A young man with a dark textured head covering is leaning against a light-colored wall. He has one hand on his forehead, as if shielding his eyes from the sun, and is looking at the camera. He is wearing a black t-shirt, rings, and a bracelet. The background is a blurry city street with red stools and signs with what appear to be Chinese characters. Analysis
Destin Conrad Credit: c/o Biz3

Expect to see some “Kissing In Public,” or at least hear the single, when Destin Conrad (stylized in all-caps), an alleged Tampa-born songwriter, brings his catchy brand of Gen-Z R&B home.

The 25-year-old is on the road supporting his first jazz-leaning album, Whimsy (stylized “wHIMSY”), which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

He even has a Grammy nomination thanks to his work as a songwriter on Kehlani’s Crash, which was nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album last February.

Mack Keane, who produced and co-wrote “Kissing in public” and two other Whimsy songs, opens the show.

Tickets are $42.55 for Destin Conrad playing Jannus Live in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Sept. 27.

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This article appears in Sept. 25 – Oct. 1, 2025.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...