Breakout R&B singer, songwriter and producer ASTN releases his hotly anticipated new EP, Where Do We Go From Here? Documenting the emotional fallout from a breakup, the 8-song set is jam-packed with exhilarating hooks, big beats, and mellow moods from the buzzy vocalist whose incisive lyricism nods to the R&B giants of yesteryear. A perfect example is new single “Element,” which finds ASTN at his most soulful. Watch the stunning video above.
A feisty groove that enables the singer to truly let loose, showcasing his range and his formidable swagger, “Element” is a sultry banger. “When I lose balance you keep me stable,” he croons. “You’re my element, my periodic table.” The romantic mood is reflected in the striking video, which finds ASTN emoting in his car and getting his groove on in the club.
Other EP highlights include “How Soon?,” a silky-smooth post-breakup anthem that navigates moving past hurt feelings, and “Be So Cruel” — a clever dance-floor ditty, which dropped at the end of last year. Other standouts that examine matters of the heart from very different angles are “What You Doin,” “On Schedule,” “Far Away,” “Tell Me,” and “Starlight.”
Where Do We Go From Here? follows ASTN’s breakout 2022. Last year, the multi-hyphenate released his major-label debut EP, You’re Almost There, a stunning 5-track collection sequenced in chronological order of a breakup. The lead single and opening track “Gradually” finds ASTN wrestling with whether to walk away from a serious relationship, effortlessly showcasing his charismatic songwriting.
ASTN signed with Warner Records after breaking the internet with his 2021 R&B remix of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” which generated 4 million TikTok views overnight. Overwhelming demand led to a full version released across streaming platforms. Now, with Where Do We Go From Here?, ASTN takes another bold step as an artist, displaying the kind of vulnerability and versatility that has him pegged as a future great.
ABOUT ASTN:
ASTN is holding up a mirror to himself. On his new Warner Records EP, Where Do We Go From Here?, the 24-year-old L.A.-based singer-songwriter and producer takes a transformative journey of self-expression, exploring heartbreak and embracing uncomfortable feelings while pushing his forward-thinking R&B to new extremes. He’s compelled to share his story, for his own catharsis and to accompany anyone who can relate. The young Austin Sanders grew up listening to country and rock music in a family who moved around the South frequently when he was a kid. He remembers experimenting with a drum kit at age five, and taught himself production in high school, going on to study jazz at college. By ASTN’s sophomore year, he had identified his own unique palette of warm R&B and poppier trap sounds inspired by the hip-hop his older brother had played in the family car. After building a vibrant catalog of releases, from the 2017 EP Tell Your Friends, to his Warner debut, 2022’s You’re Almost There, and now Where Do We Go From Here?, ASTN is looking to the future. He’s hoping to play more live shows, maybe even arenas. But right now, one of his favorite things is hearing from people who have connected with his moving reflections. “I’ve had people from my hometown that I had no idea were even interested in music, hit me up and be like, ‘Yo, you’ve inspired me to get into music,’” he says. “I just love inspiring people to get out and do what they truly love.”
