![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-final-68f906caecbc0.jpg?resize=480:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nSitting at a New York City coffee shop two blocks from his childhood apartment, Sombr tries to hide behind oversized sunglasses, but his 6’4″ frame is impossible to miss. In person, the 20-year-old\u2019s height reads as part rock star, part lanky young man still figuring out what to do with his limbs. It\u2019s a familiar picture, for me at least\u2014I\u2019m a proud Sombaddie, having clocked his eagle tattoo, \u201970s rock star drip, and signature smirk on social media more times than I can count.<\/p>\n
Sombr\u2019s online virality started with a surprise street performance he staged for I Barely Know Her. Fans flooded blocks, climbed fire escapes, and danced on rooftops. Dads shepherded preteens, and girls screamed every lyric into their phone cameras at unimaginable decibels. If that weren\u2019t enough to bring me back to the electricity of my own adolescence, a fellow 20-something near me quipped, \u201cClose enough. Welcome back, Matty Healy.\u201d <\/p>\n
A few weeks earlier, Sombr had had a cheeky photo op with his doppelg\u00e4nger, actor Finn Wolfhard<\/a>\u2014their height difference only exaggerated the joke. There was also a series of playful social posts with another lookalike, musician Conan Gray<\/a>. And then there are Sombr\u2019s near-daily TikToks, where he reposts fan edits and averages 3.5 million weekly Likes.<\/p>\n Breastplate Denzil Patrick<\/strong>, top Tory Burch<\/strong>, pants Gucci<\/strong>, rings (worn throughout)\u00a0Sombr\u2019s own.\u00a0 Of course, it\u2019s impossible to publish Sombr\u2019s Seventeen cover story without acknowledging the legacy of giants who\u2019ve graced this same cover at pivotal moments in their respective careers. When *NSYNC sat down with Seventeen in July 2001, they were about to drop their fourth and final album, Celebrity, while combating breakup rumors before Justin Timberlake departed from the band the following year. Almost a decade later, \u201cOne Direction Infection\u201d had only just crossed over from the UK as the boys told Seventeen about their first-ever U.S. tour opening for Big Time Rush. After Justin Bieber got candid in 2015 about his recent rebellion amid a DUI scandal in 2014, a then-17-year-old Shawn Mendes swooped in the following year to promote his sophomore album and insist that he was just friends with his future ex Camila Cabello. <\/p>\n Now, Sombr joins that lineage as he continues to hit milestone after milestone in his career. This year alone, he\u2019s landed three songs\u2014\u201cback to friends,\u201d \u201cundressed,\u201d and \u201c12 to 12\u201d\u2014on the Billboard Hot 100, the last of which features TikTok-star-turned-pop-icon Addison Rae as his music video love interest. In the three months since his album dropped, he\u2019s earned a coveted spot on next year\u2019s Coachella lineup, was announced as an upcoming musical guest on Saturday Night Live<\/a>, and received a public shout-out from one of the world\u2019s most famous musicians\u2014Taylor Swift<\/a>\u2014on national television. In the wake of Taylor admitting she, too, is a Sombaddie, \u201cback to friends\u201d became his first song to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify<\/a>.<\/p>\n Through his stage presence at his album release show\u2014and for months after on my feed, thanks to his first headlining U.S. tour\u2014Sombr ushered in a new age of what it means to be a heartthrob. He scores mass appeal with broodiness, vulnerability, and self-deprecating humor, but like his predecessors, his meteoric rise has also been met with criticism. Just a few weeks ago, a 25-year-old concertgoer went viral<\/a> in a nine-minute video where she called out Sombr\u2019s suggestive crowd work, which consists of teen fans confronting their exes alongside him onstage. The post caused a stir online, as Sombaddies came to his defense and other attendees agreed with her experience. Nearly six million views later, Sombr addressed all the discourse with a TikTok video<\/a> of his own. <\/p>\n \u201cYou had to have known about my online presence before coming to my concert,\u201d he said, in part. He stood 10 toes down as he defended his artistic integrity, adding that his sense of humor is not that deep: \u201cAnyone who knows me knows I\u2019ve never uttered a serious word in my life. Also, I make jokes for five minutes of the concert, and the rest is music. Like, live a little. Enjoy life.\u201d All clothing Tom Ford<\/strong>, necklace from Depop<\/strong>, belt Artemas Quibble<\/strong>, ring Cartier<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n His fandom may have more access to him than ever, but as recent controversy demonstrates, there\u2019s still an air of mystery about him. That\u2019s the paradox of being too online: He\u2019s seemingly everywhere as he pops into our algorithms and speaks his truth\u2014but still, his followers crave the intimacies he keeps tucked away, from his dating history to his upbringing in the city. <\/p>\n \u201cI kind of felt nothing after playing that show,\u201d he admits, looking back on the pop-up performance. \u201cThen the next day, I woke up and was really depressed. I still haven\u2019t figured out how to go back to normal.\u201d The confession resonates, a reminder of how newfound fame\u2014once documented in films like 1D\u2019s This Is Us and JB\u2019s Never Say Never\u2014now unfolds in real time online.<\/p>\n To immortalize his rapid rise, let\u2019s talk to Sombr. <\/p>\n It was extraordinary. I definitely had a lot of freedom as a kid, and I grew up faster because I was exploring. From a young age, I was skateboarding, learning about different music, and kind of not going to school because living in a big city, you can break the rules pretty easily. That\u2019s what helped me to think outside the box and start an artistic career very young, because anything is possible in New York.<\/p>\n My mom is all about education and \u201cthe normal, traditional\u201d way of doing things, while my dad was always trying to make it as a musician when he was younger, so he saw that in me. I started on GarageBand in middle school.1<\/sup> There\u2019s nothing that quite does it for you like creating something for the first time and that feeling you get when hearing it come together. But everything changed when I posted a video online\u2014it was actually the first time I\u2019d ever shared my music\u2014and it was overnight virality. Every record label reached out to me over Instagram and TikTok DMs. Eventually, I got a life-changing offer from Warner, and I was like, \u201cOkay, I can take this, but I\u2019m done with school. This is my life now.\u201d I\u2019m thankful I did it. <\/p>\n 1. Enjoy this clip<\/a> of a baby Sombr performing around this time.<\/sup><\/p>\n All clothing and scarf McQueen<\/strong>, sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n That was so full circle, because I used to look up to Laundry Day in high school. They were doing it already\u2014they got signed and started touring. They went to Beacon, another public high school in New York. Seeing them do that when they were kids, I was shocked. I never thought it would be possible for me to get to that point, but seeing them do it was crazy. <\/p>\n I was in elementary school, and my sister and I wrote a song about flowers. It\u2019s so bad.<\/p>\n No, just flowers. The song is still ingrained in my mind…but no one\u2019s gonna hear it. <\/p>\n All clothing Valentino<\/strong>, shoes Bode<\/strong>, necklace Cartier<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s really hard for me to reimagine ideas, but it could be interesting to try the first one I\u2019ve ever made\u2026 <\/p>\n Big respect to people who make two-minute songs, because creating the perfect pop song is a massive skill that I really admire. I was raised on longer songs and real bands, so I don\u2019t have influences from the mega-pop side. The other influence would just be women and experience\u2014it all stems from girls.<\/p>\n It was a feeling I had been sitting with, and it\u2019s definitely a response to having radio hits. They\u2019re very personal and close to me, but now they\u2019re also for the world. I\u2019m talking to that same person they\u2019re about. I\u2019m saying, \u201cDo you hear me crying out for you on the radio?\u201d because I am. I\u2019m crying out for her on the radio, whether I meant to or not.<\/p>\n No, there can be songs about multiple things. Sometimes, it can be about things not working in different relationships and the built-up emotion from that. <\/p>\n I think you can move on and be done with someone, but you can still feel it. That\u2019s why I still write songs or say something in a performance: to let out those emotions. I\u2019ve definitely moved on from that and wouldn\u2019t go back to that person. I know that it won\u2019t end well. It\u2019s not that I don\u2019t want to\u2014it\u2019s just a recipe for disaster. There will always be someone out there who will make you feel differently, and you just can\u2019t help but love them. <\/p>\n I\u2019ve gained a career. Nothing else. I still don\u2019t know what it is or how to do it. I\u2019m just figuring it out. I haven\u2019t met the good one yet, but I\u2019ve definitely learned how to express my emotions. <\/p>\n Yeah. I\u2019m not a slut though. No more than one person at a time.2<\/sup><\/p>\n 2. He playfully smirked as soon as he said this, by the way. We hereby declare that this isn\u2019t shameful\u2014polycules, we see you!<\/sup> Jacket, pants and belt Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello<\/strong>, t-shirt Rovver<\/strong>, rings (middle and pinky finger) The Great Frog<\/strong> and (ring finger) Cartier<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Jealousy isn\u2019t something that I feel very much. It would more so be sadness because if I were seeing someone and then they were seeing someone else at the same time, I would instantly be in over my head and be more upset than jealous. But to each their own! I just wouldn\u2019t surround myself with that person anymore. I\u2019m not in a position to tell someone else what they should do with their love life.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the biggest struggle in my love life right now. It\u2019s weird meeting someone and not knowing if they know who I am, because it leads me to be in my head more. Whether someone knows who you are or not, they can still be a good, loving, and genuine person. It\u2019s a little bit of a roadblock I\u2019m figuring out, but it\u2019s not the end of the world. There are also other people out there like me going through the same thing. <\/p>\n Jacket and boots from Depop<\/strong>, t-shirt Rovver<\/strong>, jeans Hudson<\/strong>, briefs Calvin Klein<\/strong>, sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage<\/strong>, belt Artemas Quibble<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s a great relationship. She\u2019s someone I want to keep in touch with for a very long time. She\u2019s one of the sweetest people I\u2019ve ever met, and I\u2019m always in awe of her talent and what she\u2019s able to accomplish. I woke up to a text from her this morning congratulating me on my album, which was very sweet.<\/p>\n That would have been cool. I will say that I really want to do it live at some point with her. It would be awesome. <\/p>\n I haven\u2019t gotten much advice [from other artists]. I\u2019m definitely in a weird field because I\u2019m in a very small group of people who have experienced this. There will be really big artists that I look up to that may reach out, but they came up in a different time, pre-TikTok. I find myself having to just figure it out. Maybe that\u2019s how it\u2019s meant to be. But for the most part, other artists have been so supportive and loving of art, which is why they do it. I\u2019m very grateful to have a lot of great artist friends who are always so kind, like Addison. <\/p>\n It was a very special thing to be able to do, because this is someone I listened to before I had a career in music and before anyone knew who I was. When you\u2019re thinking of a name, you just ask people, \u201cHey, what should I name my album?\u201d This person helping me pick the name was very full circle, because they had heard the record. <\/p>\n 3. The idol\u2019s identity is still under wraps, but Sombr says when the time comes, \u201cI\u2019ll give you the exclusive.\u201d Watch this space.<\/sup><\/p>\n It\u2019s the craziest thing in the world that I can mean so much to someone when I\u2019ve spent my whole life thinking so low of myself, and I still do, to be honest. That keeps me going because it\u2019s not about money or fame. All I really care about is making an impact and helping other people in their lives. <\/p>\n I\u2019d say that\u2019s why this career drives me mad. All I try to do is be true to myself and make art that feels true. But it can mentally drive you insane, just knowing that so many people are listening to it and scrolling on their phones. <\/p>\n The way the internet works is you don\u2019t get to choose what\u2019s on the next scroll. People like to make comments online as if the person they\u2019re commenting on will never see it. Obviously, there have been rave reviews, and I\u2019m so grateful for them. Then there\u2019s that one motherfucker where you\u2019re up at 3 a.m. scrolling, and he\u2019s like, \u201cThe Sombr album was wack.\u201d Then you\u2019re going down this rabbit hole. <\/p>\n All clothing and accessories Comme des Gar\u00e7ons Homme Plus<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It doesn\u2019t offend me because it means I made it. There isn\u2019t an artist on the planet that I haven\u2019t seen get nepotism and industry plant allegations. If anyone wants to debunk that or analyze it, just scroll down on my social media instead of making assumptions when I pop up on your screen. <\/p>\n Both of my parents have devoted their lives to working for charities, and it breaks my heart to see people say that they got me a career in music. I devoted my life to it, and they devoted their lives to charity. It\u2019s weird, but at the end of the day, it makes me realize I\u2019m doing something right. <\/p>\n Nah. I say \u201cI love you\u201d to them, and I hope they do some research. We live in an age where people see someone who\u2019s passionate, following their dreams, and doing something they love to do, and they\u2019ll scoff at them because they don\u2019t find it pleasing or find it embarrassing. Those are very sad people, and I think the world needs to change because it\u2019s headed in the wrong direction on the internet. <\/p>\n Myself. I\u2019m happy that it can help people, because that keeps me driven and keeps my output high. I have no other choice\u2014it\u2019s either make music or nothing.<\/p>\n All clothing and scarf McQueen<\/strong>, sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n OK Computer by Radiohead. It\u2019s one of the soundtracks in my life. They\u2019re one of the greatest bands alive, and it\u2019s a very special album.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t even know I was listening to it at the time because it was just my dad playing it around the house. I had no explanation\u2014it was just background music. When I was a little older and had more consciousness, I revisited it and it felt so familiar. I listened to the lyrics and the production from a different perspective, and it was amazing. <\/p>\n Jacket from Depop<\/strong>, t-shirt Rovver<\/strong>, jeans Hudson<\/strong>, briefs Calvin Klein<\/strong>, sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage<\/strong>, necklace (worn throughout) Sombr\u2019s own, belt Artemas Quibble<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Some of those jokes are funny, but when people bring music into it and say liking a certain artist makes you a manipulator\u2014like, these are the artists I grew up on\u2014I think those people need to throw their phones into the train tracks and experience life. There\u2019s a beautiful world outside. <\/p>\n To be in that conversation is something I never thought I would experience. I\u2019m never gonna expect something\u2014I think that\u2019s an unhealthy way to go about my career\u2014but it\u2019s an honor. <\/p>\n To create the best art I can. <\/p>\n (Title image) All clothing and accessories Comme des Gar\u00e7ons<\/strong> Homme Plus<\/strong>. (Cover image) Shirt Diesel<\/strong>. <\/p>\n Styled by Brandon Tan<\/a>. Grooming by Melissa DeZarate<\/a> for Augustinus Bader<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sam is an assistant news editor at Cosmo, covering all things pop culture, entertainment, and celebrity news. She previously covered those same topics along with health, lifestyle, and beauty at Seventeen. When she isn’t catching a concert or live-tweeting awards shows, you can likely find her judging DJ sets at parties.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-005-68ffd878bde0c.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/p>\n![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-009-68f9086876d54.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\""it's](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/sombr-quotes-68ffd110835dd.jpg?resize=980:*\" "\\"\"it's")
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<\/p>\n![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-012-68f92ebcb4462.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/p>\n![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-013-68ffdfe103c70.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nLet\u2019s take it back to the beginning. What was it like growing up in New York City? <\/h2>\n
How did your family react to you dropping out of LaGuardia?<\/h2>\n
![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-021-68f8f48df3b7b.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/p>\nYou seem to have a strong support system. I saw a couple of Quarters of Change<\/a> members at your release day show. Ian<\/a> was on somebody\u2019s shoulders in the crowd, and the guys from Laundry Day<\/a>, who you teamed up with to sing some of your songs on social media, were there too.<\/h2>\n
Do you remember the first song you wrote?<\/h2>\n
Giving Miley! Do you remember anything from it? <\/h2>\n
![\"black](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-016-68f92bf06ed25.jpg?resize=980:*\" "\\"black")
<\/p>\nWould you ever reimagine it?<\/h2>\n
Was it four minutes long? You\u2019re one of the new-gen artists bringing back the beauty of longer songs. <\/h2>\n
![\"quote](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/sombr-quotes2-68ffde84c85ab.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.733xh;0,0.129xh&resize=980:*\" "\\"quote")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cCanal Street\u201d is a five-minute standout about heartbreak and looking for the traits of an ex in other people. Was that an impulsive release or were you sitting in those feelings for a while?<\/h2>\n
Are a lot of your songs about the same person?<\/h2>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/media.hearstapps.com\/loop\/sev-smb-cover-loop-03-4x5-onsite-690245bdcfb3c.mp4\/poster.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDo you usually go no contact after a breakup, or do you think exes can truly be friends?<\/h2>\n
What have you learned from your relationships? Do you think there\u2019s anything you\u2019ve gained from heartbreak?<\/h2>\n
Are you exploring any connections currently?<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-017-68f9373d4dfe9.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/p>\n![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-002-68f93b0cb27ab.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDo you ever get jealous when you\u2019re seeing someone, or are you nonchalant about exclusivity?<\/h2>\n
Dating can feel exhausting, but doing it in the public eye must be another level. What\u2019s it like meeting someone now, with the possibility of them knowing a lot about you?<\/h2>\n
![\"model](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/sombr-quad-68ffde13c9b89.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"model")
<\/p>\nSomeone else who might be going through that is your \u201c12 to 12\u201d costar, Addison Rae. How has your relationship grown?<\/h2>\n
There were theories that she\u2019d make a cameo during your debut VMAs performance, but you debunked them because she was touring in Germany at the time. <\/h2>\n
![\"quote](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/sombr-quotes3-68ffdf5b5e041.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.823xh;0,0.0850xh&resize=980:*\" "\\"quote")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIt was an incredible moment witnessed by so many artists in the crowd. Has anyone given you any solid advice or shown up for you as your star rises?<\/h2>\n
One of your idols helped name your debut album.3 <\/sup>Part of the agreement was that you couldn\u2019t reveal who it was, but can you share anything about the moment? How were you feeling? <\/h2>\n
![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-015-68ffded07ca9d.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDo you feel any sort of connection or duty to your fans?<\/h2>\n
The beautiful thing about human emotion is being able to tap in and face yourself when you\u2019re creating. I can\u2019t imagine sharing that with so many people.<\/h2>\n
![\"individual](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-010-68f93cc659086.jpg?resize=980:*\" "\\"individual")
<\/p>\nOf course, that\u2019s a gateway for skepticism to come through. How did you react the first time you saw criticism surrounding your coming-up?<\/h2>\n
![\"quote](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/sombr-quotes4-68ffe21c5ce8b.jpg?resize=980:*\" "\\"quote")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/media.hearstapps.com\/loop\/sev-smb-cover-loop-04-4x5-onsite-69023ea39b1e0.mp4\/poster.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIs there anything you want to address or something you want to say to those people?<\/h2>\n
Who do you make music for?<\/h2>\n
![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-020-68ffd78ca8bc4.jpg?resize=2048:*\" "\\"sombr")
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat\u2019s an album you believe everyone should listen to, and how did you connect to it? <\/h2>\n
Do you remember the first time you listened to it?<\/h2>\n
![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-011-68f9094aba3f3.jpg?resize=980:*\" "\\"sombr")
<\/p>\nSome Reddit discourse<\/a> suggests that Radiohead and a few of your other influences, like Jeff Buckley and Phoebe Bridgers, fall under the \u201cmale manipulator\u201d music taste<\/a>. What do you think about that?<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s a lot of awards buzz surrounding a potential Grammy nomination after your VMAs debut. Does that kind of industry-wide recognition mean anything to you? <\/h2>\n
What do you want from this next chapter in your life?<\/h2>\n
![\"sombr](\"https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cos120125sombr-014-68f9300336843.jpg?resize=980:*\" "\\"sombr")
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