It takes guts to look at love’s illusions head-on, but that’s exactly what Jack Drinker does in his latest single “California King.” Fresh off the December 20th release, this brutally honest look at romantic idealization proves just how much the 24-year-old LA native has grown since his days roaming the halls of UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music.
Right from the opening notes of this four-minute track, you can feel something different in the air. Drinker’s vocals seem to float above the mix, telling a story we’ve all lived but might not want to admit. Speaking about the song’s emotional core, he reflects thoughtfully: “There’s this brightness and excitement running through ‘California King,’ but underneath it all, you can feel this sense that things might not work out the way you’re hoping.” After a moment, he elaborates: “I wanted to capture how we all do this thing where we build people up in our minds, turning them into these perfect versions that don’t really exist.”
Behind the scenes, this track came together thanks to some serious industry talent. Mixer Alyssa Wilkens has done something special here, laying the groundwork for mastering wizards Ryan Schumer (you might know his work with Shawn Mendes and Khalid) and Carl Bahner (the same ear behind St. Lucia and Transviolet’s polished sound). Sure, you might catch a bit of Gracie Abrams’ influence floating around the edges, but make no mistake – this is pure, unfiltered Drinker.

The song joins an already impressive lineup on Spotify, where tracks like “Bad Habits” and “Plane Ticket” have been racking up streams left and right. “Lease on Life” and “Ruins” keep finding their way onto new playlists too, each one showing off a different facet of his songwriting chops.
Truth-telling has always been Drinker’s strong suit. From mental health struggles to body image battles, his work hits nerves most pop songs dance around, helping push that debut EP “Dead Boy Walking” well past the 60K stream mark. And when he drops that line about “You’re a James Dean movie scene, speeding down the highway” – well, some lyrics just stick with you.
Listen closely to “California King” and you’ll hear that moment we’ve all experienced – when the person we’ve built up in our minds starts to crack around the edges. Those soaring vocals in the chorus, backed by crystalline guitar work, nail that weird mix of hope and heartache that comes with seeing someone for who they really are.
This isn’t just another indie pop track – it’s what happens when classical training meets raw emotion. Every arrangement choice feels deliberate but never forced, like Drinker’s found that sweet spot between polished and painfully real.
Want to keep tabs on where this is all heading? You can find him on Instagram and X. After spending time with “California King,” one thing’s crystal clear – Jack Drinker’s got more stories to tell, and if they’re anything like this one, we’re in for quite a ride. In an indie landscape that sometimes feels overcrowded with manufactured feeling, here’s someone who’s not afraid to show us the messy parts of being human.