Quire

Wrabel

From Quire, the open reference·American musician (born 1989)·5 min read
Wrabel
Wrabel in 2019
Background information
BornStephen Samuel Wrabel
January 7, 1989

New York City, U.S.
GenrePop
OccupationsMusician
singer
songwriter
record producer
InstrumentsVocals
piano
acoustic guitar
Years active2012–present
LabelsBig Gay
Epic
Island
Nettwerk
Websitewrabelmusic.com

Stephen Samuel Wrabel[1] (born January 7, 1989), known mononymously as Wrabel (/ˈreɪbəl/ RAY-bəl), is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer based in Los Angeles.

Life and career#edit

Wrabel attended private high school at The Kinkaid School in Houston, Texas. After high school, he studied at the Berklee College of Music for a semester until he left Boston to move to LA and focus on songwriting.[2] He got his first big break when he was signed to Pulse Recording as a songwriter.[3]

In 2010, Wrabel recorded the theme song for the NBC game show Minute to Win It, "Get Up", produced by Eve Nelson.

Wrabel was signed to Island Def Jam in 2012 by Island Def Jam Music Group chairman and CEO Barry Weiss and Executive Vice President/Head of A&R Karen Kwak.[4]

In 2014, Dutch DJ Afrojack released a version of Wrabel's song "Ten Feet Tall", resulting in an international hit. The song premiered in the United States during Super Bowl XLVIII in a Bud Light commercial and was viewed by around 100 million viewers.[5] Wrabel later released the original piano-based version of the song on May 19, 2014.[6] BuzzFeed named the Afrojack version of "Ten Feet Tall" one of the "35 Best Pop Songs You May Have Missed This Summer".[7]

On June 24, 2016, Wrabel released his single "11 Blocks", which was heavily supported and promoted by Kesha.[8] He also released both a lyric video and a music video for the song. He released his second single, titled "Bloodstain", on March 10, 2017.[9] A lyric video for the song was released the same day. In May 2017, he released an EP titled We Could Be Beautiful.[10]

In July 2017, he released a song titled "The Village",[11] the song dedicated to show support for transgender people. The video shows a teenage trans boy living with his closed-minded family while the lyrics explain the difficulties in being transgender and a part of the LGBT community. The video ends with "#trans_rights_are_human_rights". The song was written in February 2017 after the removal of federal protections for trans students in public schools, and was quickly released after Donald Trump tweeted about banning transgender individuals from the military.[12]

In 2025, Wrabel announced his third studio album Up and Above, scheduled for release on February 13, 2026.[13] The album's title track and thematic direction were inspired by Annie Jacobsen's 2024 book Nuclear War: A Scenario, which Wrabel read while conceptualizing the project.[13] The album explores themes of mortality and the fragility of human existence, with Wrabel describing the work as examining "if you knew the world was ending tomorrow, how much more would the person you love matter today?"[13] The album's visual aesthetic, directed and photographed by Dana Trippe, features post-apocalyptic imagery including mushroom clouds and decaying landscapes, with Wrabel drawing inspiration from the works of René Magritte and confronting what he described as "the chilling silence that follows imagined devastation."[13]

Achievements#edit

On the April 22, 2019, episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Pink praised Wrabel and his video for "The Village", stating, "The song 'The Village' will break your heart into many little tiny pieces... he's great."[14]

Billboard named Wrabel their Pride Artist of the Month in August 2019 saying "For the last decade, the 30-year-old singer-songwriter has been working with big names like Kesha and Adam Lambert while slowly building up his solo career. Now, he's ready for his breakthrough."[15]

People magazine called Wrabel One to Watch in October 2019, saying "in 2019 he went from behind-the-scenes player to pop star."[16]

In September 2019, The Huffington Post said Wrabel is "One of pop's unsung talents", adding "Recommendation from an artist of Pink's stature, on a huge platform like The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was an overdue acknowledgment of a prolific, if still overlooked, talent."[17]

Wrabel was named to the OUT100 in 2017 and is a GLAAD Media Award Nominee for Outstanding Music Artist.[18]

Nylon says Wrabel's debut EP Sideways is "stocked with the soulfulness of a Sia or Sam Smith, and a melodic pop DNA that throws back to icons like Paul Simon, the title track twists heartbreak into something, well, beautiful."[19]

BuzzFeed named "I Want You" one of "The Most Criminally Underrated Pop Songs of 2015".[20]

MNDR released a remix of Wrabel's "I Want You" on October 21, 2015, which premiered on Noisey.[21]

His songwriting credits include releases by Pentatonix, Pink, Kesha, Louis The Child, Kygo, Marshmello, Backstreet Boys, and Ruel.[22]

Usage of songs in other media#edit

  • In 2016, the song "Sideways" was featured in the first season finale of Quantico.
  • In 2017, the song "We Could Be Beautiful" appeared in the 2017 reboot of Dynasty in the first season episode "Our Turn Now", during the wedding preparation scene. In 2020, this song also makes an appearance in the Hulu series Love, Victor, in the pilot episode "Welcome to Creekwood".
  • In 2023, the song "On the Way Down" was featured in season 19 episode 8 of Grey's Anatomy.

Personal life#edit

Wrabel is openly gay. He is invested in promoting LGBTQ+ rights as a member of this community. His song "11 Blocks" is autobiographical describing his feelings about his first love who had moved 11 blocks away from him in California.[23] The music video for his song "Bloodstain", directed by Isaac Rentz, depicts suffering and heartache in a relationship, while the star Wrabel is fighting for his life.[24]

The music video to his 2017 song "The Village", directed by Dano Cerny, depicts a trans teenager struggling with gender dysphoria, using a binder to flatten his chest and dealing with hostile family members, with the lyrics discussing the same topics.[25][26] The video includes a caption "In nature, a flock will attack any bird that is more colorful than the others because being different is seen as a threat" and ends with a caption "Dedicated to all the colorful birds" and the hashtag "#TransRightsAreHumanRights".[25][26] In an interview about the song and video with Billboard, he described it as "the most important thing to me that I have ever done and probably will ever do. It's the closest thing to my heart."[25] He wrote the song in February 2017, shortly after Donald Trump removed federal protections for trans students in public education, and asked his management to rush the release of the video after Trump announced a ban on trans military personnel, with the video including a visual reference to Trump's ban.[25][26]

Discography#edit

Albums#edit

Studio albums#edit

List of studio albums
TitleYear
These Words Are All for YouReleased: September 24, 2021
Label: Big Gay, Nettwerk
Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
Based on a True StoryReleased: November 17, 2023
Label: Big Gay, Nettwerk
Formats: Digital download, streaming
Up AboveReleased: February 13, 2026
Label: Big Gay, Nettwerk
Formats: Digital download, streaming

Live albums#edit

List of live albums
TitleDetails
One Nite Only (Live)Released: January 25, 2019
Label: Big Gay
Formats: Digital download, streaming

Extended plays#edit

List of extended plays, with selected chart positions
TitleYearPeak chart positions
US
Heat.

[27]
SidewaysReleased: June 24, 2014
Label: Island
Formats: Digital download, streaming
10
We Could Be BeautifulReleased: May 12, 2017
Label: Epic
Formats: Digital download, streaming
—
One of Those Happy PeopleReleased: September 13, 2019
Label: Big Gay
Formats: Digital download, streaming
—
PianoReleased: May 15, 2020
Label: Big Gay
Formats: Digital download, streaming
—
Chapter of MeReleased: April 21, 2023
Label: Big Gay
Formats: Digital download, streaming
—
Chapter of YouReleased: August 25, 2023
Label: Big Gay
Formats: Digital download, streaming
—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles#edit

As lead artist#edit

List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
Bub.

[28]
US
AC

[29]
US
Adult
Pop

[30]
US
Dance

[31]
CAN
AC

[32]
"11 Blocks"2016182112—31We Could Be Beautiful
"Bloodstain"2017—————
"It's You" (with Magical Thinker)—————Non-album singles
"The Village"—————
"First Winter"2018—————
"That's What I'd Do" (Live)2019—————One Nite Only
"I Want You" (Live)—————
"Woman" (Live)—————
"Oh Love" (with Parson James and Vincent)—————Non-album singles
"I Want You"—————
"Love to Love U"—————One of Those Happy People
"The Real Thing"—————
"Magic"—————
"Flickers"—————
"Flying"—————
"Happy People"—————
"Too Close" (with Louis the Child)———40—Non-album singles
"(It Wouldn't Be) Christmas Without You"—————
"Somebody New"2020—————
"Hurts Like Hell"—————
"Since I Was Young" (with Kesha)—————
"Big Love" (with Klingande)—————
"Good"2021—————These Words Are All for You
"Nothing But the Love"——33——
"Back to Back" (with Duncan Laurence)—————
"London"—————
"Worst Kind of Hurt" (with Laura Marano)2022—————Us
"Happier"[33]2023—————Chapter of Me and Based on a True Story
"On the Way Down"—————
"One Drink Away"—————
"Turn Up the Love"—————Non-album single
"Abstract Art"—————Chapter of You and Based on a True Story
"We All Could Use Some Help"—————
"Beautiful Day"—————Based on a True Story
"Lost Cause"—————
"At Least I Tried" (with Smith & Thell)2024—————A Chosen Family
"Buried Alive, Again"[34]
(with Renforshort)
—————Non-album single
"Future"[35]2025—————Up Above
"Up Above"—————
"Greener"—————
"Garden"—————
"Surrender"—————
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
[36]
US
Pop

[37]
US
Dance

[31]
CAN
[38]
CAN
CHR

[39]
"Ten Feet Tall"
(Afrojack featuring Wrabel)
2014100229—43Forget the World
"Ritual"
(Marshmello featuring Wrabel)
2016——1182—Non-album singles
"Another Side"
(Matisse & Sadko and Robert Falcon featuring Wrabel)
2019—————
"Resentment"
(Kesha featuring Brian Wilson, Sturgill Simpson and Wrabel)
—————High Road
"Mean It"
(Cash Cash featuring Wrabel)[40]
—————Say It Like You Feel It
"Moon Rider"
(Jai Wolf featuring Wrabel)[41]
2020—————Non-album single
"Mirror"
(Illy featuring Wrabel)[42]
2021—————The Space Between
"Feel Again"[43]
(Armin van Buuren featuring Wrabel)
2022—————Feel Again, Pt. 1
"Something I Could Never Be"
(Tony Ann featuring Wrabel and Nour)
2024—————Non-album single
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances#edit

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
TitleYearOther artist(s)Album
"Silent Night / Light of the World"2012—N/aDream Christmas
"We'll Be Okay"2014AfrojackForget the World
"You Know It's About You"2015Magical ThinkerLeap! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
"With You"2017KygoKids in Love
"Written in the Scars"GalantisThe Aviary
"90 Days"2019PinkHurts 2B Human
"BFF"2020KeshaHigh Road
"Mirror"2021IllyThe Space Between
"When You Need It"2022Tenille TownesMasquerades

Songwriting credits#edit

TitleYearArtist(s)AlbumWritten with
"Shine"2011Stan WalkerLet the Music PlayJon Asher, Drew Pearson
"Loud"
"Nirvana"2012Adam LambertTrespassingOligee, Josh Abraham, Adam Lambert
"So Easy"Phillip PhillipsThe World from the Side of the MoonPete Amato, Pete Salis
"Kiss Kiss"2013Prince RoyceSoy el MismoFernando Garibay, Dougy Mandagi, Amanda Warner
"Crazy Ass B*tch"2015Rozzi CraneSpaceCrane, Kendrick Lamar, Adam Levine, Ali Tamposi, James Valentine
"Blue"Will Young85% ProofJim Eliot, Dan McDougall
"Break"Katharine McPheeHysteriaMcPhee, Pearson
"Rose Gold"PentatonixPentatonixScott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Pearson
"Devotion"Ellie GouldingDeliriumGoulding, Ali Payami, Klas Åhlund
"In Our Bones"2016Against The CurrentIn Our BonesTommy English, Tamposi, Chrissy Costanza, Will Ferri, Dan Gow
"Cold"Citizen FourColdPearson, Makeba Riddick
"Everybody Knows"Idina Menzelidina.Greg Wells
"Tough"GoldroomWest of the WestJosh Legg, MoZella, Nico Stadi
"You Know It's About You"2017Magical ThinkerLeap! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)Christopher Braide
"Crave"Dia FramptonBruisesFrampton, Stadi
"Hey You"Lea MichelePlacesMichele, Tamposi, Nick van de Wall
"Run to You"Michele, Tamposi
"Surround Me"LeonSurround MeJon Mills, Kurtis McKenzie, Léon
"True Feeling"GalantisThe AviaryCandy Shields, Bloodshy, Henrik Jonback, Jimmy Koitsch, Linus Eklow
"Written in the Scars"
"Woman"KeshaRainbowPearson, Kesha Sebert
"Emotional"
"With You"KygoKids in LovePearson, Erik Hassle, Kygo
"Better Not"2018Louis The ChildRobby Hauldren, Frederic Kennett, Rogét Chahayed, Wafia
"Joshua Tree"RozziBad TogetherEric Leva, Rozzi Crane
"Bad Together"RozziBad TogetherEric Leva, Rozzi Crane
"Baby"Bishop BriggsSarah Grace McLaughlin, John Hill, Sean Douglas
"LY4L"Katelyn TarverKool AidTarver
"Water"Bishop BriggsChurch of ScarsJohn Hill, Sean Douglas, Briggs
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart"Backstreet BoysDNAJamie Hartman, Stuart Crichton
"Healing Hands"Conrad SewellGhosts & HeartachesSewell
"Still Good"DNCEPeople to PeopleEric Leva, Crichton & Robin Hannibal
"I'm Good"WafiaWafia
"Here Comes The Change"KeshaPearson, Kesha Sebert
"Rich, White, Straight Men"2019KeshaPebe Sebert, Kesha Sebert, Crichton
"Best Day"Kesha Sebert, Scott Harris, Ryan Lewis, Joshua Robert Rawlings, Elan Wright, Phillip Peterson, Saba Samakar
"Raising Hell"High RoadKesha Sebert, Ajay Bhattacharya, Sean Douglas
"Flowers and Superpowers"WafiaWafia, Roget Chahayed, Hitboy
"Hard Sometimes"RuelFree TimeMark Landon, Ruel Vincent Van Dijk
"call the police"the three of usMadi Diaz, Jamie Floyd
"for months now"
"Where We Started"Bailey BryanPerspectiveScott Harris, Rick Markowitz, Bailey Bryan
"Space"Yoshi FlowerPeer PleasureJoshua Smith, Danny Parra, Adam Comstock
"Strange"CelesteNot Your MuseCeleste Waite, Jaime Hartman
"All The Feels"Fitz and the TantrumsAll the FeelsMichael Fitzpatrick, Morgan Dorr, Jeremy Ruzumna, Noelle Scaggs, John Wicks, Joseph Karnes, James King
"Bad Habit"Ben PlattSing to Me InsteadJesse Thomas, Ben Abraham, Ben Platt
"Chateau"Backstreet BoysDNAStuart Crichton, Michael Pollack, James Newman, Cole Citrenbaum
"Don't Let It Break Your Heart"2020Louis TomlinsonWallsLouis Tomlinson, Stuart Crichton, Cole Citrenbaum, James Newman
"Dream on Me"Ella Henderson & Roger SanchezGabriella Henderson, Jordan Riley, Roger Sanchez, Uzoechi Emenike
"Kid Again On Christmas"Tori KellyA Tori Kelly ChristmasTori Kelly
"Side"2021PentatonixThe Lucky OnesKevin Olusola, Madi Diaz, Matt Sallee, Mitch Grassi, Stuart Crichton
"20 Minutes"2022Years & YearsNight CallOlly Alexander, Jesse Shatkin
"Muscle"Olly Alexander, Joel Little
"Lost Cause"2023PinkTrustfall

References#edit

  1. ^ "11 BLOCKS". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "Interview: Wrabel moves forward with 'Sideways'". GroundSounds. July 9, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  3. ^ Creative, The Uprising. "Wrabel". Pulse Recordings. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  4. ^ "Singer-songwriter and musician Wrabel returns with 'I Want You': Pressparty". Pressparty. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  5. ^ "Super Bowl XLVIII most-watched TV program in U.S. history". National Football League. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  6. ^ "Ten Feet Tall – Single by Wrabel on iTunes". iTunes Store. May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  7. ^ "35 Best Pop Songs You May Have Missed This Summer". BuzzFeed. August 28, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  8. ^ "Instagram video by Kesha • Jun 23, 2016 at 3:51am UTC". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  9. ^ "Bloodstain – Single by Wrabel on Apple Music". iTunes Store. March 10, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  10. ^ "We Could be Beautiful - EP by Wrabel". iTunes Store. May 12, 2017.
  11. ^ Wrabel – The Village, WrabelVEVO, July 31, 2017, retrieved October 11, 2017
  12. ^ Cirisano, Tatiana (August 1, 2017). "Wrabel's 'The Village' Video Depicts a Trans Teen's Struggle". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  13. ^ a b c d Staff. "up above: WRABEL Finds Beauty in the Apocalypse". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  14. ^ "P!nk Has Crossed into the Mom Fan Category". April 22, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ Daw, Stephen. "Wrabel's Road to Happiness: How the Singer-Songwriter Went Independent & Found Joy". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  16. ^ Nelson, Jeff. "Singer-Songwriter Wrabel Talks Working with Pink, Sobriety and His Path to Pop Stardom". People. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  17. ^ Wong, Curtis (September 16, 2019). "One Of Pop's Unsung Talents, Wrabel Finds 'Magic' In Going Indie". HuffPost. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  18. ^ "The 29th GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Music Artist Nominees". GLAAD. April 18, 2018. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  19. ^ "song premiere: wrabel". NYLON. June 18, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  20. ^ "Community Post: The 30 Most Criminally Underrated Pop Songs Of 2015". BuzzFeed Community. December 15, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  21. ^ "MNDR Remixes Wrabel's "I Want You" and the Results Rule | NOISEY". NOISEY. October 21, 2015. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  22. ^ "Stephen Wrabel – Official Music Credits". Jaxsta. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  23. ^ Adam Salandra (September 21, 2016). "Queer Singer Wrabel Moves Us With '11 Blocks'". NewNowNext. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  24. ^ Lewis Corner (April 10, 2017). "Wrabel sings of same-sex love in dramatic new music video". Gay Times. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  25. ^ a b c d Tatiana Cirisano (August 1, 2017). "Wrabel Depicts a Trans Teen's Struggle in Moving 'The Village' Video". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  26. ^ a b c Dano Cerny (July 31, 2017). Wrabel - The Village (Official Video). Wrabel. Retrieved April 16, 2021 – via YouTube.
  27. ^ "Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart". Billboard. July 19, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  28. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. October 29, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  29. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart". Billboard. October 29, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  30. ^ "Wrabel Chart History: Adult Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  31. ^ a b "Wrabel: Chart History – Hot Dance/Electronic Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  32. ^ "Billboard Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart". Billboard. December 10, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  33. ^ Moen, Matt (January 27, 2023). "Wrabel Is 'happier' Than Ever". Paper. Archived from the original on August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  34. ^ "buried alive, again - Single by renforshort & Wrabel". Apple Music. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  35. ^ "New Music: Wrabel 'Future'". The Randy Report. June 20, 2025. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  36. ^ "Wrabel: Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  37. ^ "Wrabel: Chart History – Mainstream Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  38. ^ "Wrabel: Chart History – Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  39. ^ "Wrabel: Chart History – Canada CHR/Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  40. ^ Provost, Brittany (January 25, 2020). "Cash Cash – Mean It (feat. Wrabel)". EDM Tunes. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  41. ^ "Jai Wolf Releases Single 'Moon Rider' and Announces 2020 Tour Dates". Mom + Pop. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  42. ^ "Illy drops single "Mirror" ft. Wrabel, releases new album". NME. January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  43. ^ "Feel Again (feat. Wrabel) - EP by Armin van Buuren on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved June 27, 2022.

This article is mirrored from “Wrabel” on English Wikipedia, revision 1382210591, written by Wikipedia's contributors and licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Editing it here creates a Quire copy with its own history.

Synced with Wikipedia revision 1382210591 · just now