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For Austin Sanders, better known by the moniker ASTN, making music has been at the core of his existence for as long as he can remember. First introduced to the drums at the tender age of three by his father, ASTN moved around the South, crossing through Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a full-time career as a recording artist.

Now stationed in the supposed city of stars and glamor, the Florida native seamlessly blends elements of jazz, R&B, and soul to create his own compelling vision of pop music. It is a soul-infused pop whirlwind that sees endearing past romances and lovable fantasies take center stage, lovelorn and tragic in the same breath.  

ASTN made his debut in 2017 with Tell Your Friends, a succinct four-song project that  turned heads and laid the foundation for his bubbling fanbase. His lead single, "Love No More," is a beautifully written tune that journeys through a breakdown in a relationship. The thoughtful free-flowing song expresses the artist’s take on the sensation of a relationship absent of love.  

In the years to come, ASTN continued to skyrocket on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, using them to show off his signature smooth as velvet tone and lyrical and sonic complexity. His top-performing record to date, "Flowers," continued the dark, love-inspired style heard in his first EP, accumulating over 20 million streams. Following this, ASTN experimented with a lighter pop sound on his 2019 EP Leave Me Before I Love You.

The singer’s latest EP, It’s Not The Serious, draws inspiration from R&B, gospel, and alternative pop, inviting audiences into a world full of wavy guitar licks and silky, sultry vibes. The project’s titular track offers a timeless sort of sound that lures the listener in and wraps around them like a warm blanket on a dark, chilly night.  

@astnmusic

this is probably my favorite one yet #fyp #billieeilish #happierthanever #rnb

♬ original sound - ASTN

In November 2021, ASTN shared a video on TikTok that saw him reimagining Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” and to say people feel in love with it is an understatement. The cover flips Eilish’s original on its head, transforming the deep and slow-paced hit into an infectious slowburn with a wear your heart on your sleeve R&B undercurrent. The post now sits at over 57 million views and 8 million likes. After popular demand to release the full version, the artist dropped the cover one week later, earning high praise from fans and other artists, including Charlie Puth.

ASTN is an artist that just has a way with music. He breaks down a song to its essence in his covers and finds the right pace, beat, and instrumentals to transform it into something all his own. His original songs have a vibey, calm, cool, and composed energy that make them feel timeless. It seems that whatever ASTN touches is as good as gold.