Ep. 218: Conan Gray | From Bedroom to Global Sensation

Today’s guest began on YouTube — a teenager posting bedroom covers to a handful of viewers. Now, his songs have been streamed billions of times across the globe. He’s headlined sold-out arenas on multiple continents, become a global fashion force, and built one of the most devoted fanbases of his generation. He’s collaborated with legends like Max Martin, while never losing the raw honesty that made his music essential in the first place. He’s not just a rising star — he’s already one of pop’s defining voices. And with his new album, he proves that even at the biggest scale, vulnerability is still his superpower. And the writer is… Conan Gray! Follow us on socials! @andthewriteris Thank you to NMPA for sponsoring this season, and fighting for songwriters as well as this podcast. 00:00 – This Is Conan Gray (teaser) 01:00 – Singing Disney With Ross 🎶 02:00 – From Bedroom Dreams to Billions 02:59 – Growing Up Lonely, Writing to Survive 04:45 – The Music Video That Rewired His Brain 06:30 – When Adele Proved Bedroom Songs Were Possible 07:30 – Uploading at Age 9 (Before He Knew the Internet) 14:15 – “Nothing Sounded Like Me” 15:45 – Panic Attacks → Falling in Love With Touring 21:15 – Dropping Out & Betting Everything on Music 23:20 – The Moment His Sister Realized He Was Famous 24:30 – Turning Heartbreak Into Healing on Stage 26:00 – The Nightmare of Empty Venues 28:30 – Dan Nigro: The Producer Who Changed Everything 30:15 – Why Conan Refuses to Believe He’s ‘Made It’ 33:22 – Ad Break – Support Songwriters (NMPA) 34:00 – ‘Maniac’: The Shower Song That Hit a Billion 🚿 35:45 – Heather: The Song Everyone Slept On… Until They Didn’t 40:32 – Found Heaven: His Public Bootcamp 43:23 – Max Martin’s Biggest Lesson (That Changed His Writing) 47:00 – Rediscovering Himself on Wishbone 50:05 – The Falsetto High Note That Almost Broke Him 52:07 – Cornell: The Song Too Honest to Ignore 53:00 – Why Radical Honesty Is His Only Rule 55:00 – Why His Art Isn’t Just Music 56:00 – The Three Songs That Define His New Era 01:03:15 – What He’d Tell 12-Year-Old Conan 01:07:00 – Ross: “You Wrote a Song I Wish Was Mine” Hosted by Ross Golan Executive Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.