{{Short description|American musician (born 1982)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Greg Gonzalez | image = Cigarettes After Sex - Southside Festival 2019 6114 - 1.jpg | caption = Gonzalez in 2019 | birth_name = Gregory Steven Gonzalez | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|9|28|mf=y}} | birth_place = El Paso, Texas, U.S. | occupation = {{flat list | *Singer *songwriter *guitarist *record producer}} | instrument = {{flat list | *Vocals *guitar}} | years_active = 2008-present | current_member_of = Cigarettes After Sex }} '''Gregory Steven Gonzalez''' (born September 28, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He is best known for being the founder, lead vocalist and guitarist for the dream pop band Cigarettes After Sex.
== Early life == Born on September 28, 1982 in El Paso, Texas,<ref>{{Cite news|language=fr|author=Philippe Chassepot|title=Greg Gonzalez, Texan décomplexé|url=https://www.letemps.ch/culture/greg-gonzalez-texan-decomplexe|date=May 19, 2017|website=Le Temps|accessdate=September 21, 2023}}</ref> Gonzalez began his interest in music at the age of 10, when he bought his first guitar and immediately started writing songs, leading to his first-written song, "The Ocean", which was an instrumental.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.platform-mag.com/music/locked-in-a-dreamy-haze.html|title=Cigarettes After Sex|access-date=November 7, 2023|website=Platform}}</ref> At the same age, he first introduced himself to heavy metal music, which he learned to play the guitar from and later joined a metal band.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|last=Davet|first=Stéphane|title=Cigarettes After Sex, une pop à combustion lente|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/m-actu/article/2017/07/28/cigarettes-after-sex-une-pop-a-combustion-lente_5166114_4497186.html|date=July 28, 2017|website=Le Monde|accessdate=September 21, 2023}}</ref> Attempting to find his musical style, he would then experiment with jazz and dance music styles.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr|title=Greg Gonzalez – Cigarettes After Sex : un romantique assumé|url=https://www.rollingstone.fr/greg-gonzalez-cigarettes-after-sex-le-romantique-assume/|date=May 25, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|accessdate=September 21, 2023}}</ref>
Growing up, Gonzalez was heavily inspired by French singer Françoise Hardy and her album ''La question'' (1971),<ref name="Vice">{{cite web|last1=Cacouris|first1=Christina|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-diehard-romanticism-of-cigarettes-after-sex/|title=The Diehard Romanticism of Cigarettes After Sex|date=February 17, 2016|access-date=July 10, 2024|magazine=Vice|archive-date=28 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028020323/https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/the-diehard-romanticism-of-cigarettes-after-sex|url-status=live}}</ref> along with other artists such as Marvin Gaye, the Everly Brothers and Chet Baker,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=O'Connor|first=Roisin|title=Cigarettes After Sex's Greg Gonzalez: 'I'm not bitter. I don't write from that place'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/cigarettes-after-sex-interview-greg-gonzalez-xs-b2574738.html|date=July 10, 2024|access-date=July 10, 2024|magazine=The Independent}}</ref> as well as film composers including Hans Zimmer, Ennio Morricone and Danny Elfman.<ref name="AmbientLight">{{cite web |last=Kidd |first=Sarah |date=December 15, 2017 |title=Music, The Great Healer: A Cigarettes After Sex Interview |url=https://www.ambientlightblog.com/music-great-healer-cigarettes-sex-interview/ |access-date=May 2, 2026 |website=Ambient Light |language=en-US}}</ref> He was also inspired by Michael Jackson, explaining that he was born when Jackson's album ''Thriller'' (1982) was released and his fame made him want to perform music.<ref name="AmbientLight" />
== Music career == Wanting to be part of a "huge" band, Gonzalez would form Cigarettes After Sex in his hometown in 2008.<ref name=":1">{{cite magazine|last=Curran|first=Shaun|title=Greg Gonzalez: Cigarettes After Sex frontman on going viral, writing explicit lyrics, and the ritual behind the band's name|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/greg-gonzalez-cigarettes-after-sex-tour-london-lyrics-brixton-name-viral-a8363626.html|date=May 28, 2018|magazine=The Independent|access-date=September 21, 2023}}</ref> Four years after their formation, they released their debut EP ''I.'', which was recorded in a four-floor stairway at the University of Texas at El Paso.<ref name="Vice" /> The band released their self-titled debut studio album in 2017.
Cigarettes After Sex's second album ''Cry'' was released in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Renshaw|first=David|title=Cigarettes After Sex confirm Cry album details|url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/08/29/cigarettes-after-sex-cry-heavenly|date=August 29, 2019|access-date=March 19, 2025|magazine=The Fader}}</ref>
In 2022, Gonzalez released ''Charm of Pleasure'', a collaborative EP with Italian composer Daniele Luppi, which was supported by two singles; "You Never Loved" and "The Rose You Kept".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/news/daniele_luppi_and_cigarettes_after_sexs_greg_gonzalez_announce_ep_share_vid|title=Daniele Luppi and Cigarettes After Sex's Greg Gonzalez Announce EP, Share Video for Lead Single|last=Arnone|first=Joey|date=July 27, 2022|access-date=December 2, 2023|website=Under the Radar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://officemagazine.net/silent-dream|title=Silent Dream|last=Zanes|first=Anna|date=October 12, 2022|access-date=December 2, 2023|website=Office}}</ref>
Gonzalez and Cigarettes After Sex released their third album ''X's'' in 2024.
On April 12, 2026, Gonzalez joined as a special guest at Karol G's headlining Coachella 2026 set, where they performed a new track, "Después de Ti".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Jeanette |url=https://remezcla.com/music/heres-every-song-karol-g-performed-at-coachella-2026/ |title=Here's Every Song Karol G Performed at Coachella 2026 |work=Remezcla |language=en-US |date=April 13, 2026 |access-date=May 1, 2026 |quote=Then, [Karol G] sang an unreleased song with Cigarettes After Sex’s Greg Gonzalez called 'Después De Ti.'}}</ref> During the performance, both artists stood back to back, with Gonzalez providing the song's guitar arrangements.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gaitán |first=Iván |url=https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2026/04/13/esta-es-la-cancion-que-estreno-karol-g-en-coachella-junto-a-greg-gonzalez-de-cigarettes-after-sex-solo-queda-decir-que-te-quise-de-mas/ |title=Esta es la canción que estrenó Karol G en Coachella junto a Greg González de Cigarettes After Sex: 'Solo queda decir que te quise de más' |trans-title=This is the song Karol G debuted at Coachella with Greg Gonzalez of Cigarettes After Sex: 'All that remains to be said is that I loved you too much' |newspaper=Infobae |language=es |date=April 13, 2026 |access-date=May 1, 2026}}</ref> They later officially released the track onto music streaming platforms on April 23.<ref>{{Cite web |last=González |first=Daniela |url=https://los40.com.co/2026/04/24/letra-y-video-oficial-de-despues-de-ti-la-nueva-cancion-de-karol-g-dedicada-al-desamor-de-feid/ |title=Letra y video oficial de 'Después de ti' la nueva canción de Karol G |trans-title=Lyrics and official video for 'Después de ti', the new song by Karol G |website=Los 40 |language=es |date=April 23, 2026 |access-date=May 1, 2026 |quote=La canción oficial fue lanzada este jueves 23 de abril del 2026 por medio de todas las plataformas musicales. |trans-quote=The official track was released this Thursday, April 23, 2026, through all music streaming platforms.}}</ref> It debuted at number 96 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, number six on the Hot Latin Songs chart and topped the Hot Latin Pop Songs chart, earning 3.8 million official streams and 1,000 downloads, becoming Gonzalez's first chart entries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bustios |first=Pamela |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/karol-g-hot-greg-gonzalez-latin-songs-following-coachella-1236240202/ |title=Karol G & Greg Gonzalez's 'Después De Ti' Makes Top 10 Debut on Hot Latin Songs Following Coachella Set: 'The Song Felt Like Medicine' |work=Billboard |language=en-US |date=May 6, 2026 |access-date=May 7, 2026 |quote='Después De Ti's' debut on Hot Latin Songs [...] is driven almost entirely by streams. The ballad amassed 3.8 million official streams in the United States during the tracking week ending April 30, according to Luminate.}}</ref>
== Discography == {{See also|Cigarettes After Sex#Discography}}
===Extended plays=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+List of extended plays, with selected details ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Details |- ! scope="row"| ''Charm of Pleasure''<br />{{small|(with Daniele Luppi)}} | * Released: September 16, 2022<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/daniele-luppi-greg-gonzalez-unveil-charm-of-pleasure/|title=Daniele Luppi And Greg Gonzalez Unveil Charm Of Pleasure Project|last=Sexton|first=Paul|date=July 27, 2022|access-date=November 7, 2023|website=DiscoverMusic}}</ref> * Label: Verve * Formats: Digital download, streaming |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of singles, showing year released, selected chart positions, and associated album ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="4" | Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | US<br /><ref name="Hot 100">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/karol-g/chart-history/hsi/|title=Karol G Chart History (''Billboard'' Hot 100)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 7, 2026}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | US<br>Latin<br /><ref name="USLatin">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/karol-g/chart-history/htl/|title=Karol G Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 7, 2026}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | US<br>Latin<br>Pop<br /><ref name="USLatinPop">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/karol-g/chart-history/hlp/|title=Karol G Chart History (Hot Latin Pop Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 7, 2026}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | COL<br><ref name="COL">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/karol-g/chart-history/col/|title=Karol G Chart History (''Billboard'' Colombia Hot 100)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 7, 2026}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| "You Never Loved"<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/6RPe8BJlSPpw7bPGzbyKfp |title=You Never Loved - Single by Daniele Luppi, Greg Gonzalez |via=Spotify |publisher=Verve Records |date=July 27, 2022 |access-date=May 7, 2026}}</ref><br />{{small|(with Daniele Luppi)}} | rowspan="2"| 2022 | — || — || — || — | rowspan="2"| ''Charm of Pleasure'' |- ! scope="row"| "The Rose You Kept"<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/3tbwmBwYgbOqFmm727arhf |title=The Rose You Kept - Single by Daniele Luppi, Greg Gonzalez |via=Spotify |publisher=Verve Records |date=August 24, 2022 |access-date=May 7, 2026}}</ref><br />{{small|(with Daniele Luppi)}} | — || — || — || — |- ! scope="row"| "Después de Ti"<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.elcolombiano.com/cultura/musica/karol-g-despues-de-ti-greg-gonzalez-coachella-gira-mundial-NH35898072 |title=Karol G lanza oficialmente el tema 'Después de ti', en colaboración con Cigarettes After Sex: Escúchela |trans-title=Karol G officially releases the song 'Después de ti', in collaboration with Cigarettes After Sex: Listen |newspaper=El Colombiano |language=es |date=April 27, 2026 |access-date=May 1, 2026}}</ref><br />{{small|(with Karol G)}} | 2026 | 96 || 6 || 1 || 84 | {{Non-album single}} |}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Greg}} Category:Living people Category:1982 births Category:American male guitarists Category:Musicians from El Paso, Texas Category:Guitarists from Texas Category:Singer-songwriters from Texas
{{US-guitarist-stub}}