“Wishbone” by Conan Gray is a stunning, heartbreaking album that blends his own experiences with fictional characters and stories.
Gray is an indie pop singer-songwriter, who is four studio albums and one EP (extended play) into his career, with “Wishbone” being his latest release, put out on Aug. 15, 2025. It is a 12 song album that lasts around 43 minutes. There were two singles released for “Wishbone:” “This Song” and “Vodka Cranberry.”
The first track on the album, “Actor,” opens with guitar and Gray’s vocals layered beautifully, instantly setting the mood of the entire album. Gray uses his powerful voice to capture the ache after a relationship where the person refuses to acknowledge you. In the chorus, Gray laments, “But the church bells won’t stop ringing, for an undead wedding day/And you spent the summer drinking, while I spent it being erased.” The swelling emotion, especially in the amazing bridge, makes this one of the most memorable and best songs on the record, and stands to be my favorite on the album.
I love when artists decide to make up a storyline that they include in a record, which is what Gray decides to do throughout “Wishbone.” “This Song” and “Vodka Cranberry” follow a fictional couple, Wilson and Brando, whose story unfolds through music videos, with Gray playing Wilson and Corey Fogelmanis playing Brando. In “This Song,” bright strings and melodies paint a beautiful environment, leaving fans optimistic that the album would be about love. But the next single, “Vodka Cranberry,” flipped that expectation, where Gray sings, “Speak up, I know you hate me/Looked at your picture and cried like a baby,” paired with alluring strings. Together, the songs amazingly depict how well Gray can tell the story of a relationship that feels almost real.
The third song in this intricate love story is “Caramel,” which appears later on in the album. It opens with a loud, exciting heavy synth pattern, different from anything else on the album. Gray sings from Wilson’s perspective, comparing Brando to caramel: sweet but also sticky, and impossible to get rid of. Gray sings, “But you burn inside my memory so well/You caramel/You’re caramel.” The blend of Gray’s writing with his emotional vocals highlight his abilities as a musician, and makes it another one of my favorites. It is so different from other pieces he has created, and I adore when artists take creative risks that pay off amazingly well.
Other tracks like “Romeo” and “My World” felt cringy in the beginning, and they were not my favorites. After repeated listens, however, I realized these fun, different-sounding songs shape Gray’s albums, creating a complex contrast between the devastating heartbreak ballads and these types of upbeat pop songs. It shows Gray’s willingness to experiment with sound while also keeping the dynamic of the album.
“Eleven Eleven,” the second to last track, is a standout. Starting off with just his voice and piano, it slowly builds until a soaring ballad where he sings, “As much as I know that it’s time to forget it, I still wish for you at eleven eleven.” It draws a parallel to the lyric in “This Song:” “Eleven elevens, they all hear your name.” It feels like a full circle moment, as this time was once a reminder of joy, and now it is Gray wishing for it to come again. Moments like these shape a group of songs into a true album.
For many artists, it is hard to create a ballad without it becoming boring, but Gray never misses with his. With the beautiful layered harmonies of “Nauseous” to the guitar pattern and the building end of “Connell,” he never fails at creating a new story, a new sound or a new choice that just amazes me with every song after another.
Gray also accurately captures the different feelings post-breakup. For example, in “Sunset Tower,” he sings “If you’re out here doing well, don’t tell me, don’t tell me, I can’t hear it, don’t tell me.” His use of repetition in the chorus shows how he is trying to block out any news that his prior lover is doing well again. While “Care,” the final track on “Wishbone,” mourns the loss of a really great friendship after a relationship.
Beyond the songs themselves, Gray excels at creating an atmosphere for each record. He chooses a distinct color scheme for each album, like 2024’s “Found Heaven,” which highlighted yellow, red and blue, reflecting the iconic synth pop sounds. “Wishbone” focuses on blue, with details of red and white. This adds much more to the album and reflects the melancholy feel of each song, and makes the album feel more like one consistent record.
Overall, Gray’s “Wishbone” continuously shows his evolution as an artist and his improvement in songwriting and storytelling. He takes creative risks that pay off, while also sticking to the ballads that he does best. The album leaves listeners eager and curious about what he will do next.
