Top, Pants & Shoes by Casablanca
Shades + Jewelry by Talent’s Own

Yung Gravy has always been a master of the unexpected. He can transition from a viral TikTok power couple moment to a high-profile Martha Stewart collaboration without ever losing his signature, effortless cool. But behind the pastel suits and infectious beats lies an artist deeply invested in the finer details of his craft. Fresh off the release of his single "HBO" and armed with a brand-new global recording deal with BMG, the multi-platinum artist is gearing up for a brand-new era. Behind the screens, Gravy is a grounded person who reads classic fiction in the sun and values genuine creative freedom above all else. Gravy discusses how he's pushing his boundaries as a producer, the reality behind his viral social media moments, and why adopting a "dog mentality" with his rescue pup, Hendrix, is his ultimate secret to staying sane in a fast-moving industry.

We know a full album is on the horizon following "HBO". If you had to describe the flavor of this upcoming record in three words, what would they be?
Silk, for sure. A decadent vibe that a lot of my music has had. I would say danger, I mixed it up a little bit and got creative, tried some new things. It's kind of more fast, punchy, and chaotic-sounding on a lot of the tracks. The last one would be sensational. It's a good word to describe things, but that's also what my debut project was titled, and this album is kind of a sequel to my first project.

This release of “HBO” marks a new chapter focused on elevated production and sharp storytelling. In what ways did your time in the studio for this album push you to grow as a songwriter and producer?
I've spent more time adding details to the music, like textures, arrangement, the nuance, and an atmosphere. Those are kind of heady words, but I started without being a musician at all eight years ago, and I've learned a lot more about it since. I've been adding much more sauce into the mix to make songs feel bigger and have more unique nuances throughout. I spend time making it interesting for me to listen to and for actual musicians to understand, rather than it just being lyrics over a beat.

You recently signed a new global recordings agreement with BMG for this upcoming album. Has this new partnership changed your creative freedom or ability to write catchy lyrics like we see in "HBO"?
Hasn't changed. BMG's been dope and supportive of what I was already doing. Anyone in a management or A&R position kind of understands that I have my thing going and don't want to mess with it, so they respect that and haven't tried to change anything. I accept ideas from people, especially producers and other people in the studio, but I'm not receptive unless it's a really amazing idea.

Your visuals, videos, and live performances have become increasingly cinematic and stylized. How involved are you in shaping the creative world around your music?
Completely involved. Whether it's a music video or artwork or something like that, I always try to find somebody that I can work well with. Then, I'll feed them my vision and they create it from the actual drawing, directing, or filming. They have to do the technical parts of it, but anything that I can do I try to be fully involved with. On set for the "HBO" music video, I was just helping Shiraz plan out all of the scenes and kind of directing as well. That's fun for me, and I think it adds a lot, it makes everything very genuinely me.

**Left:**
Top, Pants & Shoes by Casablanca
Shades + Jewelry by Talent’s Own
**Right:**
Top by AMIRI
Jewelry by Talent’s Own

You’ve collaborated with such a wide range of artists and personalities lately. Which recent collaboration challenged or inspired you the most creatively?
Overall, I'd say bbno$. We have worked together forever, still to this day, and I think he's just inspired me and challenged me the most. Everything that I release is usually completely my creative vision, but doing it together makes it easier in some ways. But it's different; you've got to think about what they're going to like and what they're going to be into. In his case, I think I learn a lot from when we do our projects together. Still to this day, he's probably my favorite collaborator.

Your career has always balanced humor, confidence, and sincerity in a really unique way. How do you stay grounded while navigating such a fast-moving industry?
My style and personality is kind of just me and my real self. When things change in music, I'm happy to see that I can kind of still just be myself and it works. I'll follow some trends or try things out, but I'm kind of just always keeping to myself. When things change fast, it's nice to be able to just do my thing and people still get it.

**Left:**
Top, Pants & Shoes by Casablanca
Shades + Jewelry by Talent’s Own
**Right:**
Suit by Givenchy

Outside of music and touring, what experiences or routines help you feel most connected to yourself and the people you love?
I think, for myself and feeling good, my routine in the morning is just getting up early and going outside, usually with Hendrix. I read a lot of classic books from earlier eras that I read in high school and didn't like then, and other legendary books. Fiction stuff. I have read some of the non-fiction self-help stuff, but it's just boring. I read that in the sauna or in the sun and kind of catch a vibe with myself pretty much every morning. For other people, I go on a lot of vacations with the homies and my girlfriend. Half of those are ski trips, and I think that's one of the best ways of bonding.

You and Ari Kytsya have become a massive power couple on social media. When you’re filming those high-energy TikToks and Reels together, how much of that content is planned as a brand strategy versus just capturing your actual life?
It's very much just capturing real life because I don't really like to film TikToks or social media videos in general. I mean, no one really loves it, but she has to do it for her daily hustle. When we film something together, it's usually her kind of directing, and I give my own little two cents or say, "Yes, I'll do that," or "No, I won't do that." It's pretty much just us hanging out most of the time. The videos that I actually like are the ones where we just film a little trip or something like that.

You’ve spoken about caring deeply about animals and animal welfare. How does your advocacy for animals influence the way you approach your art and the kind of energy you want to put into the world?
Hendrix is kind of the source of that. He was in a dumpster in Compton, and a girl that was sitting at my house for a party found him. We took him in a little over two years ago when he was a puppy. That turned into a collaboration with PETA just for awareness. Besides that, I like having him in the studio. I like his vibes. He follows me everywhere, and it adds a little wholesome element to my creative process.

You’ve shared the moving story of finding Hendrix abandoned in a dumpster and helping him go “from the trash to the cash". How has being a rescue dog dad changed your daily routine or your perspective on the energy you want to put into the world?
He just joins me for the same things. There is something about having a dog, I never had my own pet before that. I would hop around places and end up in an apartment that had a cat or something and bond with them, but it was never actually mine. Now, if I'm ever stressed out or overwhelmed, I just try to think of how he thinks. Like, "My god, this shit doesn't matter at all." He doesn't know that he's famous. He just vibes out, hangs out, and enjoys life. Sometimes you've gotta take on that dog mentality.

Top + Shirt by AMIRI
Jewelry by Talent’s Own

Given how much your dog means to you, was that what sparked the partnership with PETA, or did that collaboration start through a different avenue?
Hendrix. I think I just posted a video welcoming him, saying, "Here's this puppy I found... Y'all need to not put puppies in dumpsters." It was some video like that, and then they saw it and reached out.

Over the past year, you’ve reached some major milestones professionally. Looking back, what accomplishment feels the most personally meaningful to you, not just as an artist, but as a person?
I think my relationship with the Tampa Bay Lightning is probably my favorite and means the most. I'm from Minnesota, which is the hockey state, and I played as a kid. Then, however many years later, the best hockey team in America used my song as their theme song. They flew me out to games and saw me as a good luck charm. I was there for them winning the Stanley Cup twice, and they gave me a Stanley Cup ring. They even printed my song title on all the rings those years. Me and all these hockey players had that connection of victory and being associated with my music and that cheerful feeling.

When you think about the younger version of yourself before the success, what do you think he’d be most proud of today?
The Martha Stewart collab was a big one as well; I think I'd be proud of that. Also, the film career trajectory I'm on. I've made theme songs for Dog Man and Good Burger 2, and I've had some voice acting roles and small live-action roles now. I've always been really into movies, so I think I'd be pretty proud of that as well.

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Yung Gravy
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director + Photographer + Producer: Mike Ruiz
Artwork: Nathalie Rattner
Fashion Stylist: Jay Hines
Groomer: Michelle Harvey at Opus Beauty using K18 + Vita Liberata
Digital Tech: Carlos Mikelangelo
Photo Assistant: Ozzie Gutierrez
Fashion Stylist Assistant: Michael Iverson
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Lily Kalbasz, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine

Behind the Screens: Yung Gravy on Pushing Sauce and Staying Sane