Photographed by Emma Stout.
Rose Gray was standing on the stoop outside Jean’s looking awfully chic for someone midway through their first international tour when she pointed out her ripped tights. “It’s the most perfect rip, almost like I did it on purpose,” the London native quipped. “I didn’t.” In January, Gray released her debut album Louder, Please to the immediate acclaim of popheads who called it an early contender for album of the summer. “There have been some eras over the last six or seven years,” Gray reflected. “Now, everything is stripped down.” Ahead of her second New York show, the rising star seems to have struck a balance between hard work and partying, landing her a spot as an opener for Kesha along with her own headline tour kicking off next month. As she reached for a pack of Vogues with an impossible-to-miss diamond on her ring finger courtesy of her longtime partner Harris Dickinson, the pophead prophecy felt like it was finally being realized. And what better way to soak it all in than with a Smoke Break? For this week’s edition, Gray joined us for a smoke to talk through her Beatles era, sharing a tour bus with Kesha, and her surprisingly sweet relationship with the “Dickheads.”
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EMMA STOUT: Did you bring these Vogues from Europe?
ROSE GRAY: My lovely new label got them for me. I smoke socially, but I didn’t have any cigarettes with me.
STOUT: What else is on your tour rider?
GRAY: Depending on the city and how much I’m going to drink—tequila. Yorkshire tea. Sometimes I don’t drink when I play. Did you know that artists pay for their own riders?
STOUT: No way. I mean, I heard about a buyout. But you have to pay for everything?
GRAY: Yes, so I keep it quite casual. I don’t want to spend lots of money.
STOUT: Right. Going back to the basics—a little tequila and a Vogue. How was your show last night? You said it was at Le Bain, but you didn’t jump in the pool, correct?
GRAY: No pool. I was advised against it. When I came off the stage, I was tempted. But Le Bain was mad. It was such a good party. I’m still getting used to people singing my words back to me, and people were singing.
STOUT: Oh, that’s major! Confession: I lived in East London for a summer when I was 20. I was going out around Shoreditch.
GRAY: Do you know London?
STOUT: A little bit. But now that you’ve been to Le Bain, what do you think is the biggest difference between clubbing in London versus New York?
GRAY: I must say, last night was quite wild. I haven’t found a party like that in London on a Tuesday night since I was like 16. New Yorkers go out a little bit later as well.
STOUT: What time do normally you go out?
GRAY: It depends. If we’re going clubbing, then it would be later than 12. But my friends are going out earlier by the month. It’s annoying.
STOUT: Do you know what else I noticed in London? Everyone was doing whippets.
GRAY: What?
STOUT: Nitrous oxide. Balloons.
GRAY: Oh, yeah. That’s huge in the UK. There is this park called London Field. You only need to sit there for 10 seconds, and you hear it. Someone is on nozz, even midday on a Sunday. I worry what it does to our brain cells.
STOUT: It can’t be good. Strangers in the UK are so polite, though, because they’ll offer you some. You have a song called “Party People.” Who’s the ultimate party person?
GRAY: My friend Taali Kwaten. To me, she is the club. She hosts parties all over London. She’ll be behind the decks like, “Hello, you cunts. Who wants to party?” She is everywhere.
STOUT: The real party girls are international. What is your next stop?
GRAY: Boston tonight. After this, I’ll go back to the hotel, pack up my suitcase, and meet the Kesha bus—
STOUT: Oh my god, because Kesha is playing at MSG. Congrats on the single, by the way. When I first heard your music, I was like, “This is Kesha and Slayyyter combined.” And then boom, you come out with a single.
GRAY: I know!
STOUT: What are you and Kesha up to tonight?
GRAY: The bus call is 12:35, to be exact. I think we’ll just be drinking on the tour bus. The tour bus is a vibe. We’re with all the dancers.
STOUT: Who’s in your pop girl coven—besides Kesha, obviously? Which pop girls are you listening to right now?
GRAY: Addison. I’m absolutely in love with that record and the production on all those songs. I’m so into her aesthetic.
STOUT: She’s amazing. There’s something about her that makes you think, “We would be best friends.” And that’s what all the best pop stars do.
GRAY: Charli does it well. Like, you want to be their friend.
STOUT: On the subject of pop 101, I was so impressed reading your interviews because you have this immense appreciation for pop history.
GRAY: I do love pop music. “Studied” makes me sound way too studious—I’ve just been in love with pop music ever since I was a kid.
STOUT: What was the first CD you ever owned?
GRAY: It was Christina Aguilera Stripped. Also, Lily Allen was a big part of my childhood. I just love that first record Alright, Still. And my mom loved Madonna, so I grew up with Madonna on in the house. It took me to get a bit older to really fall in love with her.
STOUT: So we have Madonna, Addison, Charli—
GRAY: Oklou, Björk. I love Alanis Morissette. Jagged Little Pill, I always come back to that record. I saw her at Glastonbury, like, 3 weeks ago. Have you been to Glastonbury?
STOUT: No. We have Gov Ball, but we don’t have a music festival like Glastonbury.
GRAY: They should start doing one. What do you call the countryside of New York?
STOUT: Upstate, darling. Charli had this album listening party upstate, and she brought all these journalists out to the middle of nowhere. There was no cell service, and it turned into a two-hour DJ set. Wait, have you been to Basement?
GRAY: No, but I’ve heard a few people talk about it. I’m in New York again in a month. It’s the first night of the headline tour, but I can do it.
STOUT: The first night of your first tour!
GRAY: I know—it feels so good.
STOUT: What’s your pre-show ritual?
GRAY: I do my own makeup and that helps me get in the zone. Then vocal warmups and put on some good tunes.
STOUT: Are you superstitious?
GRAY: I am, but I don’t think I am with my shows. Whenever I do bigger shows, I have a two-minute interlude of me speaking before I go on stage. Sometimes if I don’t have that, I don’t feel as connected to my performance. During those two minutes, I just zone out.
STOUT: You look fabulous, by the way. Can you describe your look?
GRAY: The knit piece, hot pants, boots, and ripped tights. All my tights are ripping. I wore these for a show the other day and they ripped. But it’s the most perfect rip, almost like I did it on purpose. I didn’t. I always wear this kind of vibe now when I play.
STOUT: You’ve very mobile.
GRAY: I like to be mobile.
STOUT: How did you find your look?
GRAY: It happened quite naturally. There have been some eras over the last six or seven years.
STOUT: Bad eras?
GRAY: 100 percent. I’ve had some really weird eras. I had an era where I dressed like I was a Beatle. Very 60s, sort of Sergeant Pepper. Tight and tailored. Do you know what? It was a vibe.
STOUT: And where are you now?
GRAY: Now, everything is stripped down—apart from the hair. I love tights, little shorts, vests, a bonnet, sunglasses. Mysterious, but also comfy. I’ve got to move a little bit on stage.
STOUT: Speaking of the Beatles, your boyfriend is playing John Lennon in the biopic. How do you fend off the “Dickheads”?
GRAY: Oh, they’re lovely. They are so nice. I think they like me.
STOUT: Last question, what can I expect tonight?
GRAY: Sweat and choreography.
