From Going Viral On TikTok To Signing A Record Deal: A Conversation With ASTN

If you browse TikTok, you’ve definitely seen ASTN pop up on your For You Page. He’s been crushing it at transforming songs into R&B ballads and went incredibly viral after posting a cover of Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever. It was really cool to pick his brain today; here’s what he had to say:

I'd love to take it back to the very beginning with you - where did it all start? And how did you get into making music?

It started in a, I mean, truly, it started in like my dad's shed, he had a drum set, he grew up playing drums. So he put me on the drum set, before I could even really fit on the drum set. So, uh, yeah, he kind of he kind of pushed me into music, musics always my first love. So I went through like middle school and high school playing, playing in the band and stuff. In high school, too. I picked up music production. So I started making beats and stuff here and there. And then for my graduation gift, my parents got me some equipment to record. And I really wanted my homies to record all my beats. Um, but they didn't really ever took to it. So I was just like, You know what, I'm gonna start singing. And I'm just gonna start doing it myself. This was like, 2016. And around that same time, I was going to school for like jazz. I studied in college for like, a year and a half. And, you know, this first two semesters of college, I was like, so incredibly lost. I was like, like, I really don't want to teach music. I was like, but I don't really have any other answer right now. So I'm just gonna go to school and see what's good. And then late 2017, my third semester, you know, I got the confidence to kind of like, put out some songs. And then I think it was actually that semester, I dropped out. I told my parents, I was like, Hey, let me get a semester, we get a semester off just to put 100% into this artist project and never looked back.

What inspired you to take your talents to TikTok?

Seeing the success it was it was, you know, putting other people through, and just seeing it, see how it worked wonders for other people. I think it's all about, you know, it'll give back to you, if you if you give to it, you know, and that's what I've been doing. It took a little bit for me to get on the the TikTok train. I know, it's been out for a few years, I didn't really take to it until like maybe a year and a half, maybe two years ago. And you know, it's all about finding, finding your, your little area there, you got to find your pocket TikTok and figure out how to enjoy yourself. And it took me a long time to figure that out. I would say for people that are are trying to get into it. It's a beautiful thing. But it's also a lot of pressure. I think the beautiful thing about it is that you could have one follower and get a video that does 5 million views. And because there's that possibility, when it doesn't do 5 million views there is you know, it feels like a bummer. You know, it's not Instagram where you know what to expect. Or Twitter where you know what to expect. It's anything can happen. So, like I said, there's upside to downside to it. But you know, I think finding your pockets and just making content that you really, really enjoy and can and have a solid product regardless of the outcome. I think the biggest thing,

Now you're signed to a record label. That's so cool. Congratulations on that. How has your life changed if at all since signing to a Warner?

Honestly, it's been it has been a game changer. I think, you know, having these these amazing people in the corner on a building just like, you know, pushing for me. And just like, really flexing their muscles has been amazing. I know. There's a lot of like, record label, like horror stories out there. I think it's all about building a solid foundation for yourself first, and then find those people when you need them. And I think I mean, I've built my team since 2018. So we've been we've been building together for a very long time. We got to this point now where we're like, hey, look, I think it's time to take the next step. You know, we had this this opportunity with Warner you know with this Billie Eilish cover and stuff and yeah, I we just decided this was the right time. The team was amazing. The opportunity was amazing. And yeah, everything is everything's gone to plan and it's been nothing short of you know, Perfect,

And speaking on what they're fighting for, your first single with Warner was Gradually, which we love. What inspired this track?

Gradually is all about watching someone walk out of your life gradually or, or begging them to at least I know a lot of people can't come to a conclusion that's like, a oh, let me get out of here quick. I'm one of those people, if I see a red flag, I mean, naturally, like in my past relationships, I'm just like, let me let me get out of here quick before something before it like I don't know, before you get too attached, and then it becomes gradual. Because for the person that's letting go, it's, it's easier to just go all of a sudden than it is gradually. But for the person that's being left behind. You want to see it happen gradually. So you can process that. I wrote this one, late or No, early last year isn't January 2021. It's my first time working with a good friend of mine. Now Danny Meyer, who did help me do the whole EP is our first time working. We just sat in the studio for like six or seven hours and was like, Hey, let's just make something real quick, made Gradually and that's how I knew something special.

I also love your song Real. It gives me vibes of another artist that I really love as well named Bazzi. We've had him here for a few shows and I'm a big fan, so that’s a compliment! What artists, maybe him including him, inspire you?

Absolutely. Bazzi has been a huge inspiration for me since honestly since like 2018 I'm pretty sure I found him in 2018. And actually my first vinyl I ever bought was Cosmic his first album, so love that album. Yeah, I think it's one of the greatest pop albums of all time, I met a low controversial but I truly believe that. But also artists like Bryson Tiller, as my first true taste of like modern r&b, and then, like, thrown back a little bit. People like music Soulchild and D'Angelo. And even more recent, like Daniel Cesar like, all those people kind of like, just like learning their songs and like studying the way they write and just like deliver vocals like has really helped me a lot. Maybe not so like a direct influence to the, the the product that I'm putting out, but more so like, just the way I think about things. Like when I hear music, I hear it in a different way because I've listened to their stuff and can process it differently.

Who is on your dream list of people you'd like to work with on a song one day?

I mean, I would love to work with Kehlani on a song. I would love to work with Ty Dolla Sign. I'd love to get Ty on a song or even just being the studio like with these people specifically. It's like we don't even have to make a song just like process. Yeah, I want to see the process. I want to I just want to meet him. Get to know him and then you know, maybe especially working on like production side or writing side like someone like Jon Bellion would be amazing. So yeah, that's that's on my radar right now.

How does it benefit artists when you pre save their albums?

It's a great look for Spotify and Apple Music and all these platforms to see that, you know, there's some anticipation built up for the songs that are coming out. And that's what pre saving does. I realized pre saving is a little difficult. Sometimes you have to log in again, and a lot of people don't know their Spotify login. I literally just had a homie. That was like, he dropped this pre Save Link and I'm like, trying to pre save it. I'm like, What's my Spotify login like all this stuff. Um, so just one pre saved, like, just knowing how difficult it is like, Man, that's a big deal. Um, so whenever you get a lot whenever you start, like racking up the numbers and pre saves, it really shows, you know, people like Spotify and Apple music that, Hey, we should probably add this to a playlist, which probably support this song because there's a lot of people out there that like it and there's probably more people are gonna like it. So now it's an absolute huge deal. It's a great way to track. You know how the songs how the songs doing before even comes out? Yes, absolutely.

So anyone watching this, you better pre save Austin's EP! It's coming out on Friday, what can you tell us about it?

It's a five track EP, it's called You're Almost There. Like I said, I did it all with Danny. It's really my first time ever, like, letting someone else get their like hands dirty with the project. And just like really helped me out. Like I trust Danny so much on the production and writing in. So we really went in together. Also my good friend, we wrote a few tracks together on there. So yeah, it's a great little, like, collaborative piece, I would say, I mean, so much, so much more of that project than just me, which I think is a beautiful thing. But yeah, it's called You're Almost There. It's all about the journey over the destination. At first thought I was right about the destination. That's why I called it You're almost there. But it's funny. Now I kind of perceive it as like, in life, you'll always have goals, but I feel like once you hit that goal, the goal, the next goal is already set, you're like pushing it further and further back. So that can be really frustrating. You feel like you hit a goal and you just never actually like can relish in it. I'm also in like a relationship side like, the grass isn't always greener. But you know, when the when the ship sinks, you just swim to shore, build new ship, get out there. So yeah, I think no matter how far away you feel like you are how close you are. You're almost there.

This is a wild week for you. Tomorrow is your first show. sold out show in LA. So first of all, how does that feel?

It's actually insane. I mean, my first this is my first show back in like two and a half years. My last show was in October of 2019. So yeah, it's actually insane. And really, really like inspiring to see that I'm able to pick up where I left off. You know, shout out to everything that's happened for me recently, which has been amazing. That's that's kind of like opened up these doors. But yeah, it's kind of showing me the like, Hey, I gotta do more shows.

What can people expect from your performance?

I'm a true believer and live music is the best way to enjoy music. So I feel like over the past two years, I've grown so much as an artist and like, just in my confidence in myself. And being on stage was such a weird thing. Like trying to adjust from getting behind a drum set. And then just having a mic in your hand. Like you don't have anything there guarding you. It's just full transparency. You and the people there. Yeah, I've just gotten so much more comfortable in like myself. Animate really able to, like perform the songs. And as an artist, that's how you can help for it just, I mean, people just gonna see me up there having a good time. I think I think if you are truly up there having a great time, and people can see that. They'll be having a good time, too.

It's contagious. Well, best of luck with the show. I can't wait to see footage from it. That's gonna be amazing. I do have a couple fan questions for you today. First one comes from @LETSOW_FLAMES. They want to know first, do you write your own songs but also send love from South Africa!

South Africa. I'm talking about internet's crazy. Um, yeah, I write all my songs. I always have a hand in them. I would say like 85 to 90% of my songs were just written just me. I'm more more recently though I've written some I've let some people in like I like I said, on the writing side. You know, the challenge me a little bit and get my get my wheel spinning. Sometimes it's tough just just sitting in here by myself and just trying to figure it out. People can really pull the best out of you. So yeah, but I do but I do fully believe in just writing your own stuff. Hell yeah.

Next question comes from @EMILYQNG. Will you ever go to London on tour?

Absolutely. I'm trying to I'm trying to go there as soon as possible.

Last, but certainly not least, here in Maine, our state motto is “the way life should be.” So, I want to know, according to you, what is the way life should be?

Honestly, this is cliche, but it's honestly right there in the EP. I think it's literally just enjoy the journey. Everything has happened happening to you right now. Just soak that in. I think it's all about taking time to yourself, and fully allowing yourself to process what's happening around you, especially in this chaotic world we live in now. It's so easy to get lost in, you know, what's happening to other people, and what's not happening to you. I think it's all about taking time and just like, figuring out what's going right. And, yeah, I feel like there's a lot of stuff to complain about, but just look yourself in the mirror and be like, could be worse.

Thank you for kicking it with me ASTN!

P.S. Pre save his EP here!