
The Many Flavors of grentperez
By Ivan Guzman
Jan 15, 2025grentperez has an old soul. But for the 23-year-old singer-songwriter, that doesn’t mean his music doesn't fit the moment. Since exploding onto the scene with his 2021 single “Cherry Wine,” the Australian-Filipino crooner has captured hearts and ears with his mixture of old-school aesthetics, velvety R&B vocals and knack for punchy storytelling. It’s music that feels like a secret, shared between old friends.
Today, Perez adds another jewel to his discography with the release of “Dandelion,” a shimmering ode to fleeting romance and the unspoken beauty of the everyday. “I’d say ‘Dandelion’ is definitely one of the more pop-y songs on the album,” he explains. “The guitar was in a different tuning — I don’t even remember what it was — but I just started playing this little riff and thought, ‘Oh, this is interesting.’” Like the wispy seeds of its namesake flower, the track carries a delicate, windblown quality, landing softly in the hearts of listeners while reminding them to treasure life’s quiet, ephemeral moments.
Having started by posting covers on YouTube, Perez uniquely straddles bedroom pop with soul music from back in the day. “I definitely listened to a lot of Stevie Wonder growing up,” he tells PAPER. This penchant for nostalgic sounds blended with the personality of a modern-day Gen Z vlogger (Grant still actively posts vlogs and challenges on his YouTube channel) makes Perez an archetype for the new, hyper-online romantic.
But “Dandelion” is just the beginning. Announced alongside the single is grentperez’s debut album, Backflips in a Restaurant, a genre-fluid collection that promises to showcase his versatility. “To me, a restaurant is a house of many flavors,” he says. “That’s akin to what I like to represent with my music. Almost every song on the album is a different genre, which is very weird, but when you listen to it, it makes sense.”
Having just come off two sold-out tours last year, Perez is tripling down today to announce his accompanying North America tour, which will start in April. We caught up with Perez from a coffee shop in Berlin to discuss the new release, wanting to be a flight attendant and YouTube lore.
You’re in Berlin right now. Are you gonna go clubbing or no?
Nah, hell no. I’m definitely not much of a clubbing person, no.
Well you have a new single out today called “Dandelion.” Can you tell me about that song?
Yeah, I’d say “Dandelion” is definitely one of the more pop-y songs on the album. I wrote the song with Jorgen. I was going through a little bit of a songwriting slump. The guitar was in a different tuning, I don’t even remember what it was, but I picked it up and just started playing this little riff. I was like, "Oh, this is interesting. I like this." So I just mixed those two things together, and I wrote about long distance, etc.
You’re also announcing the album today, Backflips in a Restaurant. How would you say this album is different from your previous projects?
So this will be my debut album, as opposed to the other collections being EPs. To me, Backflips in a Restaurant is another taste of what’s to come. In a sense, a restaurant is a house of many flavors. Many different genres of food. That is akin to what I like to represent with my music as well. It’s the house of many different genres of music. That’s what you find with every song on [the album] almost being different genres, which is very weird, but when you listen to it it makes sense.
That’s what I gleaned from your music, this cross-genre mentality. Also what stood out to me is how soulful your voice is. Who did you listen to a lot growing up that influenced your vocals?
I definitely listened to a lot of Stevie Wonder, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Musiq Soulchild. It was very much a R&B influence growing up.
I read that you really wanted to be a flight attendant when you were younger. Why so?
I guess I wanted to be a flight attendant because I was surrounded by people who were flight attendants. One of my dad’s best friends is a flight attendant, one of my friend’s dads is a flight attendant. The job always intrigued me. I was just always really interested in how you’re able to travel from place to place, and you’re also helping people. Flight attendants do such an important job of keeping you sane on these flights sometimes. I just thought it was really cool. The benefits of traveling are really sick. But now that I am traveling a lot, nah.
YouTube was and is such a big part of your life and career, how you came up. Who were some of your favorite YouTubers growing up?
Oh my gosh. Chronologically I would say Ryan Higa for sure. Some of the gaming YouTubers I used to watch like Vanoss Gaming, Pewdiepie, this guy named KYRSP33DY. Even some of the dumb stuff like Asdfmovie. I love watching all the YouTubePoop stuff. There’s this weird animation, which I don’t know what the channel is called, but this guy has a spoon and he’s like, "My spoon’s too big! My spoon’s too big!" Then some guy goes, "I’m a banana!" It’s so dumb. Old YouTube is so dumb, but it was so good.
I saw that you went back to the Philippines, and you hadn’t been since you were a kid. What was it like going back, having grown up in Australia but being Filipino as well?
I know that when I went there for the first time when I was a kid, I was so shocked when I played basketball that I was the only one wearing basketball shoes. Everyone else was barefoot or just in flip-flops. But the biggest thing going there as an adult is just how much subconsciously you miss your family. When I saw them again, I was just like, wow. It’s crazy seeing how tiny the streets are and how cramped everything is.
Is there anything that your fans would be surprised to know about you? Any weird hobbies you’re really into?
I had a stronger one for this, but I currently forget. But I’ve really been getting into badminton. I’ve been rocking badminton two or three times a week. I’ve been watching Arcane. It’s been good. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
What’s your favorite place to travel? I know you are also announcing a huge tour today as well, so any place you’re most excited to go next?
One of my favorite places tovisit would probably be Amsterdam, just because it’s so accessible, very easy to walk, and I have some friends there. I’m really enjoying Berlin. It’s my first time. But for next steps, I’m going back to the UK then to the US, and then a world tour shortly after that.
Photography: Babak Khoshnoud
Related Articles Around the Web
MORE ON PAPER
Music
Björk Is Hopeful for Our Planet
Story by Matt Wille / Photography by Vidar Logi / Styling by Edda Gudmundsdottir / Makeup by Daniel Sallstrom / Hair by Ali Pirzadeh / Nails by Texto Dallas / Set design by Andrew Lim Clarkson / Masks by James Merry
Story by Matt Wille / Photography by Vidar Logi / Styling by Edda Gudmundsdottir / Makeup by Daniel Sallstrom / Hair by Ali Pirzadeh / Nails by Texto Dallas / Set design by Andrew Lim Clarkson / Masks by James Merry
21 January
Music
Miss Bashful by Linux: A Match in Brooklyn
Story by Linux / Photography by Diego Urbina
Story by Linux / Photography by Diego Urbina
17 January