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10 THINGS – Austin Kassabian

10 Things about Austin Kassabian

You’re originally from New Jersey. What initially got you interested in music and how did you make the decision to turn it into a career?

My brother originally got me into music. He would always play me the best music. I started making music in the 9th grade. But by the 10th grade, I realized I was skipping out on hanging with friends, playing video games and a lot of other things I usually wouldn’t miss, in order to make music. I obviously loved it and at that point, I knew I wanted to pursue it as a career.

As you started your career, which artists did you look up to and which ones have made a positive impact on your career?

Hopsin is the first artist I ever idolized. He was the first rapper I listened to where I felt that what he was saying, was as if I were saying it myself. That’s what made me realize how impactful music can really be. Other artists that impacted me in a positive way would be T-Pain, Akon, J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug and more.

Your new EP “On Me” will be was released in February 2020. What went into the making of this project and what’s the message behind it?

This EP is the first official project I’ve ever done, so it is extremely special to me. The title “On Me” comes from me realizing that if I want something, it’s ON ME to do whatever it takes to get it. Whether it’s something in my career, getting in better shape physically and mentally, or putting my family on. I’ve just come to a point where I understand that if I can visualize it, I can make it happen. It all depends on how much effort and time you put in.

The first single off of your forthcoming EP that you already released, “Closed Off,” was really special to you. Tell us what you did with the song and how the music video went down.

“Closed Off’ is my second self-produced single, so it definitely is a special one to me. The music video came out just as fire as I thought it would. Shout out to Thad Swift, he killed it. We were at his house just brainstorming ideas for what we could do with the song and eventually, we came up with the idea of being in an office space where I’m a young CEO. In the video, everyone that’s working for me is older and angry at me for being their boss, but they could’ve been in my position, if only they put in the same work that I did. That’s pretty much how it was for me any time I told someone older that I wanted to make music for a living, especially in the beginning.

All of your accomplishments come with a lot work and time. What are some of the challenges you’ve had to overcome to get to this point?

Everything changes in your life when you start succeeding in any sort of ‘exciting’ job. Friends change, loved ones change. And, it may not even be how they treat you, just the vibe gets twisted. It’s a huge adjustment overall, so I just try keeping a positive outlook on it. Music alone has helped me in so many areas of my life. And, having a career in music has helped me grow in ways I never thought possible.

What advice would you give to others that are striving to be in this business and make music?

Always check in on yourself. Make sure you’re making decisions for your own happiness and future benefit, not the opinions of the people around you. Always stay true to you.

If you weren’t working on a music career, what type of career would you have instead?

I honestly don’t know. The only thing I ever saw myself doing long term was music. Eventually, I’d like to experiment and see what other artistic avenues I can explore. But right now, it’s music full time.

What you wear often says a lot about you. When it comes to fashion, what designers and styles appeal most to your personality?

Give me all the muted colors. Pastels and all that. I tend to always go with ‘off’ colors every time I dress up.

What exciting projects do you have coming up in the near future?

I recently dropped the music video for my song “Oooo.” I also released my single “Bags to Bags” from my EP “On Me” in February 2020! I just released my new single “Uncomfortably High” and I’m finally dropping the highly anticipated EP “On Me” on April 3, 2020. Additionally, my music video for the song “Closed Off” has reached 1.1Million views. Needless to say, I’m super excited about 2020, it’s going to be a huge year!