Rising artist Jack Drinker has just dropped his latest single “California King”, a beautifully crafted love song that hit streaming platforms on December 20, 2024. Running just shy of four minutes, the track reveals a deeper maturity in Drinker’s songwriting, while maintaining the raw emotional honesty that’s becoming his signature.
The 24-year-old singer-songwriter, who cut his teeth in UCLA’s prestigious Herb Alpert School of Music, brings something refreshingly different to the indie pop landscape. His new single weaves together crisp vocals with intricate guitar work and perfectly timed percussion beats, creating what might be his most radio-ready track to date.
When asked about the song’s meaning, Drinker gets surprisingly candid. “California King has a lightness and an excitement to it, but there’s also an awareness of the inevitable — that things won’t go the way I hope they do,” he shares, running a hand through his hair during our insider interview. “I think it’s a very relatable representation of how we glorify people in our heads and build them up to be something that they never really were.”
Behind the scenes, the single benefits from an impressive production team. Mixer Alyssa Wilkens has done a remarkable job balancing the track’s various elements, while mastering engineers Ryan Schumer (whose credits include heavy-hitters like Shawn Mendes and Khalid) and Carl Bahner (known for his work with St. Lucia and Transviolet) have given the song its polished, professional sound. The influence of artists like Gracie Abrams can be heard in the production choices, though Drinker maintains his own distinct voice throughout.
Fans following Drinker on Instagram and X have watched his evolution from a promising UCLA music student to an artist tackling weighty themes in his music. His repertoire thoughtfully explores mental health struggles, complex relationships, body image issues, and personal loss, all while maintaining an accessibility that’s helped his debut EP, “Dead Boy Walking,” surpass 60,000+ streams.
The release of “California King” marks another milestone in Drinker’s career, coinciding with his anticipated performance at The Hotel Cafe, one of LA’s most respected music venues. The song’s standout moment comes during its infectious chorus, where Drinker’s emotion-filled voice soars as he delivers the memorable line, “You’re a James Dean movie scene, speeding down the highway.”
As LA’s indie music scene continues to evolve, Jack Drinker seems poised to carve out his own unique space within it. “California King” serves as both a testament to his growth as an artist and a promising indicator of what’s yet to come from this emerging talent.
