Nashville artist Austin Markham's upcoming single "Look At Me Now,” is only a mere snippet of what’s to come from his forthcoming debut EP ‘Me.’
Taking sonic inspiration from artists such as Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, and Liam Payne, he dips into easy-going elements while exuding his artistic virtuoso. Etching glimmers of confidence into himself throughout the creation process of “Look At Me Now,” Austin Markham sends us in a frenzy as we delve into the latest track.
As Austin Markham extends a warm invitation to the vulnerability he pours out from his soul, we can’t help but latch onto the irresistible croons that he belts out in a mellow display of emotion.
A soothing ambiance pulls you into an oasis of his inner findings as to the lens we peek through is chalked full of reflections that mirror the vivid mind of this emerging artist. As the opulent guitar riffs gently make up the musical foundation in which Austin Markham lays a brilliant cascade of sentimentally charged lyrics, the quality that lies upon “Look At Me Now,” radiates the remarkable production at hand.
This single makes up Austin Markham’s unique musical lane, as it also shares a designated spot in the mainstream appeal of Pop. Navigating listeners through a narrative that touches on a series of important messaging, we hear a deeply hopeful quintessence throughout the record's progressions.
Hoping that everyone who hears this song will reflect on the struggles they’ve preserved through, and come to the realization that those struggles are actually what allowed them to flourish to this point in their life, Austin Markham takes a personal emotion and grows it to be something life-changing for all far and wide.
Hello Austin, welcome to BuzzMusic, and a huge congratulations to you on such a profound new single release. Was there a particular moment or story that shaped the inspiration for “Look At Me Now?"
You know, there wasn’t a specific moment that birthed this anthem, because if I’m being honest, I didn’t know it was in me. This is a song I didn’t know I needed. With the help of my dear friend Abby Malloy and producer Sam Hart, we were able to dig deep into the depths of me and we pulled this song out. Prior to our writers, we were having a conversation about misinterpretation and feeling lost both in the eyes of others and in my own eyes.
With this being the lead single from your debut EP, ‘Me,’ do the sounds conveyed outline what’s to come? What can you tell your audience about what they can expect from this creation?
Yes, we very much ride the line that borders Pop and R&B. All of my music is influenced by soulful voices and R&B production. With that being said we have really curated a sound unique to me. The other three songs continue to develop that sound. The second track on the album is called “Changed” and it is the more “pop” sounding track but all of the songs are truly shaped around my influences and sounds that both inspire and excite me. I hope it’s a sound not many have heard.
What do you think that “Look At Me Now,” says about you as an individual and artist?
This song has really been hidden in me for years, it really just showed up on this project right when we needed it to. I think what this song represents for me is the power of one's voice. For me, I am not someone who often looks over my life and sees accomplishment after accomplishment. I am my worst critic and this song has given me the opportunity to reflect on the good and bad, and really allow myself to be proud of how far I've come. I encourage others to do the same.
What has been the best piece of advice that you have been given throughout your artistic career?
Be you. Two words that are usually on a t-shirt or a pop socket but rarely action words. This is a continual piece of advice that has been given to me by producers, record labels, songwriters, vocal coaches, and really anyone that I’ve asked for advice in this industry. It’s something we all strive for but yet very few achieve. This challenge to “be me” has stuck with me for the last 4 years and really my whole life. At a young age, well I should say “younger” age, I really didn’t fit in. I was raised in a small town where if you weren’t a jock or weren’t a cowboy you stuck out like a sore thumb. I’m not sure if people actually say that but we do in Oklahoma. Anyway, back to my point, I didn’t fit in. And it wasn’t until I was probably 18 that I realized I was created to stand out. All of my efforts to blend in and become “accepted” failed because I was born to stand out. This simple truth, probably taught by my mom, has shaped my early career and is something that I hope will continue to challenge me to raise the standards, cross borders, and really be the person God created me to be. As my grandpa would always tell me “If you’re not yourself you’ll always be second best."