Artist Spotlight
Austin Markham Teases Debut EP With Captivating New Single “Look At Me Now”
Independent pop/R&B artist Austin Markham is releasing his latest single “Look At Me Now” to tease his debut EP Me. on July 2. Emotionally raw lyrics paired with crisp, catchy production create a world within the song – a world in which Austin guides listeners through a serious message with a deeply hopeful feeling throughout. Even Austin himself was surprised by the lasting impact when writing this single – “It’s given me so much confidence…confidence I didn’t know I needed,” he says.
Austin pushes himself to show true vulnerability in his music; every song is a “celebration of authenticity” in which listeners learn more about who he is to his core. Sultry production layered beneath a self-actualized vocal creates a current and emotional record reminiscent of hardships, perseverance, and growth. Although commonly nestled under the label of pop/R&B, Austin finds his music influenced by a blur between the genres’ lines.
“My hope is that everyone who hears this song will reflect on the struggles they’ve preserved through and realize that those struggles grew them into the people they are today.” -Austin Markham
Austin is passionate and unapologetically himself; he crafts his music with the intention of empowering listeners to embrace their own identities and find peace after hardship. This intention translates into anthemic records that make you want to sing, dance and cry all at once. His music is a beacon of hope for anyone going through a hard time and serves as a reminder that better times are ahead. Austin knows better than anyone how tough life can be, and he wants to help his listeners heal from their pain.
As the opening track to his upcoming EP, “Look At Me Now” expresses the dissonance between people’s expectations of us versus who we really are; this song embodies the triumph of self-confidence over self-doubt. Similarly, the anthemic “Changed”, will not only be stuck in your head but calls upon listeners to “walk with their head high” in spite of toxic environments we often find ourselves in. Austin illustrates the importance of faith, intuition, and determination by translating his personal experiences into a bold and authentic project.
Austin based the foundation of this single and the entire EP off of his personal relationships. He engaged in intentional conversations with peers across all aspects of his life — his mom, therapist, friends, and collaborators — to isolate the experiences and emotions at the core of Me. Themes like pain, doubt, and loss permeate the project, adding a forward layer of melancholy throughout the arc of the EP.
Austin Markham is a Nashville-based 21-year-old pop/R&B singer-songwriter set to catch your attention with vulnerable lyricism accompanied by buttery vocals. He works endlessly to perfect the music he puts out and pushes himself to be a role model of confidence, self-love, and perseverance to listeners of all backgrounds. Although his music falls under the pop/R&B umbrella, Markham effortlessly blurs the lines between genres, creating an environment for various discussions and feelings. Fans should look forward to Markham’s debut EP Me., releasing late summer 2021.
Connect with Austin Markham: Website | Instagram | TikTok (@donebyaustin)
Artist Spotlight
personalheartbreaker and ENCASSATOR unpack manipulation, obsession and remorse on “Sorry Eyed”
“Sorry Eyed” is a dark shoegaze and alternative rock ballad by personalheartbreaker and ENCASSATOR that explores the space between obsession, emotional dependence, manipulation, and remorse. The new single slowly reveals how reliance is a form of oppression, not just weakness. The result is a psychologically complex song that pulls you into a relationship where trust and exploitation are not mutually exclusive.
The track takes an unsettling emotional turn through its manipulator’s perspective in “Sorry Eyed.” At first, the narrator seems dependent on another person, as if they need comfort, connection, or support. But as the story progresses, that openness starts to resemble exploitation. The song’s heart is the power imbalance, where regret always clashes with self-interest.
This struggle gives the song its emotional weight, because the narrator knows the damage he’s causing but is still addicted to the perks of manipulation. The accompanying music video arrives September 30th and carries that story further with the angel’s trust, devotion, and sacrifice. What begins with faith in a fellow man ends in destruction and offers visual counterpoint to the song’s themes.
“Sorry Eyed” is a collaboration with ENCASSATOR, who produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered the song and played a major role in its development. That full creative engagement helps shape the single into one cohesive piece, where the track’s dark alternative rock, shoegaze identity doesn’t detract from the story but supports it. “Sorry Eyed” is a strong pick for fans who love exploring manipulation and complicated relationships.
Artist Spotlight
“Hell has frozen over” finds Sarina choosing peace over being understood
Sarina’s new track, “Hell has frozen over,” explores the less dramatic, more complicated moment of reaching the end of the road, being gaslit, ignored, rejected, and painfully lonely. It translates the emotional burnout into a rock-pop context that’s easy to understand.
“Hell has frozen over” focuses on the decision to step away, instead of explaining, defending, or seeking understanding from people who refuse to listen. The rock foundation gives it the right weight, the pop influence makes it accessible, and the focus stays on the emotional message.
Sarina’s art is the struggle of loss and being strong in yourself. It’s about understanding that protecting your peace is more important than being understood. And that’s the emotional balance that gives the release its character so that the subject matter has relevance beyond a particular circumstance.
“Hell has frozen over“ is a relief from the burden of carrying on a debate that will never be resolved. Sarina turns an experience of isolation into a statement about boundaries, resilience, and the choice not to get caught in the same cycle. The result is a record that’s at its best when it’s being true to what it feels like to finally be free from whatever has been holding you down.
Photo Credit: Andrea Hunter
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