BoyWithUke Grapples With the Cost of Growing Fame in "Rockstar"


Photo: Brian Ziff

Fame is a motherfucker. In his latest offering "Rockstar," BoyWithUke boldly enters the arena of self-absorption and poetically gatling-gunning tropes of excess while vulnerably admitting that he’ll never be able to go back to the life of anonymity he used to once cherish. "Rockstar" continues the breakout star's streak of stellar singles, the likes of which saw him collaborating with notable luminaries blackbear and Oliver Tree, on "IDGAF" and "Sick of U," respectively. 

“This song is about the struggles I’ve had being BoyWithUke. BoyWithUke has become bigger than just me, which creates conflict between who I am and who BoyWithUke is. Rockstar is this conflict written out in the form of a song,” shares the artist. 

Outside of beautiful sonics and ear-candy melodies, it’s BoyWithUke’s poetry that shines through the most on "Rockstar." Similar to being a kid and envious of the adults that are able to have all of the fun, BoyWithUke is nostalgic about the days he had complete freedom. Hindsight is 20/20, as the old saying goes, and ultimately, BoyWithUke is grasping with the notion that he's beyond the point of no return. 

With a platinum record that charted #1 on Alternative Radio, two sold-out headline shows in LA and NYC last year, six million followers on TikTok, 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, and a subgenre of music you could more than argue he was the architect behind, it’s pretty apparent that the bedroom BoyWithUke romanticizes has never grown further away. Such is the cost of fame.

Watch the "Rockstar" video below:


Related Articles

SHOOP (Brandon Shoop) Launches His Solo Project With EP, never better

SHOOP (Brandon Shoop) Launches His Solo Project With EP, never better

November 30, 2025 SHOOP has been making strides as an artist, creating hits for everyone from ROLE MODEL to Dijon, and even spent time drumming for Junior Varsity on tour.
Author: Alessandra Rincon
pop
Don't Worry About LEW, She's Too Sexy to Be Sad

Don't Worry About LEW, She's Too Sexy to Be Sad

November 29, 2025 In her latest EP, the artist sets out to leave behind labels and the molds of conventional pop, creating a sound that feels free, honest, and daring.
Author: Alessandra Rincon
pop
LEW
Crying City on Cyberpunk and the Neurology of Unlearning Someone [Q&A]

Crying City on Cyberpunk and the Neurology of Unlearning Someone [Q&A]

November 26, 2025 We chatted to the artist about her latest singles, "VOTED OUT" and "unlearning you."
Author: DJ Connor
pop
R&B
Q&A