Hear us out—Conan Gray isn’t just another rising star. He’s the next big pop icon you need to keep on your radar, and honestly, he should stay there permanently. With each album, each single, and each performance, Gray proves that pop music can be as honest, emotional, and relatable as a late-night heart-to-heart with your best friend.
Case in point: his latest album Wishbone. Not only did it debut at the #1 spot on the Billboard album sales chart, but it gave us Vodka Cranberry—a devastating yet irresistible breakup anthem. The song captures heartbreak, nostalgia, and longing with such vulnerability that it doesn’t just tug at your heartstrings—it rips them out, plays them like a harp, and hands them back to you on a silver platter.
Add in Conan’s acting skills in the accompanying visuals, and it becomes clear why this album feels less like a playlist and more like a cinematic love story. Wishbone doesn’t just deliver sultry pop vibes; it invites you to live inside a steamy gay romance of your own.
@govballnyc The crowd went insane #conangray #govball
RELATED: Conan Gray Just Gave Us the Gay Breakup Video of the Year—and We’re Not Okay
But Conan Gray is no stranger to tugging at the collective heart. His breakout hit Heather from his 2020 debut Kid Krow has now crossed a jaw-dropping 2 billion streams on Spotify. And here’s the kicker—his live vocals aren’t just good; they’re even better than his studio versions (and we mean that in the best possible way). It’s rare for an artist to consistently outdo themselves, but Gray does it with intention, growth, and a relentless dedication to honesty.
That honesty is the foundation of his artistry. In a candid conversation with Olivia Rodrigo, his pop star bestie, Conan explained his philosophy: “If you aren’t honest with yourself, then you’re not going to make honest music. And people don’t like dishonest music.” It’s a mantra he clearly lives by, one that infuses every lyric, every note, every visual.
@conangray vodka cranberry out tomorrow 😉 🥂
Even the title Wishbone carries that intentionality. Gray revealed that the choice was inspired by the ritual of breaking a wishbone, something he finds fascinating because, unlike most wishing traditions, it requires two people.
“It’s two people actively taking this moment to be like, ‘I might get my wish and you might get nothing,’” he explained.
That metaphor—of risking, hoping, and sharing vulnerability with someone else—is explored throughout the entire album. It’s a pop record that feels just as personal as a diary entry, but also universal enough to empathize with anyone’s love story.
FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL BE CALLING THIS CONAN GRAY IN HIS PRIME. HE’S JUST SO pic.twitter.com/P7VtCsLTYC
— jett ⍟ㅅ WISHBONE (@jigsawjett) July 11, 2025
Beyond the music, Conan invests in storytelling through visuals. His videos aren’t just aesthetic backdrops; they’re extensions of the songs themselves, another layer of empathy and connection. For queer listeners especially, this matters. Conan represents LGBTQ+ experiences not through cliché, but through his own lens of empathy, artistry, and lived truth.
@govballnyc Replying to @ro ✩ THE MOMENT ❤️ #rolemodel #conangray #govball
And he does it all while staying humble. For every powerful lyric and flawless live note, Conan questions himself as an artist, striving for authenticity in even the smallest details. That humility fuels his courage. As he put it:
“This whole album was me just saying, ‘If people don’t like this true version of me, then I literally do not care at all.’ And even if I do care, I’m going to choose to ignore it because I need to make an album that is honest and real, that is a true reflection of me as a person. It was time to give up the jig.”
That’s what makes Conan Gray so magnetic. He’s not just writing pop songs; he’s crafting experiences—ones that connect, comfort, and inspire. And if Wishbone is any indication, the best is still yet to come.
REFERENCE: Interview Magazine
The thing I don’t understand about this article is that when Conan says “if people don’t like this true version of me” he’s most likely referring to his attraction to both genders. That’s the vulnerable new spot. He’s always been open about his attraction to guys.
But this article paints over that, and calls it only gay.