Conan Gray Is on the 2026 TIME100 Next - Time Magazine

Conan Gray was a kid with a YouTube channel who got a record deal from songs he wrote in his bedroom in Texas. Writing songs from the heart is such a unique skill, and he has a gift.

I remember so vividly seeing him play an arena in London. I bawled my eyes out with the crowd watching him perform “Family Line” because it’s such a brave thing to do, to take something traumatizing and awful and turn it into a song that will help other people feel seen. It’s a reminder of why we make art.

Offstage, Conan is always making me laugh, and he’s very much a caretaker too. We always joke that he was my husband in another life. He came to visit me recently, and when I got home from working one day, he’d bought groceries, cleaned, and done my laundry. He’s also whip-smart. Anytime we play games, he always wins, which is really annoying.

He’s the best, and my wish for him would just be to keep sharing his gift with others.