21-year-old Australian musician grentperez is unapologetically a Gen-Z artist with an old soul. Having first found his audience on YouTube strumming guitar, singing covers and original songs, he’s blossomed into an unlikely star: an unassuming and unpretentious artist inspired on the music played at family karaoke parties (“Filipino people love karaoke,” he explains with a laugh, “There are some uncles out there with hidden-ass talent”) as well as vintage bossa nova and modern R&B. 

Encouraged by his older brother and sister, grentperez’s rise from viral YouTube covers performer to budding bedroom pop star was a quick one: At just 12 years old he posted his first video to his YouTube channel and, over time, he got over 100 million views and 600k subscribers on his channel. After honing his songwriting chops, his undeniably lovely 2021 debut single “Cherry Wine” became an international sensation, hitting the #1 slot on the Spotify Viral Chart in not just his home country of Australia but also Canada and Singapore. 2022 brought more music: a pair of releases (Conversations with the Moon EP and Trail Mix) and a sweeping, swooning Christmas single entitled “When Christmas Comes Again.”

The young songwriter has blossomed into an artist, and he’s got the following to prove it: With over 500 million plays on streaming platforms, a multi-continental touring resume, and notable support from tastemakers including Triple J, NPR Music, MTV, KCRW, DIY, Wonderland, and The Line of Best Fit, grentperez is on the precipice of something big.