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 through 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.
