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‘Winner’ by Conan Gray: Single Review

Tabitha Wilson
Conan Gray releases new single 'Winner'.

Tabitha Wilson

Singer-songwriter Conan Gray has released his latest single, ‘Winner‘, which takes a melodically different direction to his previous endeavours. 

The 24-year-old American singer-songwriter, who was raised in Texas, began his journey to fame in 2013. He created a YouTube channel and began posting videos at age 15. His content ranged from popular challenges to Q&As, and eventually became music-focused.

“applauded for the way in which he captured adolescence”

In 2018, Gray signed a record deal with Republic Records. He then released his debut EP Sunset Season to critical acclaim, with the singer being applauded for the way that he captured adolescence.

Following his album Kid Krow, released in 2020, Superache spawned viral megahits two years later, including hits such as ‘Heather’ and ‘Memories’. Gray’s success can be partially credited to social media platforms such as TikTok, which helped to skyrocket his tracks to the top of the charts.

Themes

“The song touches on Gray’s turbulent home life”

Upon his newest release ‘Winner‘, the singer shows his vulnerable side, with themes of heartbreak, pain, and loss present throughout the song’s lyrics. Despite the troubled nature of the track, there are points throughout where it is clear that Gray has come to terms with the pain he has experienced.

The song touches on Gray’s turbulent home life before moving on to explore feelings of pain in a romantic relationship. In an interview, Gray said:

“I wrote this song at 2 am. Everything at the piano just spilled out all at once. It was a moment where I finally felt like ‘Fine. Great job. You did it. You hurt me more than anybody ever could hurt me.’ And oddly it felt nice. I see now that there is a certain freedom that comes from recognizing that you’ve been hurt: in no longer running, and just facing the fact that ‘you win, you hurt me’. I hope this song helps people find a little piece of that freedom.”

The songwriter accepts defeat and surrenders to the one who has hurt him: ‘Yеah, there’s nothing / That ever did quite kill me / More than what you did / Now you really are the winner / Take a bow ’cause you’re the winner’. 

Direction

Sonically, the piano ballad features beautifully layered harmonies and a melody that perfectly interlaces with Conan’s angelic, passionate vocals.

The track is noticeably different to his previous single, ‘Never Ending Song’. This has left fans wondering in which direction Gray will take his music. With many suspecting a new album, it will be interesting to see what themes the singer chooses to incorporate into his future work.

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Featured image courtesy of anna-m. w. via Pexels. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Tabitha is currently a reporter for Newsquest, and was previously an MA Journalism student at Sheffield University. She has worked as a maritime journalist in the past, and studied politics at Durham University. She enjoys writing about music, culture, and travel.

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