NYC-based powerhouse, Car Astor (formerly known as SEE) is charging headfirst into 2019 with the release of her first single of the new year, “Don’t Stop, Don’t Speak.” Following the release of her dance-pop breakup anthem, “Girlfriend,” “Don’t Stop, Don’t Speak” finds Car Astor stepping outside of her comfort zone and pushing herself more than ever before. It’s a perfect sneak peek into what promises to be one hell of a year, with her second EP coming later this year.
After taking a year off from playing shows in an effort to find herself, Car Astor has returned stronger and better than ever with “Girlfriend” and now, “Don’t Stop, Don’t Speak.” With a desire to create honest, vulnerable music, both for herself and her fans, Car Astor is opening up more than ever with her new music and the result is something that anyone can connect with.
We recently caught up with Car Astor to discuss her new music and plans for 2019. Read the full interview and listen to “Don’t Stop, Don’t Speak” now below!
Interview by Dom Vigil
Can you tell us a little bit about Car Astor for anyone who might be hearing you for the first time?
I would say that my music is alternative pop with some rock and acoustic vibes thrown in occasionally. I think the biggest connecting factor through all of my songs is that fact that I try to be as honest as possible with my lyrics and emotions. Nothing is more important to me than that!
For those who might not be familiar with Car Astor, you previously went by the name SEE until this year – what was the inspiration behind the name change? What does it mean for the direction of your future music?
I had chosen the name SEE when I was 18 years old, and I feel like I have grown and changed tremendously since then. At the time I think I wanted a name that disguised me a bit, and now that I’m way more comfortable with myself and who I am, I wanted to have a name that was more of my true self, as people call me Car in my life away from music. Just strongly felt like it was the right thing to do. I don’t know if the change directly correlates with a change in my music, but I feel way more connected with this new name so I think that can only help shape the material down the line.
You recently released “Girlfriend,” your first single as Car Astor as well! What inspired the track?
I wrote this track over a year ago when I found myself in a very confusing love triangle situation where the person I had feelings for was in a relationship. We became close very quickly and always were dancing along the line of things being too much, or things being just friendly. Eventually our feelings became obvious but I was angry with this person for kind of using me. So this is a response to my feelings then!
Now that it has been out for a few months, what are some of your favorite things about “Girlfriend”?
I love that I came out of my shell and wrote and sang a song that wasn’t a ballad. I have such a love for all types of music but had really only written slower and mid tempo songs up until this point. It was so much fun for me to push myself out of my comfort zone both production wise and vocally too!
You were hard at work on new music last year, with plans to release a new EP this year! What can fans expect from your new music? Have you had any big goals in mind when writing and recording?
My goals are always to just make the song as good as I possibly can. I think my main want for this new batch of songs is to have a super well rounded mix of energies and emotions. There are songs for when people feel sad, happy, energetic, angry, etc. I also think I’ve hit a point where I’m no long uncomfortable to experiment with my vocals and that has opened so many doors for me with these new songs! I’m naturally an extremely shy person and I never really expected to ever be a singer and performer, so this whole process has been fascinating and I finally feel like I’m ready to give it my all. For me personally, writing lyrics has also taken a huge shift since my last releases. I was always afraid of saying the wrong things, or being too upfront, but I experienced so much this past year and realized that being vulnerable and deeply honest is not only better for the song and the listener, but also helps me heal.
How do you feel you’ve grown during the writing and recording process of the new music?
I took about a year off from playing shows and being out in the world specifically to really find myself and work on these songs every single day. I went through a lot of personal shifts and changes and I think that is all reflected and documented with how much I’ve grown with the new material. I just think I’ve grown way more into the person I always wanted to be, and although I’m still working on things, I’m no longer afraid. I have an amazing very tiny team of two of my best friends and we write and produce and mix everything just the three of us. I think working in an environment where it is so trusting and full of love is so important. We all have helped each other immensely because we won’t stop working on something until all of us agree that it’s perfect. I have learned to open up to them about every detail of my life which is so important when working with people so that they can understand my intentions and the feelings that we need to put into the track. I just feel very free in the best way possible!
What would you like fans to take away from your music?
I want fans to take away whatever they want to! Obviously I would love for everyone to feel very connected and feel like their experiences and feelings are ok to feel, but if the most that someone gets out of it is dancing a bit in their car and shouting some of the words, that is perfect to me too! I think everyone will feel very different things when listening to these songs and that is what makes it so beautiful to me.
Do you have any other big plans for 2019?
My goals for 2019 are to work my ass off, and to continue to allow myself to grow and be as good to myself and the people around me as possible. I have a feeling that this year is going to be a very important one for me and I couldn’t be more excited.
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