Originally from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Gray joined YouTube on May 5, 2012 under her given name Loren Beech. Over the next four years, she gravitated toward the name Loren Gray and moved to Los Angeles, all the while attracting many followers on various social media platforms, including musical.ly. Her fans, who she dubbed "angels," propelled her to a Teen Choice Awards nomination for "Choice Muser" in 2016. She received that same honor in 2018, by which time things outside of the net began to happen for her. Loren Gray participated in the 2017 Spring DigiTour alongside HRVY, who'd invited her to appear in his 2018 video "Personal." By the time it aired, Gray signed with Virgin Records, which quickly released the single "My Story." "Kick You Out" and "Queen" followed before the close of 2018. The following year, she teamed with Saweetie for the club-inspired "Can't Do It" and released the single "Options" b/w "Lie Like That."
By 2020, her sound evolved to incorporate more mature R&B tones similar to Ariana Grande on "Cake." She also collaborated with Deacon on "Love for the Summer" and TELYKast on the electronic anthem "Nobody to Love." The next year, she delivered the bright synth pop track "Piece of Work." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi