whether it’s upbeat or slow, he has a knack for making you want to hang out with him. He makes the regular young person experience appear trendy and mysterious, a foreign language to be understood by solely the exclusive club of his peers, who could only fully relate. While he makes a habit of romanticizing the small town life and teenage nostalgia, his sound also features an itch to get out of it and reach one’s full potential of being much more.

Conan writes all his own songs and directs all of his videos, which allows him to have full creative expression in his work and makes it come off as unique as it is. Since he doesn’t label himself romantically, you’ll never know exactly who he’s singing about (not that it matters), but it just adds to his free personality that’s captivating to begin with.

Singles like one of his most popular, “Heather”, show off his vulnerable, softer nature that play just as much of a strength as his confident side does. Seeing as his popularity has been on a steady rise, especially following the release of his Kid Krow debut, and how he continues to unfold more parts of his artistry, certainly makes him one to keep an eye on.