Image Credit: Ruby Thorpe

Riding the current wave, Shane Michael Boose, better known as Sombr, joins a new generation of artists blending classic and modern styles to bridge generational divides. As jazz resurges in the mainstream through artists like Olivia Dean, RAYE, and Laufey, performers such as Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, and Sombr are responding with a revival of disco.

Sombr began writing and self-producing music in his bedroom at just 11, later using the COVID-19 lockdowns to refine his skills. Like many artists of his generation, he broke through when his song ‘Caroline’ went TikTok viral in 2022, leading to a deal with Warner Records – home to legends such as Gorillaz, Green Day, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. 2025 marked a significant year for the 20-year-old, with back-to-back hits ‘Undressed’ and ‘12 to 12’ both reaching the UK Top 10 and sitting comfortably with a combined 1.4 billion Spotify streams.

With the release of his debut album I Barely Know Her last August, it was time for Sombr to take his disco fever worldwide with the Late Nights & Young Romance tour. The ten-track record dives into familiar territory – heartbreak and introspection – cementing his role as a professional yearner. His music feels like a constant pursuit of love’s euphoric highs, tangled up in the chaos of adolescence. That same energy spills onto the stage. Microphones fly, cords wrap around his legs, and he launches himself off priceless musical equipment. It’s a welcomed contrast to the all too familiar nonchalance of artists who simply pace the stage, mic in hand. Sombr’s performance style taps into the same wild, unfiltered emotion that defines his growing discography.

A memorable highlight of the night was the tsunami of capybaras launched onto the stage as Sombr performed his single ‘Homewrecker’. For the fortunate few who don’t spend every waking moment doomscrolling TikTok, let me explain… The internet has creatively decided that lyrics from his newest single sound alarmingly similar to “capybara”: “I just know I can be better, be better, be better.” As a result, Sombr is now bombarded with pictures and plush toys of the creature, but also capitalising off the trend by selling his own capybara merchandise. He even brought a fan dressed as a capybara on stage while performing the song.

Sombr is the next breakthrough artist to watch and add to your heartbreak playlists. From his eccentric concerts to his gut-wrenching lyricism, he’s part of a new wave of Gen Z artists determined to revive real artistry. Most recently, he announced his first arena tour in North America, supported by other standout artists taking over the scene: The Last Dinner Party, Dove Cameron, and Tom Odell. But you can also catch him in the UK this summer at Reading and Leeds Festival!