During the vibrant and music-filled weekend at Lollapalooza, we had the opportunity to chat with singer-songwriter grentperez ahead of his Sunday evening performance. Starting his musical journey in his early teen years, he kicked off his career by creating covers and original songs in his bedroom and sharing them on YouTube. In 2021, he officially released his debut single “Cherry Wine,” which soared to the #1 spot on the Spotify Viral Chart in Australia, Canada, and Singapore. Recognized for his smooth, jazzy voice and nostalgic, uplifting melodies, Grentperez’s music continues to captivate audiences, garnering millions of listeners across all streaming platforms. With an impressive array of singles, albums, and tours under his belt, he was more than ready for his debut on Lollapalooza’s BACARDÍ stage! Check out our conversation below to discover more about his Chicago experience, a little about his creative process, and the latest additions to his playlist.
Lollapalooza is known for drawing in talent from across the globe, and this year, Filipino-Australian indie-pop artist grentperez joined the lineup for the very first time. As he walked around the festival grounds, it was clear that the magnitude of the moment hadn’t registered for him yet. “My first? Yes, first ever!” grentperez confirmed, his excitement palpable. “I don’t think it has sunk in just yet. I’m kind of like, oh cool these people are performing. But, like, this is crazy! It’s pretty gnarly, dude. I’m stoked. I’m happy to be here!”
Having just arrived in Chicago the night before, grentperez wasted no time immersing himself in the city’s iconic sights. “We visited the, what’s it called? The windows?” he began, searching for the name of the landmark. After a brief exchange, he recalled, “Willis Tower, yes! I’m going to say it’s called the Skydeck, but that was really, really cool.”
Embracing the quintessential Chicago experience, he added with enthusiasm, “Hell yeah, and I’m ready for today and tomorrow. It’ll be sweet!” As the conversation shifted to his creative process, grentperez shed light on how his music comes together.
“As of recently, I’ve been trying to do more concept-based writing, but typically, it’s kind of like the chord progression first. I’ll play the chords, and if the chords make me feel a certain way, I’ll write according to that. Sometimes they don’t make me feel a way, and I just scrap it. But it’s usually chords, melody, lyrics. Lyrics last, which is weird.”
He expressed admiration for artists who draw from intense personal experiences. “A lot of people have some crazy ways to get into it. A lot of people are very much story-based, and they have to live through these experiences. I respect that so much. That’s so sick. I personally haven’t experienced too much crazy stuff, so I have to make them up, you know?”
Looking ahead, grentperez shared his excitement about upcoming projects. “Yeah! I just released a single with Lyn Lapid, called “Room For You.” That one is really cool. But upcoming – I’ve got a lot of stuff. A lot of singles, no dates at the moment, but you can definitely see stuff within the next few months.”
When asked about his current musical inspirations, grentperez didn’t hesitate. “Who have I been on? Oh, low key Wisp. I’ve been on the Wisp,” he said, before realizing she was also playing Lollapalooza. “Is her set still coming up? Maybe she performed yesterday. I think it might have already happened. I might have missed her. But if it’s today, then fuck yeah!”
As our conversation wrapped up, it was clear that grentperez was ready to take on Lollapalooza and whatever else came his way. We can’t wait to see what’s next for this rising star!
Portraits by Ann Storlie
Interview by Ann Storlie and Sarah Peter
Keep Up With grentperez: Website // Instagram // Facebook // YouTube
