Written by: Nuance Editorial Team
ASTN’s velvety, sleek R&B sound draws listeners in without demanding attention. Fusing R&B vocals with trap production, his approach is a refined balance of smooth melodies, sharp production, and engaging songwriting.
His new EP, What A Night To Be In Love, marks a point in the young artist’s evolution with its deft exploration of love, human connection, and self-reflection. The five-track offering, released via Interlude Records, doesn’t shout for attention with frills but commands it through its emotional depth and carefully layered production.
Sitting down with NUANCE, ASTN discussed his journey, the creative process behind the new EP, and the personal experiences that shaped its sound.
“I wanted to prove something to myself,” Astns explained, referring to his hands-on approach with What A Night To Be In Love. “This was the first project I had coming off [my last] label…So, I really felt like I had a lot to prove in terms of getting my hands dirty again with the process and everything…
…Down to the visuals and being more part of the mixing process and just producing–making sure that everything sounds like me and like my fans are going to get what they’re expecting from me, which I feel like they didn’t get for a couple years.”
Discussing his roots, ASTN shares that he holds allegiances to two different parts of the south. “I’m from Panama City, Florida, but honestly, I claim both Florida and Arkansas. A lot of my core childhood, ages three to twelve, were in Arkansas…As a kid, you don’t know the difference between Arkansas and Los Angeles... I was just stoked to have, like, a ton of room to ride dirt bikes and play football with my friends.”
Photo Credit: Cam Nisbet/Interlude Studios
Moving to Florida proved to be a turning point in his life. “I didn’t really start making music until I moved to Florida... I was just so bored... so I just started producing around, like, probably 10th or 11th grade.” ASTN initially gravitated toward electronic and dubstep sounds but eventually found his true calling in blending trap and R&B. “I discovered Bryson Tiller... I loved the way he mixed this trap sound with his more like R&B vocal delivery,” he explained, illustrating the transition that influenced his musical style.
Despite his vocal talents being evident today, ASTN explains how singing came about by necessity: “I was a producer for three or four years before I even started singing…No one wanted to sing on my beats, none of my homies were down to do it, so I was like, ‘I’ll just write songs and sing on my own stuff.’” ASTN’s dedication paid off with his first single, “Love No More,” garnering him enough traction to pursue a career.
What A Night To Be Alive marks a significant milestone in ASTN’s artistic journey, as he explains: “I wanted to prove something to myself…This was the first project I had coming off [his previous] label. So, I really felt like I had a lot to prove in terms of getting my hands dirty again with the process and everything–down to the visuals and being more part of the mixing process and just producing–making sure that everything sounds like me and like my fans are going to get what they’re expecting from me, which I feel like they didn’t get for a couple years.”
The five-track EP opens with “Two Truths and a Lie,” a collaboration with Vietnamese singer-songwriter thuy. ASTN explains how the track’s inspiration came from trying to showcase bittersweet perspectives of two lovers yearning for each other after things have definitely ended: “It’s about when you’ve split from this person, but there’s still a form of love there where you’re trying to come back for them, but you’re in like, denial of, like, your feelings towards them.”
“Nobody’s Watching” explores the layers of intimacy, blending serenades with deeper emotional truths. ASTN explains how the track expresses his preference towards a night out where you stay: “When I picture that song, I was on a date night, but staying inside in your apartment...Doing the most for nobody other than the two of you.”
Reflecting on his favorite stops on his recent tour, ASTN shows love for his fans in the Bay: “San Francisco was definitely the highlight. I just love that city so much. The people there, they’re definitely not stiff. They’re down to move around.” Though he’s quick to admit his inner homebody appreciated the tour’s brevity, there’s no doubt that his time on the road solidified his connection with his growing fanbase.
ASTN is excited about what’s on the horizon as he looks to the future, sharing that he’s currently working on What A Night to Be In Love’s Part 2. As his journey continues, ASTN’s evolving sound and storytelling promise to keep drawing listeners into his emotional world, one smooth track at a time.