Austin Marquez
... is a New York City based singer/songwriter. His music lives in the world of pop, but pulls from cinematic, ethereal and ambient stylistic influences that transports his listeners into the stories in which his lyrics depict. Now he's back with a new release called "Nostalgic Boy”. After "(closer to) clear" definitely the next important step in his career.
After "(closer to) clear", the next amazing release, what is the story behind "Nostalgic Boy”?
I know, it’s exciting to release new music and I’m so excited that this is my sophomore single. Nostalgic Boy is a song about loving from afar and running away from love out of the fear of giving your heart to someone else. The second pre-chorus really says it all "There's a voice inside of me, keeps telling me it's right to leave. I'm not the boy anyone needs and I should live off memories." Sometimes it feels easier to live in the past and daydream about the "what if's" of love rather than fully pursuing it in real time.
This song takes you on a journey that starts as a tongue in cheek track about owning your own toxicity, and ends in an authentic release of emotions regarding the fear of never allowing yourself to love. I really want people to listen to Nostalgic Boy and laugh, smile, scream and maybe even tear up a little bit--I want the people to feel seen and heard.
What comes to your mind if I ask you about nostalgic music?
Oh music is the MOST nostalgic art form I feel, so there's so many things that come to mind. For me personally though, I think the music I grew up listening to is what comes to mind—so like pop music like Cher, Britney Spears and The Spice Girls, since they were my everything as a kid, and bands like The Chicks cause my mom and sisters were constantly blasting their country tracks growing up. Basically if I was singing it in my room alone, or listening to it with my family, a song would hold a nostalgic place in my heart.
To be "Indie" is …?
To have freedom of your own journey as an artist and to work your ass off to get your music out there for the world to hear!
Your Top venues in New York City are …?
I mean Webster Hall is such a nostalgic venue for me because I went there so much in college for shows and events, so that one always holds a special place in my heart, but I also love The United Palace, that was the first venue I went to in NYC back in 2014 to see Lorde and it is such a gorgeous theater.
What was the last "Big Thing" in music history for you?
Hmm that’s a hard one, but probably the emergence of streaming platforms, I think that changed the trajectory of the music industry completely, for better or for worse. So I guess that was the last thing that really took the music industry in a new direction.
The last person who impressed you was …?
Conan Gray. I have talked about how I’m impressed by him a lot already in my career, but he just released his sophomore album, Superache, and sophomore albums are HARD, but he managed to outdo himself while remaining very much align with his previous release. I think the album is very raw, honest, and unique to Conan’s sound and style. I was very impressed.
What’s next for you?
Hopefully an EP! I’m hoping to get something done for y’all by the fall…fingers crossed.
