Artist Spotlight

Louie Castro – Songwriter and Producer From Long Island, NY

Louie Castro Is an American Artist, Singer, Songwriter and Producer. He Is One Of The Most Phenomenal Songwriters, Producer and Singer Here In Long Island, Ny. His Music Takes Inspiration From The Sounds Of Some Of Today’s Most Relevant Artists Such As The Weekend, Drake, Frank Ocean, Miguel, Trey Songs, Neyo, And Chris Brown. Though Naturally A Singer Louie Remains To Have A Strong Urban Appeal And That Rough Edge That Ladies Just Seem To Be Drawn To.

Since Louie Castro find himself doing music, the young star has been working hard to stay on top and be the best in the game. He released his first new single titled “Ride” in the year 2019. We had the opportunity to interview with Louie Castro the fast growing Up and Coming artist from New York City shares his own story with Honk Magazine Editor.

INTERVIEW

Hello Louie Castro,

1: Tell us about your background getting to where you are today?

I have always been music-oriented from a young boy. Musical talent is in my blood and runs in the family. Jose Feliciano the creator of FELIZ NAVIDAD is my cousin as well as the Actress from the Taina Show on Nickelodeon. My Grandmother was invited to Carnegie Hall for her beautiful voice and my uncle, her son, was gifted as well. He read and wrote the music and played 9 instruments. It’s safe to say I was made for this. Growing up my love for poetry, rhymes, and music grew with me. I sang every chance I got and one day I decided to turn one of my poems into a song. The rest was history. One day I was introduced to Tony Yayo of G Unit, performed an original for him, and was signed later that year at the age of 18. I am now independent and have a growing fan base. I am also available to be streamed and viewed on all music platforms. I have been on the hot97 several times and have had several write-ups including being featured on The Source for my music video PGH featuring Busta Rhymes’ Artist Reek Da Villian resulting in my own official LOUIE CASTRO VEVO.

2: Where are you from?

I was born at Nyack Hospital in Rockland County and was raised in Spring Valley all located in Upstate New York.

3: How did you get into music?

When I was 17 I was introduced to Tony Yayo by the sister of my mother’s best friend. Later at 18 I then got signed to him and became professionally known as Louie Castro. Been in the game ever since.

4: What is the most challenging thing you have overcome in your life?

Being homeless before and living in a home with no electricity, no heat, no water, and no money and being alone was the most challenging thing I have ever overcome in my life.

5: Are you currently signed or independent?

I am currently Independent.

6: Who inspires you the most musically?

To be honest there is no one person individually that inspires me the most. I take and feed on all the creatives. Good music is good music. I grab inspiration from anything and anyone I can including myself of course.

See also Redacted McFly - Taker

7: What do you want people to take away after listening to your music?

I just want people to feel good essentially but I also hope to reach someone with my sentiments and points of view. Maybe through my expressions, others can find a way to express the same feelings or find them for the first time from listening.

8: What is your greatest achievement as a musician?

I was featured on Eric Bellinger’s Verified Instagram Page for his ONLY YOU CHALLENGE bringing me thousands of profile visits and views reaching over 21.7K and I now have over 23.2K followers ingrowing. I was also featured on THE SOURCE as well as many other top blogs. I even have an LOUIE CASTRO VEVO.

9: Do you produce your own music? If not who do you work with?

Yes I am the producer of several of my singles. My Producer’s name is Mr. Instant Hits. I adopted that name years ago and branded it much more as of recently. But I have worked with two producers LiveTrax and B Da Producer on my album Sex, Dreams, and the Pursuit of Happiness currently being remastered and submitted back to all digital platforms.

10: Who is one artist you wish you could work with?

This may sound like a surprise to a lot of people but Saint John would have to be one of the main artists I’d love to work with.

11: Tell us about any new music you have coming out? When is coming out? What is it about?

I am consistently dropping singles but I have an upcoming Self Produced Self Titled Coming up this summer. Stay tuned IAMLOUIECASTRO Produced by Mr. Instant Hits dropping soon. This will be full of samples of my own voice and beats produced by me. I will capture feelings of love, lust, loss, and whatever my heart says to me.

12: What does a day inside your shoes look like?

I wake up thinking about music and about my page while smoking my morning blunt. Nothing like a good wake and bake. Hey, it’s legal in New York now! Gotta have some breakfast. Love bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll with salt, pepper, and ketchup. After that, it’s off to the hood to see the fellas hang out and smoke hella loud and talk moves and the future. Some days I’m recording a song on my phone or I’m in the studio making a full record. Nightlife is usually by the Nautical Mile on the boats and vibing with friends at the clubs and social events. Artists gotta show their faces. I’d say everywhere I go you’ll find out A LOT of people know me. I end my days winding down with a loved one or alone. Always gotta have my bedtime blunt. It’s a must. Of course, I may even get a song in before I fall asleep.

13: Anything else you want the audience to know about you?

I’m going to bring back the love for the craft of genuinely good music and teaching other artists how to be themselves.

Contact Louie Castro:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlouiecastro

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamlouiecastro

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Artist Spotlight

Who’s Making the Most Money on Spotify in 2025?

In 2025, Spotify conquers the music streaming world, with 500+ million monthly paying subscribers globally. Considering the platform paid out $10 billion in royalties, a record high, during 2024, it’s evident that streaming is now a revenue stream for artists. Yet only a few musicians are making good money from it.

At the top of the list is Drake, whose 21.5 billion streams yield around $52.5 million. Next up is J Balvin, with $37.9 million this year, a clean-up job from his massive streaming numbers. Other artists who earned significant amounts included Post Malone, Ariana Grande, and Bad Bunny, each featured among the platform’s top earners.

In electronic music, the Chainsmokers had 7.2 billion streams and made $17.7 million, and Calvin Harris made $14 million. The first-place finisher among the grossers is Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” which earned $6.6 million from 2.7 billion streams.

Although these numbers are impressive, most artists on Spotify receive a much lower payday. In its 2024 Loud & Clear report, Spotify found that only 4.4% of artists make at least $131,000 annually. On average, an artist in the bottom 98.6% of earners makes just $12 monthly. This difference underscores the difficulties many musicians face in the streaming age.

Dead artists are still having a real impact on Spotify. Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, and Aim for the Moon have 8.51 billion streams, £29.29m, 6.79 billion streams, and £23.37 million in earnings with Juice WRLD’s “Legends Never Die.” Lil Peep and The Notorious B.I.G. are also proving influential, with their music still raking in significant amounts of money.

Spotify’s global platform has allowed artists to perform in front of audiences beyond their home countries. In 2024, most artists who earned at least $1,000 in royalties made most of their revenue through international listeners, at over 50%. Since 2017, the number of female artists grossing over $1 million per year has quadrupled, signaling greater diversity and representation in the music industry.

The few artists who do make millions from Spotify streams get 1 %, while the 1% of artists get funds. Only a handful of artists are financially rewarded through it, even as the platform’s continued global reach and growing diversity create opportunities for emergent practitioners.

Let me know what you thought of this post in the comments if you found this article interesting!

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Artist Spotlight

Kayla Marque lights a fire with “Slow Burn”

Kayla Marque has returned with a new single, “Slow Burn,” a simmering, soul-passionate affair that holds you well past when the last notes die out. True to her endlessly evolving artistry, Marque serves up something future-facing and thoughtful, stitching together a grunge-adjacent bassline with ethereal melodies and haunting vocal dynamics.

Right from the outset, “Slow Burn” sucks you into its smoky milieu. The measured bassline sounds plucked from the ‘90s alt-rock golden age and dunked in modern, velvety skin. But Marque’s voice brings center stage, fluent, forceful, and emotionally detailed. She doesn’t only sing; she tells stories, whispers, and wails, and her approach lends the music an astonishing contrast between restraint and release.

As the song progresses, there’s something undeniably mesmerizing about how the instrumentation interacts with the vocals. The melodies shimmer like heat off the pavement, entrapping listeners in a hypnotic haze that feels at once intimate and cinematic. Marque displays not only her vocal range but also her emotional depth. Every note feels deliberate, and every word feels lived-in.

What’s so exciting about “Slow Burn” is how it feels like another chapter in a broader story. Kayla Marque has consistently refused to settle into a single groove, and this track demonstrates that she’s continuing to push limits and defy expectations. There’s a rawness here, an audacity that doesn’t plead for attention but commands it regardless. It’s a song that reveals more textures and emotions after every listen. “Slow Burn” is a vibe, a feeling, a statement. It’s another step in Kayla Marque’s evolution as an artist, and if this is what’s to come, we’re in for something special.

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