Conan Gray’s latest single titled “Yours” was released just last week and I could not write about this song sooner. Between his previous single released this year titled “Memories” and this new song, it’s evident how Conan’s songwriting and music production skills have matured in contrast to his older work.
Not only his appearance is maturing as he is finding his personal style in fashion but it seems as though he has finally found his personal style in music as well.
What I love about music in general as a musician is the ability to hear distinct instruments in a song and be able to pick them out or the ability to hear a song and be able to tell which artist is playing that instrument based on the style of chords and composition.
The aspect of Conan’s music I have enjoyed time and time again is his piano playing and that is really the highlight of this single. The song starts with a soft piano intro that is joined by Conan’s soft vocals and the feeling of longing is something that is easily identifiable. Conan is not one to flex his vocals in his music, but this song does a wonderful job of encompassing his talent as a strong vocalist. It’s another track that undoubtedly highlights his passion as a singer-songwriter.
The song is a ballad about unrequited love for a friend. About never fully belonging with his friend in a way that he wants to even though he has put his entire self into that relationship. There is almost this running theme that has become part of Conan Gray’s identity as a musician, that he’s been hurt time and time again and honestly just wants to feel the degree of love that he has been a witness to his entire life.
What makes “Yours” stand out from Conan’s typical Indie-Pop style of music is the melancholic and simple instrumentation behind the song. There are no embellishments or anything flashy besides a continuous piano melody and drums, that are introduced in the bridge.
The catchy pre-chorus “Oh, all I really wanted was that look in your eyes | Like you already know that I’m the love of your life | Like you already know you’re nеver saying goodbye” builds up this feeling and is almost reminiscent of a tune that from a musical. This catchy aspect of the song ties in well with the repetitive chorus and is quick to get stuck in your head.
It’s a pre-chorus that pulls you into this angsty chorus of Conan addressing this conflicting issue “But I’m not yours | I’m not yours, I’m not yours| I want more | I want more, but I’m not yours | And I can’t change your mind” This chorus of this song is what pushes this theme of unrequited love. That no matter what he does he won’t ever be able to convince his friend. The way he says the line “And I can’t change your mind” is so satisfying and cuts so perfectly.
Finally, the entire song snowballs into the bridge where he lays out his feelings and his truth in the lines and swells to embrace this perpetual ache.
In contrast to most songs where the bridge is used to connect the verses to the chorus, Conan makes the creative choice to end the song on the bridge. Allowing the listener to sit there and recollect. He sings “ I should’ve known that it was dumb love | Fifteen dozen roses | All the things that I’ve done | For you not to notice | Can’t believe I chose you | Over all my best friends | What the f*ck did I do | In the end? | Just not be yours”. Ending the song off on its climax forces the audience to feel this rise of emotion that Conan experiences himself.
Like most of Conan Gray’s music, this song is a perfect song to listen to while walking in the rain or whenever you feel down about your own misfortunes in life. What Conan has done a good job of coining is his relatability and the skill of capturing a feeling that a lot of people experience but aren’t able to identify.
Yours is the second single that has been released for Conan Gray’s upcoming sophomore album “Superache” out on June 24th.
