Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Powell.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was five years old, sometime between my first and second singing lesson, I decided I was going to be an artist. I was born in Las Vegas and moved to Atlantic City when I was seven. My parents business went bankrupt and we were forced to move cross country into my grandmother’s house. I grew up modestly in New Jersey with my mother working at Curves and my father working as a photo boy at CVS. After continuing singing lessons in NJ for a few years, I joined the local community theater as a way to make friends. I did theater every season until I was 17, finally making the move to LA to pursue my real dream, acting in films and television and working as a recording artist. When I got to LA, after a few stints with producers who I felt like couldn’t capture my vibe, I decided to learn to produce music myself. On the acting front, I hit a lot of roadblocks but eventually found my way onto FBE’s React, which has had a transformative impact on my career.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has most certainly not been a smooth road. I’ve had uncountable failures and made ridiculous mistakes. A major struggle I faced in Los Angeles is standing out amongst the crowd. There are so many talented people here and you can either let that scare you and keep you down or it can inspire you to improve and become better than you ever thought possible. Another tough aspect of working out here is that you are just told “no” over and over and over again. It can feel like a sea of rejection threatening to swallow you up. I’ve never let it truly get to me, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t insanely difficult at times.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
As a recording artist, I make Pop/Soul music, influenced by artists like Charlie Puth, Justin Timberlake, Bazzi, The Weekend, Daniel Caesar, Allen Stone, Bruno Major, and more. I just released my single “No Vacancy” which has already reached over 20,000 streams. My single Lover, which came out last November is about to break 100,000 streams. As an actor, I’ve appeared in Video Game High School, D’Arline, and other projects but I’m best known for being a regular on FBE’s React (which has amassed over 19 million subscribers).
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love how L.A. has something for everyone. It’s huge and there are so many neighborhoods. It’s always exactly what you make it. On the downside, it lacks a consistent culture that you can feel throughout, especially compared to places like New York or Paris.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/398rTZtYICaIzY6DX2mzis?si=9hVsgvb0QKu022w0yGByFQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/track/26qUvLOTMEBSn7Gw77hnR7?si=AUOwl_0kS5ytxGwgGTIPLw
Image Credit:
Effy Feng, Michael Bezjian
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