Grade: 4.0/5.0

It’s been more than two years since singer-songwriter Conan Gray dropped his first album Kid Krow, and since then, Gray has released several singles leading up to his upcoming summer sophomore album. Heartwrenching and haunting, his latest track “Memories” proves once again Gray’s innate ability to pull on his listeners’ heartstrings.

Released April 15 and debuted live the same night at his Oakland concert, the song captures Gray’s wistful desperation to move on from a lover who continues to reenter his life, and its shocking catharsis makes it unlike any of the songs Gray has written in the past.

The majority of Gray’s discography can be characterized into two categories: pulsating, upbeat pop synth and slow acoustics sounding almost like a lullaby. “Memories,” however, deviates from his signature patterns, shining as a warm piano ballad.

With its softness reminiscent of “Lookalike” from his 2018 EP Sunset Season, the use of the piano creates a level of radiant coziness that is also reflected in his album cover and music video — both of which feature red-orange hues within the setting of a home.

Unlike what its title suggests, “Memories” has little to do with a pleasant stroll down memory lane. Instead, it forces focus on a recurring present, as Gray details a night in which his ex-lover shows up at his door and invites themself in. He does not reflect nor rediscover his time with this ex-lover; rather, he chooses to remind himself that his relationship is meant to stay in the past, chanting, “I wish that you would stay in my memories/ In my memories, stay in my memories.”

As for lyricism, Gray’s single isn’t one full of metaphors nor genius wordplay; he keeps things simple and true, letting oodles of Gen-Z humor shine through. “But you show up today, just to ruin things/ I wanna put you in the past ’cause I’m traumatized,” Gray sings in the chorus. On paper, these words seem almost humorous — akin to someone complaining to a friend about how annoying their ex is. Yet, Gray’s soulful singing turns these simple complaints into miserable begging, offering the listener a window into his anguished heart.

Gray’s voice falters throughout the song, both purposefully and beautifully. With each pre-chorus, he begs his ex-lover to stay away from him, later noting how “there’s no good reason in make believin’ that we could ever exist again.” Emphasizing specific words with rising intonations, Gray openly conveys his vulnerability and hopelessness. This faltering doesn’t interrupt the track’s flow or feel out of place; instead, it complements the despair he feels, mournfully detailing how his wounds continue to be reopened time and time again.

Most heartbreak songs either whine about desperately wanting someone back or declare an angry vengeance, but Gray’s latest alluring single diverges from these norms with its bittersweetness. Unlike Gray’s dismal memories of his past lover, “Memories” is not something to be let go of.