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Backstage with Jack Gray @ Brooklyn Steel

Photos by Lauren Khalfayan, find more of her work here


Jack Gray is Australia’s most unassuming pop star. A mix of The 1975 meets Troye Sivan meets Shawn Mendes, he bridges the world between indie bedroom pop and what’s been taking over the mainstream airwaves. Walking off his sound check at Brooklyn Steel he’s smiling ear to ear. This is his New York debut and he’s making it in one of the biggest houses. With his I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-a-perm sandy blonde hair and lanky physique, he’s seems in awe of it all. He’s already touring the world, making his own music as well as writing for others, and relocating from Australia to LA all before he can get a drink in the states. That doesn’t seem to have gone to his head, though. Pre-show in the green room we spent more time chatting about star signs, Tame Impala, and Shake Shack than the crazy year he’s had as an artist — but then again, that speaks for itself. Last time he tried to play in New York, he got stuck across the Canadian border for 10 days while he had to resubmit his visa, but today with only a fraction of nerves buzzing through his system, he’s ready to take the city on with ease.

One of the most intimate feeling sets I’ve seen at Brooklyn Steel, Jack won the crowd over the minute he set foot onstage. Sharing personal stories and insights between each song, it felt as if we had all been invited to share in something special. Maybe it comes from making all your work in your room by yourself, but it seems like perhaps bedroom pop has removed ego from the equation and made room for more meaningful experiences.

Check out some photos from his set below.

 

You can keep up with Jack Gray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram



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