sombr Says the "Nepo Baby" Label Is "Incredibly Insane" in New ELLE Cover Story

sombr is the latest artist to get hit with the“nepo baby”label, and he’s not staying quiet about it. In a new ELLE cover story, the 21-year-old singer born Shane Boose addressed the online speculation head-on, calling the idea that his family helped him land his Warner Records deal“incredibly insane.”His father, Andy Boose, is a former musician who now produces events for HIV/AIDS organizations, and his mother, Bennah Serfaty, works in HIV/AIDS prevention.

sombr also pointed out how fast the internet turns on rising artists, saying every time someone blows up, everyone loves them for a few months, and then“somehow they’re a nepo baby.”His career path backs up the pushback: he trained in opera at LaGuardia High School before dropping out, gained TikTok attention with 2022’s“Caroline,”and later broke through with“Back to Friends,”which hit No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Alternative Airplay.

The debut album“I Barely Know Her”arrived in August 2025 and debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200, capping off a slow build that’s years in the making. Still, the nepo baby debate isn’t cooling down anytime soon, and sombr’s response just made it a bigger conversation. Do you think the label gets thrown around too easily now? Sound off in the comments.