An ambitious young singer named KNOCHE is a rising rockstar in the queer pop genre.
Twenty-three-year-old Grant Knoche, who goes by the mononym KNOCHE, is more than just the leather-wearing performer dancing his heart out on stages nationwide.
Behind the scenes, KNOCHE is constantly working on what’s next with a calm coolness most artists only dream of. He’s successfully stoking many fires, from serving fans intense choreo to his impressive songwriting abilities, with many more surprises yet to be revealed.
KNOCHE’s latest album, GOOD LUCK GETTING OVER ME, is a fun fusion of dance pop and original flair. He chatted with So.Gay about touring with Kidz Bop versus now as a solo act, how he stays inspired to write authentic original music, and why this moment matters for queer artists.
So.Gay: Congratulations on all the success you’re having right now. How do you feel about your career trajectory?
Grant Knoche: Oh my gosh, I feel like this year has been really crazy. Two years ago, I released my last album, and since then, I’ve been figuring out how to craft this new project. It was really scary at first. I kept thinking, “What am I going to do next?” Having to come up with that and figure it all out was a lot. To be past the album release and see all the support that’s been given back has been so amazing. Being on tour and hearing people sing [my songs] back to me live on stage is so cool.
So.Gay: What are some of the joys and pressures that come with being a 23-year-old artist?
Grant Knoche: I used to put a lot more pressure on myself, especially when writing songs. You want to relate to a lot of people, and sometimes others think you’re too young or haven’t had enough life experience. But I believe there are so many commonalities between us. Everyone has different lives and experiences, but people can always take something away from my music. I try to relate my songs back to their own lives. I’m really just experiencing life and putting my own feelings, thoughts, and everything into my work. I’m focused on journaling, songwriting, and being true to myself. I want to be as vulnerable and raw as I can. This year, we did something cool: we let people vote on which of my songs would be released. We did it every two weeks, and it’s been amazing to listen to the fans more and hear what they want. To know what they’re loving.
So.Gay: Fans are loving your fast-paced choreo. Have you always been a strong dancer?
Grant Knoche: I actually started dancing when I was seven years old. I did everything: jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, contemporary, you name it. Lyrical is still one of my favorites. I love the movement and the emotion behind it. Dancing to ballads is something I really enjoy, and that’s actually how I got into music, by dancing to heartfelt songs. Then I started going home and playing piano and exploring music further. Over time, especially with my music now having an upbeat dark pop vibe, I’ve always wanted to do full-out choreography and have dancers on stage. For that to actually be happening now is incredible, and I’m so excited. It’s so much fun being on stage and seeing people’s reactions to it all.
So.Gay: What inspired the leather biker “dark pop” aesthetic for the latest album?
Grant Knoche: I’ve always liked black leather, and my whole closet is basically all black clothes. I feel like it has a cool vibe and aesthetic. We had the title “Good Luck Getting Over Me” in mind for the album, and with such a confident title, we knew we needed a visual that matched that energy. We ended up choosing the wheelie photo, placing it in that world because it felt super grand. Like me, just looking down. It gave me so much confidence, so we really ran with the whole motorcycle vibe. It was great to fully dive into that world.
So.Gay: How does touring compare to the expectations?
Grant Knoche: Touring has been so much fun. Because I write the music, I’m always imagining what the tour show will look like, what kind of lighting I’d want, or what the music video might be. I start thinking about those things really early on. When we’re crafting the show and figuring out what we want it to look like, or how to handle the transitions between parts, it’s exciting. I have some foundational experience from when I was younger and in Kidz Bop, traveling on huge tour buses. Now, as an independent artist on my first headline tour, everything’s totally different. It’s all part of the process, and I feel so blessed. I’m loving it so far; it’s been really cool.
So.Gay: How is your music embracing queerness, and are there any LGBTQ+ artists that inspire you?
Grant Knoche: There are so many artists in the queer community that I admire. I love Troye Sivan, Kim Petras, Tove Lo. People in the queer community go through so many struggles, especially when trying to figure out how to find and be themselves. Once you reach the point of truly loving yourself, you become incredibly proud of it. I think it creates a strength that others might not have.
Queerness also pushes art beyond boundaries. Don’t be afraid to try new things and push this type of art further. We’re encouraged to be completely out of the box, and I find that so inspiring to watch.
So.Gay: Have you begun songwriting for the next album?
Grant Knoche: Yeah, I’ve definitely been songwriting a lot lately. When I wrote my first album, I had about 40 to 50 songs to choose from, and I always knew I wanted to release the others as well. There are already tons of songs written. In 2026, I plan to book more tour shows and hopefully go international, maybe play some shows in Europe, and keep writing. It’s funny, sometimes you want to push right into the next project, but I already have so much material ready for that. I need some life experience to find new things, hear new sounds, and get inspired in a fresh way, so it doesn’t just feel like a rerun of the last album. I’m really excited and loving where I’m at. Touring, getting out there, writing while on the road, and getting into sessions with new people are all part of the experiment.
So.Gay: What are some ways you recommend people embrace life to become better artists?
Grant Knoche: Live in the uncomfortability. It’s so easy to stay comfortable with your current day-to-day. For better or for worse, be uncomfortable. It could bring some new experiences out of that. We only live once, so why not try it? Why not go on this random road trip on some weekend or do whatever kind of stuff? So many great experiences can come from that.
