We caught up with the brilliant and insightful 4stro a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

4stro, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I think right now, the projects that stand out most to me are “Creature Feature”, “Datamøsh!ng” and my upcoming project “blood moon”. Being an avid fan of horror movies and books, I always wanted to bridge the gap between the gritty and moody side of those films and the happier, more upbeat vibes of old school pop-punk and crunkcore. “Creature Feature” was the first project where I really started trying to harness that identity in a way that I was proud of, and some of my favorite tracks I’ve ever made come from that tiny 7 track EP. I mentioned “Datamøsh!ng” as well because this is the first full project that I did where everything fit together. From beginning to end that project tells a story of love and heartache while also introducing you to a change of scenery: The D!g!tal Realm. “Datamøsh!ng” paved the way for me to feel comfortable tackling new concepts and perspectives through my music, and “blood moon” is a project that aims to expand those horizons in an extreme and almost over-the-top manner, following an overdramatized superhero-esque version of myself on a quest to save the world after a blood moon invites monsters, aliens, and ghouls to wreak havoc on the earth. It is a stark change in sound, swapping guitars and lyrics of heartbreak for synths, heavy bass, and lots of excitement. I think it will usher in a new era of energy for me and my audience, and I’m excited mostly to see how that translates live, as it is one of the first projects where I could visualize a performance while I was creating the music.

4stro, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For sure! So hi, I go by 4stro (Astro) and I’m an independent scenecore/emo-rap/hyperpop/whatever artist from upstate NY! I started getting into music when I was about 14 freestyling at the lunch table at catholic school (I’m 23 and a college graduate now!). After a quick trip to a marine boot-camp program for “bad kids” and a quick swap back to public school, I decided I wanted to start taking it seriously. I started dropping music the Spring of my junior year of high school, but it wasnt until my freshman year of college that I would go on to realize the style that I have today. In January of 2020, just before the covid-19 pandemic was in full effect, I released a song called “Wavy Baby” that changed my life. For the first time I wasn’t trying to be something and the first time that I really poured my heart out onto a microphone. Since then, I have used music as an outlet to speak about the realer things in life and to be an ally to anyone going through similar struggles to my own. Since then, I’ve released 8 projects and a litany of singles with nothing but my laptop, a microphone and a 1-channel interface, performed alongside artists like Lil Tracy, Destroy Lonely, and Sewerperson, and most of all I’ve met some amazing friends who have become like a musical family to me along the way!

I think what sets me apart from everyone else in the industry is my attitude. Beyond the music and the image is a very genuine person who laughs, cries, and experiences everything you hear in the songs. Everybody dramatizes things to make them prettier but I draw all my inspiration from real experiences, leading to genuinely unique songs that are relatable and honest but also pretty and polished.

Other random facts about me:

I LOVE horror movies and gritty cartoons like Invader Zim, Flapjack, and Dragon Ball Z! My favorite horror movie is the 2008 film Martyrs by Pascal Laugier and I’m a huge fan of the works of Junji Ito.

My favorite food is Mac and Cheese, and my favorite drink is a Shirley Temple with EXTRA cherries.

My favorite colors are pink and black!

I have over 1000 hours on Borderlands 2 lol

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The sense of community for sure. Above all else, the thing that brings me the most smiles is getting texts from friends and fans that my music has helped them through tough times or looking into a crowd at a show and seeing people genuinely feeling the lyrics and singing along. Music brings people together, and to see my songs come to fruition like that and actually have a positive impact on others makes me feel like I’m making my dreams come true!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely! Prior to music I wanted to be a speech pathologist and help people with speech impediments and such. I’ve always felt like everyone deserves a voice and to be heard, so I started using music as a way to give a voice to the voiceless and speak in such a way that others could find relatability and closure through how I speak on my own experiences. Whether the mood is fun and energetic or raw and melancholy I try to create an atmosphere through my music that anyone can pick up on and find comfort and peace in. All in all I just want to create a family through music where everyone can inspire one another to chase their dreams and be their most authentic selves!    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/4stroland/abøut
• Instagram: @4stro.naut
• Other: https://linktr.ee/4stro