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The concept of love and having a crush is justifiably devastating when they do not feel the same way. It hurts even more if your crush is in love with someone else, leaving you in envy. Heartache is an emotion that anyone at any age can experience in their lifetime. Conan Gray explores those feelings of pain and yearning in his tenth track, “Heather,” on his 2020 debut studio album, “Kid Krow.”
Background
Conan Gray is known for his Pop and Indie-Pop style of music. He started off as a social media personality, uploading vlogs and singing covers on YouTube, and gained massive popularity. This led to him signing with Republic Records in 2018 and releasing his debut EP, “Sunset Season.” Conan’s song, “Heather,” was released in March 2020, and achieved traction with young-adult audiences.
Lyrics
The connotation of the lyrics reflects on past experiences that Conan encountered in high school. “‘Heather’ is the song on the album that I always cry to. I think it’s the most honest recount of my love life at the moment,” Conan states. This exemplifies that the song has genuine meaning to him and wants others to feel his pure emotion through this track. He begins by elucidating a specific memory on December 3rd, wearing his crush’s sweater, falling deeper in love until his crush’s head turns towards this perfect girl, Heather, as she walks by. At that moment, Conan realized that he could not have that person in his life. This situation could occur with anyone regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, and it is very common to experience the feeling of jealousy towards a specific person. He starts off the chorus with, "Why would you ever kiss me? I'm not even half as pretty / You gave her your sweater / It's just polyester, but you like her better / I wish I were Heather.” Conan now wants to be like Heather to gain the attraction of his crush. The idea of Heather is being a perfect person, whether it's looks or character. The sweater resembles the love and affection that he believed his crush had for him, but now since it was passed onto Heather, Conan loses all value in that sweater. These lyrics hold deep meaning that has the ability to really resonate with others.
Vocals & Instrumentation
Conan Gray carries a powerful yet soothing voice that creates a vivid story for his listeners. You are able to hear the agony and heartache that Conan experienced. His stylistic choices in singing the verses express an authentic emotion that the audience can perceive through his vocals. The instrumentation is angelic and celestial, with the echoing high notes of a piano in the beginning. The acoustic guitar plays a significant role in the melody, producing a far more genuine feel to the song itself. It is calming and relaxing, but also gets into your feelings at the same time. The quality is professional, personal, and pleasing to the ear.
General Consensus
All in all, “Heather” by Conan Gray is a magnificent "love song" that undoubtedly paints a picture of a wistful story. As a matter of fact, the song has become a popular trend on the app, TikTok. Many people post videos of how they wish they looked like “Heather” or even showed people from their own school who they thought could be a “Heather.” Others would make point-of-view videos where they act out the scenes with the lyrics in the hit song. Everyone should view themselves as a “Heather” because everybody is different in their own special way. No one should follow the stereotypes and social constructs of society. With that being said, “Heather,” by Conan Gray earns a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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