Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer ASTN give us a little taste from his upcoming debut album with new single and music video ‘Real’
In the striking visual, a suited-up ASTN searches for an elusive woman. As soon as she is within reach, his object of affection vanishes. With strobe lights heightening the sense of confusion, ASTN is left alone in the darkness to ponder, “Am I in love or alone? Dunno which is worse or why they feel the same.” His captivating vocals and falsettos are contrasted by the gritty realities of a love that has run its course.
ASTN shares: “This song asks the question: Was everything you experienced with this person even real?” “Beyond the lyrics of the song, the darker instrumental illustrates the mixture of spite and emotional numbness that one can feel during this phase.” There is, however, light at the end of the tunnel: “As this project shows, feelings are temporary and, with time, these darker emotions can be replaced with something better.”
“Real” follows January’s “Gradually,” ASTN’s debut major-label single, and his viral R&B remix of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” which first brought him to the attention of music fans around the world. The original snippet of his cover version netted four million TikTok views overnight in November and is currently at 60+ million views and counting. Fan demand led to the release of the full-length cover which has generated X streams to date.
“Gradually,” however, showcased ASTN’s original genre-melding flare and ushered in a new era. The pop-leaning heartbreak anthem has more than 1.7 million streams. Perhaps even more importantly, it set the stage for a conceptual five-track project that dissects the cyclical nature of relationships. “Real” finds ASTN in the immediate aftermath of the split chronicled in “Gradually.” As You’re Almost There will undeniably prove, ASTN is as real as they come.
