After gaining a huge cult following, Conan Gray released his heartfelt debut album Kid Krow back in March. The album is a heartsick reflection on identity, young love, and the politics of high school life, but one song in particular stands as a fan-favorite. Gray’s track “Heather” has captivated audiences with its earnestness, and the singer brought a performance of the track to The Late Late Show With James Corden.
Gray sang “Heather” amid billowing white sheets. As the song progressed, Gray became increasingly urgent with his delivery, eventually falling back into the sheets, ripping them down, and revealing a vast California landscape.
Briefly chatting to Gray ahead of his performance, Corden gushed over the singer’s recent rise: “I’m so thrilled for everything that’s happening in your life and career at the moment. It feels like everywhere I turn, people are just going crazy about you.” Corden also spoke to Gray about “Heather,” asking Gray why he almost didn’t include it on his debut album:
“When I wrote the song, I was really embarrassed because it’s about this girl from my high school who barely knew that I even existed and I was super jealous of her. I just thought that, maybe, no one would relate to it. I thought that I was insane feeling the way I felt. I was super jealous of her, it’s not a very nice song. It’s not very nice to tell someone you want them to disappear. So, I almost didn’t put it on the album. I thought that I was crazy and it turns out that I’m not the only one that’s felt that way about someone. I think everybody has a Heather in their life.”
Watch Gray perform “Heather” on The Late Late Show above.
Kid Krow is out now via Republic. Get it here.