Known for his buoyant if often melancholy pop sound, Conan Gray emerged online in 2013 with his successful YouTube channel. Over time, he found a dedicated audience who tuned in for videos about his life. Since 2015, Gray has also released his own original acoustic- and electronic-inflected songs like 2018's "Generation Why."rnBorn in San Diego, California in 1998, Gray grew up in a multi-cultural family of Irish and Japanese heritage. He also spent time living in Hiroshima, Japan while his parents cared for his grandfather. After his parent's divorce, he moved to Texas with his mother where, at age 15, he launched his YouTube channel (originally called ConanXCanon). Posting vlogs about his life, his interest in art, and acoustic cover songs, he built a loyal following, gaining upwards of 900,000 subscribers. He found similar success on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and SoundCloud. In 2015, Gray relocated to Los Angeles, where he enrolled at UCLA. He continued to build his online presence, adding original pop songs to his repertoire. Initially, early songs like "Those Days, " "Lovesick Boys," and "The Other Side," were more barebones, showcasing his voice and ukulele, or guitar. 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. In 2018, he released his debut EP, Sunset Season, which included the singles "Generation Why" and "Crush Culture." Several non-album singles followed in 2019, "The King," "Checkmate," and "Comfort Crowd." ~ Matt Collar