Greg Mendez is a singer-songwriter based in Philadelphia, with roots outside Boston and in New Jersey suburbs. He began sharing music in 2006 via MySpace demos and formed early bands in a local scene, later navigating periods of homelessness and addiction while sporadically recording in New York and Philadelphia. He achieved sobriety around 2017 and released his debut album ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (Shrug) that year, followed by Cherry Hell in 2020 and the live album Live At Purgatory in 2022. His self-titled album, initially released in 2023 and reissued by Dead Oceans, marked a critical breakthrough with lo-fi indie rock confessionals influenced by Elliott Smith and The Microphones, earning spots on year-end lists from Pitchfork and Rolling Stone. Themes span addiction, violence, friendship, and love, delivered through economical songwriting and fingerpicked acoustics. In 2024, wrist surgery prompted the keyboard-driven EP First Time/Alone. Mendez performs in DIY venues with awkward banter and unpolished sets, as captured on Live At Purgatory, reflecting his longstanding presence in Philadelphia's scene.