People Editor
After the release of his debut album, I Barely Know Her, Sombr, or Shane Boose, skyrocketed into fame. Sombr began his musical career at LaGuardia High School in New York City, where he trained as a vocalist. Sombr began making music in his bedroom during his sophomore year, studying the elements that led to success using social media, predominantly TikTok. Using that knowledge, Sombr established a fanbase with his first viral song in 2022, Caroline. Following Caroline, Sombr chose to drop out of high school to pursue his music career.
Since then, Sombr signed with Warner Records and moved to Los Angeles, where he works with producer Tony Berg, who’s produced music for Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift, Michael Penn, and Boygenius, among others. There, Sombr released his first extended play, In Another Life, in 2023, with the help of Berg and Grammy-winning sound engineer Will Maclellan. With songs such as Weak and Ivy, In Another Life is a blend of indie and alternative rock, with elements of folk and psychedelic rock, echoing the sounds of Phoebe Bridgers and Tame Impala.
Although In Another Life was never in the limelight, it paved the way for his later successes in 2024 and 2025 with the release of his breakthrough singles Undressed and Back to Friends. A mere two weeks after the heartbreak anthems came out, Sombr announced his debut album, I Barely Know Her. The record’s top single, 12 to 12, combines his signature indie rock with funk. With lyrics like, “I don’t want anyone else/ from the hours of 12 to 12,” and “in a room full of people I look for you,” 12 to 12 secures its place among Sombr’s heartthrob singles. During the track’s music video, Sombr created a 70s and modern mashup with former TikTok star and rising musician Addison Rae.
Sombr’s strong social media presence has been crucial to his success. Viral TikToks of his performance of Back to Friends and Undressed at Los Angeles concerts made him known as a “‘6’7 feminist”. Although his height may have been an exaggeration, his social media collaboration with influential jazz pop singer Laufey has brought him to the forefront of the pop and indie rock scene. When asked about the story behind his stage name, Sombr commented “I was just like a little 16-year-old. I used to write in all lowercase on my phone. I just thought that was cool. Auto Cap is back on now. I’ve matured. But yeah, now I’m, I’m stuck with it.”
As Sombr rises to the mainstream, his songs are perfect for foggy Tuesday mornings full of lyrics about young romance and heartbreak backed by plenty of guitar riffs.
(Sources: NME, Off the Record, Rollingstone)