Kevin Bronson on September 30th, 2022

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Recently turned 21, singer-songwriter Gunnar Gehl — now just GUNNAR, thank you — is fully in the throes of segueing from “teenage heartthrob” to Heartland rocker. That might seem like a stretch, considering his roots are in Newport Beach, but his new turn to roots music better reflects what he heard growing up — country, classic rock and ’90s alternative.

GUNNAR burst out a few years ago with a series of relatable singles, the kind of commercial pop that racks up big streaming numbers and followers on social media. During the pandemic, Gehl did some soul-searching, and the rock song “Cinnamon” is a sign of what he found. Brendan O’Brien is credited as one of the producers on the bluesy rocker.

“This song is really special to me because I think it encapsulates who I am as an artist musically today,” Gehl says. “I wrote this song about the complete and utter loss of control I had for myself over a girl. I was beyond addicted to her presence, even when it was killing me.”

||| Stream: “Cinnamon”

||| Also: Stream the 2021 single “She’s in My Head”

||| Live: GUNNAR plays at the Mint on Oct. 13 (tickets) and at It’s a School Night at Bardot on Nov. 7.