Anyone who knows Olivia Rodrigo or Conan Gray knows they are practically platonic soulmates with microphones. Their bond was forged through Dan Nigro, but it quickly became much more than a shared producer, with the pop stars trading brutally honest advice, inside jokes, and very public declarations of love. Even their terrible music advice somehow became friendship lore.

So of course, Conan Gray’s Time100 Next 2026 honor called for a celebration, and Olivia Rodrigo had to make it suitably sweet with a playful twist.

Olivia Rodrigo was the perfect person to introduce Conan Gray for TIME100 Next 2026, having watched his artistry and ambition up close. Her tribute helped place the singer-songwriter among the list’s standout rising talents, while highlighting the emotional honesty that has always separated Gray from his peers. This year, that honesty reached an even bigger audience.

“We always joke that he was my husband in another life,” she said. 

Rodrigo’s words captured the unusually close friendship behind her TIME tribute, but they also pointed toward Gray’s remarkable growth. His fourth studio album, 'Wishbone', delivered his biggest sales week and highest chart debut, while 'Wishbone Deluxe' added five deeply personal tracks that extended the album’s emotional world.

That momentum continued when Gray launched the 42-city Wishbone World Tour, taking his music to major arenas across North America, Europe, the UK, and Oceania. With sold-out dates, elaborate five-act staging, and his increasingly expansive audience, the singer-songwriter turned deeply personal storytelling into a genuinely global live experience. Together, those milestones explain his TIME100 Next recognition. 

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While dating rumors have followed Olivia Rodrigo and Conan Gray, both have shut them down, and Rodrigo’s rumored Wall Street romance is not the reason.

Conan Gray has never needed a dramatic denial about dating Olivia Rodrigo because his description of their relationship has been rather clear. The singer-songwriter has compared Rodrigo to his little sister and repeatedly emphasized their sibling-like dynamic, making it difficult to mistake their closeness for anything more than a deeply rooted friendship.

Gray has also described friendship as one of the most important things in his life and something worth protecting. While their obvious chemistry has occasionally sent the internet into matchmaking mode, Gray has consistently drawn the line at romance and celebrated the bond they already share. All this makes their platonic soulmate status all the more fitting, whether they may be married in another life or not.

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Do you also think Olivia Rodrigo would be married to Conan Gray in another life? Let us know in the comments!