On Feb. 9, Conan Gray released his latest single titled “Lonely Dancers,” a part of his upcoming third album, “Found Heaven,” set for release in April. The track is a bright and upbeat synth-pop with an ’80s-inspired sound and was not at all what I was expecting based on the title and Gray’s previous songs. 

Before listening, I was expecting a slow metaphoric ballad focused on Gray’s strong vocals, his signature, but the song turned out to be just the opposite. It was a sharp turn away from his previous album, which had a deeper and slower rhythm; some of my favorite songs were “Family Line,” “Astronomy” and “People Watching.” Based on the name itself, I was expecting a rhythm and lyrics similar to “Writer in the Dark” by Lorde, another one of my personal favorites, or “Bejeweled” by Taylor Swift.

However, the song itself was lively, upbeat and retro-sounding, with underlying tones of heartbreak, melancholy and nostalgia. It featured the early and often rebound stage of a breakup, as the lyrics depicted distracting oneself with dancing so as not to cry. The vocal range was lower than his previous albums and overall more diverse. The sound itself was quite lonely and reminiscent of a song you would hear in “Stranger Things” or at your local bowling alley. 

Despite the lively and upbeat music, the lyricism fell short for me. I walked in with high expectations because of Gray’s strong and unparalleled ability to describe teenage emotions in a beautiful and heart-wrenching way but walked out feeling simply unfulfilled. Being only two and a half minutes, the song seemed to cut off short, was rather repetitive and didn’t feature as many lyrics as I would have expected or liked. Known for his expert lyrics, Gray is often compared with the likes of Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, but this song just did not stick out to me. While synth-pop seems to be a trend with the release of “Midnights” by Swift and her upcoming album, “The Tortured Poet’s Department,” “Lonely Dancers” fits in perfectly in terms of sound. But the lyricism is where I would like to see more experimentation rather than repetition. I think what was missing for me the most was personality. Almost all of Gray’s songs, such as “Heather” and “Crush Culture,” come from a deep place in the artist’s heart, being deeply personal yet relatable at the same time. This song almost felt as if he was trying to produce a TikTok hit, and lacked the reliability and lyricism. 

In conclusion, while “Lonely Dancers” brought a unique and nuanced approach to Gray’s discography and sound, it fell short regarding lyrics, personality and relatability. However, I do hope the rest of the album presents a more “Midnights” approach with a balance between strong lyricism and upbeat sounds, something one could actually dance to while trying to hold back an extra tears.