Conan Gray at Reading 2025 on being the 'Apple' girl and Sally, and his new album 'Wishbone'

NME

Watch Conan Gray at Reading 2025 on being the 'Apple' girl and Sally, and his new album 'Wishbone' - NME on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Hi, I'm Rhiann Daly and I am backstage at Reading with Conan Gray.

00:09Hello.

00:10How are you doing?

00:11I'm good, how are you?

00:12I'm great, thank you.

00:13This is your first time at Reading.

00:14You just played on the main stage.

00:15Yes.

00:16How did it go?

00:17How was it?

00:18It was a lot of fun.

00:19I mean, it was really exciting to sing new songs from my album.

00:23I'm always like, oh my god, what if they don't know the words yet?

00:26It's only been a week since it's come out, but they knew the words.

00:29Yeah.

00:30I felt very loved.

00:31A great crowd reaction.

00:32Yes.

00:33Was there one particular song that you were really nervous about that went down really

00:36well?

00:37I really liked people singing along to Nauseous.

00:40It's like one of my favorites on the album and I feel like it was good to know that real

00:47human beings actually hear the song.

00:49Yeah.

00:50Why is that one of your favorites?

00:52I like how plain it is.

00:54It's very much just like, you scared the shit out of me and then like, that's it.

00:58Yeah.

00:59You know what I mean?

01:00Sometimes you just need to be plain.

01:01Yeah.

01:02Sometimes you just be like, you know what?

01:03You're so wonderful and loving that you scared the shit out of me.

01:06Bye.

01:07Yeah.

01:08Relatable.

01:09Love it.

01:10Sadly.

01:11Yes.

01:12There were two festival moments I think a lot of people were kill for where you were

01:15the apple girl for Charlie and you also were Sally for role model.

01:18Yes.

01:19You said that you kind of begged Charlie to let you be the apple girl.

01:22But how did you get to be Sally?

01:24Tucker.

01:25I've known Tucker forever, ever.

01:27Like I don't even, maybe seven years, six or seven years.

01:31So, um, I, I'd been to a show in LA the week before and I told him at the show, I was like,

01:36I'm going to be Sally for Gov Ball.

01:37We have to make this happen.

01:38So then we made like a fun little plan and yeah.

01:40Yeah.

01:41How was it being Sally?

01:42So fun.

01:43And also just like, it is just like a, it's a fucking banger.

01:46Yeah.

01:47Like we were singing Sally the whole summer after.

01:49Like that moment, like started me and my friend's summer.

01:52We were like, Sally.

01:53That's your song of the summer.

01:54Yeah.

01:55Yeah, for sure.

01:56Also a big summer cause you just released your new album Wishbone.

01:59Uh, tell me about that album kind of what inspired it, who influenced it?

02:03Um, I mean, it's, it's my, just, it's my baby.

02:08I'm obsessed with it.

02:10I'm so proud of it.

02:11And, uh, it's an album about, I think it's an album about breakups.

02:16Um, and about, you know, every kind of little piece that you go through when you're going through a breakup,

02:23you know, it's like denial and wanting someone back and anger and then, and then missing someone

02:28and then empathy with an also like, fuck you.

02:31It's like every little, it's like dissection of like every little piece of what a breakup feels like.

02:36And, uh, yeah, I was inspired by all the music that I think I grew up listening to in the sunset.

02:43Like, I think all the influences came together to make a very in, in descript sound, which is very me.

02:51Um, my goal with the album from the beginning was just make something so unbelievably you.

02:58Even if you don't really know exactly what that is, just like follow your gut.

03:02Yeah.

03:03Do you feel like this is the most you album yet?

03:05A hundred percent.

03:06Yeah.

03:07A hundred percent.

03:08And I feel like the listeners would agree.

03:09Yeah.

03:10Yeah.

03:11You're reunited with Dan Nigro for a few songs, this album.

03:13What's so special about your creative relationship and what you guys make together?

03:16Well, he's very me because we've been making music together since the beginning of me ever making music with my first EP sunset season.

03:23Um, it's been eight years with Dan and, uh, I don't know.

03:28We really grew up together in a huge way and our relationship is really mature at this point.

03:34And he very much told me at the beginning of working on the album, he was like, you know, we've made plenty of albums together now.

03:41Like how about with this one, you just follow your gut and write everything yourself.

03:45Just like do it.

03:46Yeah.

03:47Just go and write.

03:48He kind of gave me permission of like, Hey, don't even bother with like the co-writing.

03:52Don't even bother with the sessions.

03:53Just, just go right in your bedroom.

03:55That's what you do best.

03:56So just go do it.

03:57And that's what I did.

03:58Yeah.

03:59Does it feel like going home kind of when you're working with him again, after working with other producers as well?

04:03A hundred percent.

04:04I mean, he, he is the person who taught me how to even record music or what producing out music even feels like.

04:11And, uh, we still make music in his garage and, and, uh, it's always been like that.

04:17Yeah.

04:18What would you say your goals are for?

04:19I guess what you want to do next after this album with your music, where you want to take it?

04:23Is it too soon to think about that?

04:24I don't know.

04:25It came out a week ago, so I will figure it out.

04:27Um, but I do hope that I carry on just like me, just do me.

04:33You know, which is a weirdly hard assignment in life sometimes to just be yourself.

04:39It's so much easier said than done.

04:41Yeah.

04:42Yeah.

04:43Do you feel like as you get more success, it's kind of harder to stay true to yourself in some ways.

04:46Maybe you just start second guessing what the audience wants, perhaps.

04:49Maybe, but I also think it's just natural.

04:52Like everyone, like, you know, sometimes even like your friends, you see them at different times in your life and you're like,

04:57Oh yeah, right now you're in a weird mood and I can tell like you would never wear a shirt like that.

05:02You know what I mean?

05:03Yeah.

05:04I think it's just kind of like that.

05:05It's just, I think time just always changes you.

05:07Yeah.

05:08You just go through phases.

05:09Yeah.

05:10Yeah.

05:11Um, you've got a tour coming up later this year.

05:12Yes.

05:13Have you announced UK dates yet?

05:14No.

05:15Are you going to be coming over anytime soon?

05:16I'll think about it if you guys are nice enough to me.

05:19We love you kind of.

05:20Please come back.

05:21I love the UK.

05:22Thank you so much for talking to me.

05:23Thank you for having me.

05:24Enjoy Leeds tomorrow?

05:25Yes, tomorrow.

05:26Tomorrow.

05:27Great.

05:28Thank you so much.

05:29Great.

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