Austin Carr

Rarely does a release come out of the blue without warning or lead up that's this good! With more than 50 videos on YouTube, Austin Carr has demonstrated that he has talent. Now with the arrival of his 4 song EP, "Imaginary Boy", Carr has shown that he has presence, depth and vision. 3 original songs and an acoustic version make up the brief but captivating debut of the 25 year old Carr.

The collection carries with it an impressive entrance into music for Carr and we can only hope what comes next is just as compelling. Of the EP Austin says:

"I worked with my producer, Jessy Covets (of the band Peachy Mcqueen) to find a balance in sound between indie pop and a retro, vintage aesthetic. Each song catalogs a different heartbreak I've been through in the past few years- from being used by embarrassed straight boys behind closed doors to entering relationships that were doomed from the start."

"Imaginary Boy" is Austin Carr taking heartbreak and pain and turning it into a musical moment of triumph. The music, production and vocals are everything you want as an introduction to an artist and into music. Honest and affecting, there is nothing imaginary about the level of talent contained within the EP and its tracks. When asked about the album title, Austin explained:
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"I liked the idea of titling the EP 'imaginary boy' because I think in toxic relationships we tend to invent idealized versions of our significant others in order to justify staying with them. And the scary truth is that often they are doing the same thing for us. I found it interesting how I've essentially been dating imaginary boys who don't really exist, and I myself have been that "imaginary boy" for others."

Austin Carr and 'Imaginary Boy' is one of most exciting releases of the year so far and a surprise worth investing your time in. We have no doubt that this is just the beginning of a burgeoning career of one of musics most exciting new artists. - Q Review

Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Carr.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Austin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been working as an actor and model in Los Angeles since I moved here three years ago. I had been lucky enough to book jobs that let me travel the world and work with some very creative people, and I learned a lot about performing in front of the camera.

That all came to a halt in July of 2019 when I discovered a small bald patch on the top of my head. Terrified and confused, I went to the doctor, who diagnosed me with an unpredictable type of alopecia called alopecia areata. With this disease, you lose hair in round patches. The hair loss usually happens quickly, and it can spread to your entire body. Within a couple of months of my diagnosis, my hair started falling out quickly until I was basically entirely bald. As an actor and model, it was devastating to me. I tried every treatment I possibly could to get my hair to start growing back, from steroid injections to changing my diet, to rubbing cloves of garlic on my head, because an old lady on the side of the road once told me to and I felt like I had nothing to lose. My hair started to grow back, but new spots formed, and it just became a constant cycle of hair loss and hair regrowth. I felt creatively stifled and unsure of what to do next.

Unable to audition or perform, I started channeling my anger and pain into songwriting. I’ve been writing music and singing since I was 13. Songwriting has always been therapeutic for me- sort of a way to layout my pain and move on. After studying music theory and vocal performance in college, I’ve always wanted to record and perform my own music, but I never had the guts to do it. Songwriting is incredibly vulnerable for me, and every time I got closer to recording an EP I would find an excuse to do something else, or I would get distracted by an acting project. But while I was in this waiting period of trying to figure out what to do next, I figured now would be the perfect time to face my fears and start making my own music.

I met up with my producer Jessy Covets in the fall of 2019 and we immediately started figuring out the sound and heart of the project. We recorded in the winter, and by early spring we had completed the EP, named “Imaginary Boy.” Since the EP has been released at the beginning of May, it’s gotten much more praise and traction than I ever could have hoped for. I largely wanted to make the EP to prove something to myself, that I could still be creative and try to make something worthwhile in this period of my life where everything feels uncertain and impossible. But after seeing people connect with the songs, I know that I would love to continue writing and recording music if I can.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle that I’ve been facing is trying to figure out where I fit into the industry now. I would love to continue acting and modeling, but I am fully self-aware that having alopecia means I don’t fit the standard box that casting directors are looking for. That’s one of the things that drew me to making music because in the music industry being different excites people more than it turns them away. But having alopecia is still very new to me and I’m still trying to figure out where I fit in the industry. And that does feel very isolating.

Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I guess my business in this context would be my music - VoyageLA

Austin Carr is a singer-songwriter who has been creating his own music since the age of 13. In the last few years, he built a career in modelling and acting, but this changed in 2019. He started developing bald spots around his head and was diagnosed with alopecia areata. Unable to continue working in front of the camera, he turned to his passion for music.

He has now released his debut EP Imaginary Boy. The EP includes three original songs and a live acoustic cover. All the tracks are intimate and explore a range of sounds from electronic dance to vintage pop and soul.

‘For Once and for Her’ opens the album in a gentle manner with Carr’s smooth vocals laying the groundwork. There is a bit of influence from electronic dance music in this track, but it is very subtle. It also does not distract from the vocal performance that showcases Carr’s control and falsetto.

‘I’ll Forget U, I Won’t Forget This’ has a more vintage pop sound to it. The melody swings between gentle with some echoes to faster in the chorus. This is a very catchy track that will stick in your head for long after it has ended. While the melody catches you, the lyrics are worth listening to.

‘Bruise’ is the ballad of the EP and has a very soulful vibe to it. This track has minimal production, but that enhances Carr’s vocals. While simple, the melody gets you moving to the guitar tones. This song has more vulnerability in it than the others.

The last track is a live acoustic version of ‘I’ll Forget U, I Won’t Forget This’. This is the longest track on the EP and gives the song a completely different vibe. While the studio version is all vintage pop, this version has a rawness to it. You can also hear the emotions in Carr’s vocals clearly in this track.

Austin Carr uses a range of sounds to channel his pain and frustration in the intimate Imaginary Boy. The EP only has three tracks, but they are each beautiful and gripping in their own way. Each song showcases Carr’s abilities and leaves you wanting more.

Find out more about Austin Carr on his Instagram, YouTube and Spotify. - The Other Side Reviews

‘Imaginary Boy’ is a new wave infusion of dream pop, dance and contemporary folk. Austin Carr dives into textures of pleasure and frustration; creating an EP that consciously explores how we distance ourselves from our interiors. ‘Imaginary Boy’ represents how we tend to invent an idealized version of significant others to justify staying in relationships. Speaking about the record, Austin has said: “It was interesting to play around with this idea that I’ve essentially been dating imaginary versions of my exes that don’t really exist”. The record is intricate and compelling; it dabbles with disco and nu-funk which adds a distinct groove. - Chalkpit Records

Austin Carr is a gay indie pop singer-songwriter located in LA, and a former male model and actor. He began singing and songwriting at 13 and started his own Youtube channel when he was 16, acquiring over 5,000 subs and over 500,000 video views.

For three years Austin built a career acting and modeling in Los Angeles, from international campaigns for brands like Uniqlo to commercials with companies like One Main Financial and Dakine.

That abruptly changed in the summer of 2019, when Austin began to lose all his hair quickly and unexpectedly, due to an autoimmune disease called Alopecia Areata. Stuck in a point of his career where he was unable to continue to work in front of the camera, Austin channeled all his pain and creative frustration into his lifetime love for songwriting.

In a few months, working with producer Jessy Covets, he created ‘Imaginary Boy’, a 4-tracks EP imbued with the melancholic feeling inspired by his issue. Atmospherically steeped in indie pop tones and a vintage, soulful sound aesthetic, the EP is a poignant call full of moments of stripped back vulnerability, with which Austin showcases all of his songwriting skill.

“I named the EP ‘Imaginary Boy’ because I think that often in relationships, we tend to invent an idealized version ofour significant others in order to justify staying with them or ignore their flaws,” Austin said. “It was interesting to playaround with this idea that I’ve essentially been dating imaginary versions of my exes that don’t really exist, and tothem I’ve probably been just an imaginary boy myself.”

Released on May 1st, 2020, ‘Imaginary Boy’ includes three original songs and one acoustic live cover. From the electronically influenced dance song ‘For Once and For Her’, to a retro and vintage pop feel in ‘I’ll Forget U, I Won’t Forget This’, through Austin’s ballad ‘Bruise’, this EP is an exquisite gently excursion with an intimate soulful minimal production.

AustinCarr’s EP, ‘Imaginary Boy’, is now available on all the major streaming platforms. Find your preferred one via songwhip.com link.

To know more about AustinCarr and his music, find and follow him all over the web, checking the links below: - Nova Music Blog

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Austin Carr took his first steps into the world of music at the tender age of 13, starting a YouTube channel performing covers three years later. Although Austin’s YouTube channel saw some success with thousands of subscribers, he decided to focus his energy on becoming a male model – that is, until he was diagnosed with Alopecia. However, this resilient young artist took his frustration and pain and channelled it back into his first love, songwriting. Imaginary Boy is the first EP from Austin Carr, exploring the world of indie-pop and adding his own flair to create a masterpiece.

“For Once and for Her” is a sweet ode to days gone by, with Austin’s dulcet tones ringing out over an instrumental produced by Jessy Covets of the band Peachy McQueen. A plucked guitar lays the groundwork for the building of a beautiful soundscape of gentle percussive sounds and synth pads, making for a lush bed of noise to complement ethereal vocal delivery and wistful lyrics. Austin explains that the sound of “For Once and for Her” is influenced by electronic dance music, elements of which can be heard in the style of the rhythm section.

This seemingly innocent song is followed up by “I’ll Forget U, I Won’t Forget This”, a sultry, retro-inspired track which reflects on the teachings of a relationship gone wrong. The lyrics “I’m not meeting your mother / but I’ll guess what she’s like” sum up the sassy attitude Austin takes with a person who he knows is no good for him, and endears us to his story even further. This heart-on-sleeve approach is prevalent throughout Austin’s EP, keeping us hooked, waiting for the next cliffhanger. Sulking synth noises and deep bass contrasted with bright, chiming guitars provides a clever dichotomy between the lighter and darker sentiments of this song.

Austin switches up the vibe yet again in the soulful ballad “Bruise”, with sparse instrumentation letting his vocal take the lead. This emotional and raw account of a story told by his hurt is the third of three original tracks on the EP, and a beautiful means of leading onto the final track. In all its simplicity, “Bruise” speaks volumes with relatable lyrics and influence from old soul music. The instrumental consists of mainly guitar and bass throughout, but the middle eight takes us to a brand new place, with the introduction of an organ and layered harmonies singing like a choir of gloomy angels.

Last (but definitely not least) is the acoustic version of “I’ll Forget U, I Won’t Forget This”. A fresh take on perhaps our favourite song on the EP, Austin introduces atmospheric noise in the form of rain on a window. An upright piano plays to Austin’s lead, sounding almost as though recorded on tape. This clever switch-up of just a few elements brings an entirely new meaning to the song, with the sentiment suddenly less sassy and more sensitive than we heard in the original version. There is something comforting about this reimagining, although more poignant in its sound.

The Imaginary Boy EP sees Austin Carr don many musical hats, all of which suit him down to the ground. His heart-on-sleeve, authentic approach to songwriting is charming and relatable, traits I’m sure that will see him garner fans from all over the globe, and his resilience and bravery is apparent in every lyric that he chooses. His collaboration with Jessy Covets is a bountiful one – a partnership that I hope will see them release further music in future – so be sure to give this EP a listen and follow Austin on social media to keep up to date on his plans. - Turtle Tempo

Austin Carr is a indie pop singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. In addition to music, he is also an actor and model with Mavrick Artists Agency. “Imaginary Boy” is his debut EP. The EP includes the standout track, “I’ll Forget U, I Won’t Forget This”. Austin told us recently about the song. “This song was produced by Jessy Covets and written by me”.

“The lyrics try to describe the experience of being in a relationship that is doomed from the start. I wrote the song immediately before a breakup that I had seen coming for months. I wanted to capture that feeling of being addicted to a relationship that looks so obviously poisonous from the outside, but feels so comforting and normal while it’s happening”. Have a listen to Austin and see for yourself… - Talk About Pop Music

Austin Carr är en homosexuell popartist med bas i Los Angeles. På debut-EP:n Imaginary Boy skriver Austin om kärlek och brustet hjärta ur just ett homosexuellt perspektiv.

EP:n innehåller fyra spår och tre låtar.
Allt inleds med med For once and for her. En låt som byggs upp från ett enkelt gitarrarrangemang och byggs på med en mer dynamiskt produktion. På låten sjunger Carr om tiden innan han kommit ut och dejtade en kille som då hade flickvän. Det blev en ganska konstig situation för Austin:

“I wrote the song while still in the closet and hooking up with a straight guy in secret. He was starting to date a girl who had no idea that I existed. After spending a lot of time feeling dirty and used, watching them grow closer and closer while still hooking up with the guy, I decided to take myself out of that toxic situation. So this song is really written for her.”

På I’ll forget U, I won’t forget this sjunger Austin om att vara i ett dödsdömt förhållande.

“I wrote the song immediately before a breakup that I had seen coming for months. I wanted to capture that feeling of being addicted to a relationship that looks so obviously poisonous from the outside, but feels so comforting and normal while it’s happening.”

På det hela är Imaginary Boy ett fint nedslag i en ung homosexuell mans resa och tankar. Ett behagligt album som är mer indiepop än hi-energy gaypop, vilket jag tycker var trevligt. - Pop Muzik