Conan Gray's parents gave the singer a complex upbringing, with many experiences that heavily influenced his music. They moved around many times when he was young, including a short stay in Japan, but eventually separated.
Conan Gray was one of a few Asian children at his school when his family finally settled in Texas. Although he mostly spent time with this group, having a bi-ethnic identity still came with challenges.
Conan Gray's home life was also complicated, though the singer still had a few sweet memories with him. From his YouTube vlogging days, he had always been candid about his upbringing. He shared more intimate details about his childhood and parents' relationship through his sophomore studio album, "Superache."
Conan Gray at the Saint Laurent Menswear Fall-Winter 2023-2024 show during Paris Fashion Week on January 17, 2023, in France. | Source: Getty Images
Conan Gray's Parents: His Father Was in the Military, and His Mom Worked in Food Safety
In a 2019 interview, Gray shared a little about his parent's love story. The couple had met at a party in Tijuana, Mexico, and fell in love. They married when they were young and expanded their family with Gray and his sister.
His father was in the military, so the family of four frequently relocated. When the singer was nearly two, they moved to Japan (his mother's home country) to care for his grandfather, who was battling cancer.
They moved back to the US following his grandfather's passing, after which Gray's parents divorced when he was three. The 25-year-old and his sister moved and settled in Georgetown, Texas, with his mother's family.
Gray's mother worked in food safety. After his dad left the military, he worked in "a slew of jobs," including pool job stints, but eventually became a professional arm wrestler, a sport he still pursued, as the singer revealed in 2019.
Conan Gray at the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" on May 1, 2023, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
Conan Gray's Parents Had Different Religious Beliefs
Gray described his father as a "super atheist," while his mom was a devoted Christian. He and his sibling went to church, primarily growing up on his mother's side, but the vocalist abandoned the faith in his early teens.
A friend once gifted him a Vampire Weekend CD of the rock band's "Modern Vampires of the City" album. The vocalist listened to the record repeatedly; however, his mother disapproved. She got rid of the CD, lecturing her son on how "satanic" it was.
On the contrary, when Gray and his sister visited his dad's family, the siblings had more freedom. He described his mom's home and his dad's as two opposite worlds. The constant change in landscape and atmosphere is another notable influence on his music.
Conan Gray performs onstage during weekend two, day one of Austin City Limits Music Festival on October 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. | Source: Getty Images
Conan Gray Was Kicked Out after His High School Senior Year
Gray's maternal side of his family is Japanese, and his paternal side is white. While living in Georgetown, he attended predominantly white schools and was often bullied for his bi-ethnicity.
People also questioned which of his ethnicities dominated the other, which sometimes left him in limbo since he identified with both equally. "My life mission growing up was just to get out of Texas," he shared in 2022.
He worked hard in school and enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles. But after his senior year, in March 2017, his family kicked him out. He didn't go into detail about this part of his life, but he found solace and shelter with his closest friends, now including Olivia Rodrigo — she was an only child.
Fans who have followed the country music lover, who grew up listening to Dolly Parton, U2's Bono, and Dixie Chicks, found deeper insight into Gray's childhood in "Superache," especially in the song "Family Line" from the 2022 album.
"My father never talked a lot / He just took a walk around the block / 'Til all his anger took a hold of him / And then he'd hit / My mother never cried a lot / She took the punches, but she never fought / 'Til she said, 'I'm leaving, and I'll take the kids'/ So she did," he sang.
Conan Gray admitted that it was "uncomfortable" to talk about the details of his tumultuous childhood, but that discomfort motivated him to share his story. The album, which he likened to people listening to his diaries, catalyzed his healing journey.
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