Courtesy of Spotify
The album cover for Conan Gray’s most recent project “Wishbone.”Pop singer Conan Gray’s newest album Wishbone, in the making for over two years, has become his most successful album, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Top Album Sales Chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Even though he wrote around 300 songs as part of his creative process, only 12 made it into the album.
Released on Aug. 15, the 12-song album quickly gained traction, topping his prior high-ranking albums Kid Crow (2020) and Superache (2022). Kid Crow hit the Billboard 200 in 2020 at No. 5; Superache made it to No. 9 in 2022.
In an interview with TODAY, Gray, 26, said he hopes listeners find comfort in the album and they know they aren’t alone in their emotions. What makes his album stand out so much and enhances its value is that he never planned to release it.
The fact that his writing process centered himself and not his listeners makes the album personal in a way that resonated especially well for me. I heard a clear elevation of quality across the board, with the vocals, lyrics and production being top notch. His new album reminds me of Superache in that his voice has the same raw emotion that adds significant power to his words.
He also explored a new creative avenue with his music videos, merging three of his songs (“This Song,” “Vodka Cranberry” and “Caramel”) into a short film trilogy.
All three videos feature Conan Gray as Wilson, one of the main characters, and actor Corey Fogelmanis as Brandon, Wilson’s love interest. “This Song” narrates the initial exploration of their feelings for each other; “Vodka Cranberry” explores their relationship issues and the insecurity Wilson feels; “Caramel” shows their reunion post-breakup.
This mini-movie was very interesting to watch, and listening to the songs individually after watching the trilogy adds a whole new dimension of meaning to them. Put into the context of representing a different phase of a relationship, the lyrics of each song hit differently and resonate much more — I felt much more empathy for the feelings Gray expresses.
Gray’s music style has evolved noticeably from Superache. Even though he still sings in an indie-pop style, I heard a little more variety in his music, with even a hint of the country genre in the song “Romeo.”
Ultimately, what really showcased the thought that went into creating this album for me was the significance of the title “Wishbone.” In his music video trilogy, Wilson asks Brandon about the wishbone hanging from his rearview mirror. He comments, “Doesn’t it make you a little sad? […] Because someone always gets the short end of the stick.” This metaphor for relationships where someone always loses out is a major theme of all his songs.
The album’s quality doesn’t stop at the official recordings — Gray’s live performance of “Vodka Cranberry” at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 7 was a spectacular display of his talent. Two things stood out to me the most: the storytelling he packed into a three minute performance and his flawless high note (a G5) during the song’s bridge, especially impressive considering that he is a tenor.
As for the storytelling, the performance featured Fogelmanis lying on a bed of roses, seemingly dead, and both him and Gray in Shakespearean-era clothing, details which made me feel as though I was watching a full-blown drama as opposed to just a concert. Gray began the performance near Foglemanis and ended it with his head collapsed on Foglemanis’ chest; the set was decorated beautifully and his voice was incredibly powerful yet controlled.
As a whole, I rate “Wishbone” 4.95/5 Falcons. His storytelling with the trilogy stood out to me the most. While my favorite songs were “Romeo” and “Vodka Cranberry,” each song brought their own lyrical idiosyncrasies and showcased Gray’s talent. If you liked Superache, this new album should be your next listen.
