Greg Gonzalez

Greg Gonzalez
Gonzalez in 2019
Gonzalez in 2019
Background information
Born
Gregory Steven Gonzalez

(1982-09-28) September 28, 1982 (age 44)
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • guitarist
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2008-present
Member ofCigarettes 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, 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. 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. Attempting to find his musical style, he would then experiment with jazz and dance music styles.

Growing up, Gonzalez was heavily inspired by French singer Françoise Hardy and her album La question (1971), along with other artists such as Marvin Gaye, the Everly Brothers and Chet Baker, as well as film composers including Hans Zimmer, Ennio Morricone and Danny Elfman. 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.

Music career

Wanting to be part of a "huge" band, Gonzalez would form Cigarettes After Sex in his hometown in 2008. 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. The band released their self-titled debut studio album in 2017.

Cigarettes After Sex's second album Cry was released in 2019.

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".

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". During the performance, both artists stood back to back, with Gonzalez providing the song's guitar arrangements. They later officially released the track onto music streaming platforms on April 23. 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.

Discography

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected details
Title Details
Charm of Pleasure
(with Daniele Luppi)
  • Released: September 16, 2022
  • Label: Verve
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles

List of singles, showing year released, selected chart positions, and associated album
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
 US
Latin
 US
Latin
Pop
 COL
"You Never Loved"
(with Daniele Luppi)		 2022 ———— Charm of Pleasure
"The Rose You Kept"
(with Daniele Luppi)		 ————
"Después de Ti"
(with Karol G)		 2026 966184 No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto

References

  1. ↑ Philippe Chassepot (May 19, 2017). "Greg Gonzalez, Texan décomplexé". Le Temps (in French). Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Cigarettes After Sex". Platform. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  3. ↑ Davet, Stéphane (July 28, 2017). "Cigarettes After Sex, une pop à combustion lente". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Greg Gonzalez – Cigarettes After Sex : un romantique assumé". Rolling Stone (in French). May 25, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Cacouris, Christina (February 17, 2016). "The Diehard Romanticism of Cigarettes After Sex". Vice. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  6. ↑ O'Connor, Roisin (July 10, 2024). "Cigarettes After Sex's Greg Gonzalez: 'I'm not bitter. I don't write from that place'". The Independent. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Kidd, Sarah (December 15, 2017). "Music, The Great Healer: A Cigarettes After Sex Interview". Ambient Light. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  8. ↑ Curran, Shaun (May 28, 2018). "Greg Gonzalez: Cigarettes After Sex frontman on going viral, writing explicit lyrics, and the ritual behind the band's name". The Independent. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  9. ↑ Renshaw, David (August 29, 2019). "Cigarettes After Sex confirm Cry album details". The Fader. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  10. ↑ Arnone, Joey (July 27, 2022). "Daniele Luppi and Cigarettes After Sex's Greg Gonzalez Announce EP, Share Video for Lead Single". Under the Radar. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  11. ↑ Zanes, Anna (October 12, 2022). "Silent Dream". Office. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  12. ↑ Hernandez, Jeanette (April 13, 2026). "Here's Every Song Karol G Performed at Coachella 2026". Remezcla. Retrieved May 1, 2026. Then, [Karol G] sang an unreleased song with Cigarettes After Sex's Greg Gonzalez called 'Después De Ti.'
  13. ↑ Gaitán, Iván (April 13, 2026). "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'" [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']. Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  14. ↑ González, Daniela (April 23, 2026). "Letra y video oficial de 'Después de ti' la nueva canción de Karol G" [Lyrics and official video for 'Después de ti', the new song by Karol G]. Los 40 (in Spanish). Retrieved May 1, 2026. La canción oficial fue lanzada este jueves 23 de abril del 2026 por medio de todas las plataformas musicales. [The official track was released this Thursday, April 23, 2026, through all music streaming platforms.]
  15. ↑ Bustios, Pamela (May 6, 2026). "Karol G & Greg Gonzalez's 'Después De Ti' Makes Top 10 Debut on Hot Latin Songs Following Coachella Set: 'The Song Felt Like Medicine'". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2026. '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.
  16. ↑ Sexton, Paul (July 27, 2022). "Daniele Luppi And Greg Gonzalez Unveil Charm Of Pleasure Project". DiscoverMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Karol G Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Karol G Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Karol G Chart History (Hot Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Karol G Chart History (Billboard Colombia Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  21. ↑ "You Never Loved - Single by Daniele Luppi, Greg Gonzalez". Verve Records. July 27, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2026 – via Spotify.
  22. ↑ "The Rose You Kept - Single by Daniele Luppi, Greg Gonzalez". Verve Records. August 24, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2026 – via Spotify.
  23. ↑ "Karol G lanza oficialmente el tema 'Después de ti', en colaboración con Cigarettes After Sex: Escúchela" [Karol G officially releases the song 'Después de ti', in collaboration with Cigarettes After Sex: Listen]. El Colombiano (in Spanish). April 27, 2026. Retrieved May 1, 2026.