Written by: Jadon King
Any fans of Conan Gray will already know that we’re just over two weeks away from his new album Found Heaven! And so, after a brief hiatus and with due anticipation, With the Band is thrilled for another installment of Behind the Fan! For this edition, we had a great time chatting with Ash and Cairo, co-owners of the Conan Gray fan account @fansofconangray! Ash hails from Scotland and Cairo from Los Angeles, and both were Conan fans for several years before meeting and deciding to start their fan account. 😌
Ash doesn’t remember specifically when he became a Conan fan but was drawn to the relatability of Conan’s music. His favorite song is “The Story”, and it’s become his theme song as he’s dealt with depression, anxiety, and leaving school. “It’s comforting,” Ash told us. “And always there to remind me that ‘it’s not the end of the story’.” He said that “Astronomy” is another favorite. Cairo, a Conan fan since the summer of 2019, said his favorite song is “Comfort Crowd”. Cairo and his friend listened to the song countless times when it came out and they feel it symbolizes their friendship. Ash’s favorite video of Conan is the Superache live recordings. “I love hearing how he changes the song slightly when it’s live.” He said. “And hearing his raw vocals!!” Cairo opted for the “Never Ending Song” music video, citing the 80s as a longtime favorite aesthetic. 🕺🏾
We asked Ash to plan his ideal Conan concert and he knew instantly that he’d want Beabadoobee to open. “I think their voices would go so well together and their writing skills would blend so perfectly,” Ash said. The songs he’d want her to open with are "Lovesong’" "Glue Song", and "Talk". Ash got to see Conan in June of 2022 before Superache was released, so he’d want to hear Conan perform songs from the album he didn’t get to hear live. Cairo also said he’d want Beabadoobee to open, but he’d want her to play “The Perfect Pair”, “Cologne”, and “If You Want To” in addition to “Talk”. Hopefully, dreams do really come true because this is a concert we'd love to see! 🔥
Next, we talked to the two about running the fan account. Ash’s favorite part of having a fan account is meeting people all over the world who are just as passionate about the same artist as him. “I think the best experience[s] I’ve had running my fan account for Conan has been connecting with other coneheads,” He said. “ I met Cairo because of Conan so I feel really happy that we started an account.” Cairo also loves the community that’s grown around the page; he’s loved creating fan engagement and sharing content with potential fans. His favorite experience as a fan page owner was when he threw a digital listening party through Stationhead. “It was the first time I’d done it and it was a great way to engage Conan fans and create a community for them.” We couldn’t love this answer any more; music is connective and the people who agree are our kind of people! 🤩
Cairo and Ash have been lucky enough to interact with Conan on social media and in real life! Conan commented on a video of Ash’s dog howling to “Heather”. Cairo got to have a longer conversation with Conan, and Cairo says the two chatted about the Eras Tour, Oliva Rodrigo’s concert, and Conan’s upcoming tour. “Then my friend made him a necklace,” Cairo remembers. “It was an amazing night.” It sounds like it was and we can't help but be a little jealous! 🫣
Ash said if he could send a message to Conan, he’d say thank you for his relatable lyrics that have created so many beautiful memories with Conan’s music at the heart. He’s also grateful that Conan draws an audience that’s become an open and welcoming community where he can be himself. Ash also wants Conan to, please, “COME BACK TO SCOTLAND!” Cairo simply wants to affirm Conan’s talent. “He’s a genius.” Cairo gushed. “I would just express how much I love his work.” We would too Ash, we would too. 🤝
It’s clear just how much Cairo and Ash truly love Conan’s music and it’s always wonderful to see an artist who’s so intentional about interacting with their fans! For more on Conan, check out his website to pre-save his upcoming album Found Heaven, and check out his upcoming summer tour dates. If you want to hear more stories like Ash and Cairo’s, check out our Behind the Fan series and follow us on X, Instagram, or TikTok! 🥰
If you want to get more involved in fan communities, join a Fan Crew or our awesome weekly newsletter!