Over a million hits on youtube, your album 'Out Of Character 2.0' is out on iTunes, and just from some of the comments on your videos you've clearly got quite the female following haha, and you're just 19, what do you attribute to your success Austin?
-What do I attribute to my success?? Hmm... There isn't any specific reason. But one thing I can say is that I've built my following by being very friendly. I respond and talk to all of my fans, no matter what.
With your notoriety coming from the Internet, and you being a guy who sings pop music, you're gonna get the comparison, ya know, 'He's trying to be Justin Bieber' ect.. What would you say makes you different? What would you say to those people writing you off right now?
-I would never say that I'm something completely different, or incredibly unique, but I do believe I have a style that's slightly original. I constantly get compared to Bieber, but if critics actually took out the time to listen to my music, they would say differently. Not only do we have a different style of music, but lyrically we're polar opposites. A major on-going theme throughout my music is being hurt by relationships and life. No matter how poppy or catchy the song may be, lyrically it's the opposite. My leading single "Useless" is one of my catchiest songs, and yet the chorus talks about taking your heart through a paper shredder. Another popular song "You Know What You Do" has a melodic chorus to the lyrics "You know what you do to me, you tear me down to pieces and watch me bleed. You watch my heart break, and you laugh while my heart aches." Sometimes people get caught up in how poppy my songs are, that they lose sense of the lyrics. I've been rambling on now, haha, but like I said I believe I'm slightly original. I like to consider my music heartbreak pop.
If you had to describe yourself in three words or less, what would they be?
-Passionate, humorous, and insecure. Those are my three most important qualities. I'm so passionate about my music, and that drives me to push myself. My humor helps me stay resilient and positive when I get down. And I'm ridiculously insecure. Even before I started making music, I've always felt like I'm not good enough and I don't meet other peoples' standards. It's complicated, but I'm actually thankful for being insecure. My insecurities keep me humble, and keep me from becoming full of myself. The last thing I want to do is seem cocky.
Outside of music, are there any things you want to pursue?
-I don't really feel the NEED to pursue anything else. BUT, I really like doing artwork and making shirts. That's something else I take pride in, that I do everything on my own for my music. I do all the recording, production, artwork, videowork (except for music videos. My bud Clay directs those), promoting, managing, you name it. So other things I'd like to pursue would be assisting other bands with artwork, and recording and such.
You have a song on your album called 'Out Of Character', it's also the title of your album, can you explain what that means?
-Out of Character has a pretty deep meaning. My college professor actually asked the same question, so I decided to write an artist statement for this song. Here's the explanation:
I feel as though I used to only float through life. I let others dictate what path I was going in. After falling down to the lowest point of my life a few years ago, I’ve done my best to live off of my own ambitions. But living purely from drive is a difficult task; There’s a never ending struggle between following what the world asks of you, and what you truly want to do. Breaking out of character isn’t rebelling against authority and living recklessly; It’s doing your best to live freely from the characters society tries to make us. To find your own voice, and find yourself as an individual. It’s more than a message to others; it’s a reminder to continue my own life on this path. Fitting the mold others try to place you in is easy, take the challenge to find yourself.
What do you think about social Media? A lot of people are saying it's 'too much, too fast' in terms of pretty much everything being accessible, just by the click of a button. How do you feel about certain public sites like Myspace Youtube ect..
-Social media is complicated. There are so many advantages, but at the same time it makes things difficult for artists. Can you get huge in a matter of a day? Yes, you can blow up and go viral. But because of that fact, there are SO MANY people trying to make it in music now. It's to the point of being counterproductive. It's hard to reach out gain fans when you know that so many others are doing the same. I feel like the general population is getting annoyed with musicians constantly trying to get a listen. Haha.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
-I HOPE to see myself on a stage. In front of hundreds. Wait, no. Thousands. Ahhhh, that's the dream right there. But realistically I'll probably just end up being a cashier at a grocery store. haha.
Another song people, including me, really love is 'I Might Need Help' can you explain what that song means to you?
-I Might Need Help is a complicated song. I think I can do everything on my own, and I have a very difficult time accepting help from others and I’ve never understood why. If I’m going through a tough time, I will push others away rather than accept a helping hand. And by doing this, I’m miserable. The biggest way I figure things out about myself is by writing music. For some reason, it’s the best way I express myself and I ALWAYS find out something new or get a better understanding of myself. So to gain a better understanding of why I don’t accept help, I wrote this song.
Will you ever finish 'Beautiful Vocabulary' and record a studio version of ? The masses demand it!
- Beautiful Vocabulary is ALREADY finished!! Just not recorded or released yet. It'll be released on my next full-length album. I plan to released it sometime in September.
Any words of advice for struggling/ undiscovered artists/ fellow Internet musicians out there?
-Just don't give up. Cause to be honest, I'm still undiscovered. Sure I've got fans, but go up to someone on the street and ask them who Austin Jones is. They won't know who I am. So never give up and network like crazy. Musicians need to team up with other musicians to help each other out.
Final thoughts, anything you'd like to say to your fans and supporters?
-I'll say what I always say to my fans and supporters; I owe you my life. Without all of you, I'm nothing. I need and love you all.
Be sure to buy Austin's albums on iTunes
Also follow him on twitter https://twitter.com/#!/IamAustinJones
'Like' his facebook. www.facebook.com/AustinJonesMusic
Check out his youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/AusdudePro
Thank you Austin, and to everybody reading, stay tuned for more!
-And The Beat Goes On...
thebeat17@gmail.com
www.youtube.com/user/thebeatgoeson17
www.facebook.com/TheBeatGoesOn1
www.twitter.com/TheBeatGoesOn1
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