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Why Sombr Says ‘There’s Nothing That Can Prepare You’ For the Success He’s Having Right Now

Sombr on hit singles 'Undressed' and 'Back to Friends', his biggest takeaways from tour, his thinking on new music and Grammy buzz and more.

But for 19-year-old alt-rock artist born Shane Boose, he’s struck gold in recent months: The piano-forward “Back to Friends” became his first Billboard Hot 100 entry on April 12; and just a week later, he added a second thanks to the pop-leaning “Undressed.” The former single arrived in the final days of 2024 before ultimately accruing its following this spring, while the latter came out as the buzz started to take hold. “‘Back to Friends’ was just starting to see some success [when I created ‘Undressed’], which I think made me a bit more confident with the music I was making,” says Sombr. Below, the singer-songwriter reflects on making “Undressed,” how his hits have impacted the stakes when releasing new music, potential Grammy buzz and more.

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