Car Astor is a 24-year old singer-songwriter who burst onto the scene under the moniker SEE when her music video for “Potions” went viral. After releasing her EP Ties in 2016, Astor underwent a musical change from SEE to Car Astor. Her deeply personal album you say you love me…but I don’t believe you comes out September 4 and features a unique combination of lyrics with real, raw feelings and a stripped down emo-country folk feel.
How long have you been creating your art?
I’ve been making music since I was 14 or 15, but started on the drums. After years of playing in bands, I got the courage to step forward and start singing as a solo artist. My first project as a solo artist came out four years ago, and I’ve been releasing music consistently since then.
Where are you from? How does that influence your art?
I grew up on Long Island, which was a very conservative place to grow up, so I don’t think that influenced me at all, but the proximity to the NYC music scene at a young age was huge for me. It really let me explore and come out of my shell, and I think the diversity I experienced while playing in clubs at the age of 15 onward gave me a whole new perspective. I felt super at home in NYC and am so happy to be living here now.
What projects are you currently working on? Do you have any upcoming releases?
My new album you say you love me… but i don’t believe you comes out September 4. It’s an exciting one for me because it’s definitely the most honest and raw body of work I’ve ever made. The record is a huge 180 from my past releases, and is truly stripped down emo-country-folk, just my songs, my voice and a guitar.
What is your inspiration? And why?
The inspiration for this album was my personal life. I was in the middle of a super intense love triangle and had fallen in love with my best friend. The whole situation was messy for years and had a lot of heartache on all ends of it, so all of these songs are exploring the feelings I had throughout.
Why is music important to the queer community?
For the first time ever, I think queer music and queer artists are being celebrated and admired openly, and that is such an incredible thing. I grew up not being able to name one gay or queer artist, and I feel like my journey to understanding myself would have been a lot easier if I had music or a role model that spoke about their queer experiences – whether it be in self discovery, love, etc. So I hope that queer music can continue to make a really positive impact on kids growing up, and also continue to provide a safe and loving space for anyone who is out or exploring their sexuality.
What do you hope to achieve as an artist?
More than anything, I just want to be able to say that at the end of the day I’ve had a career where I’ve pushed my boundaries and been 100% authentic to myself artistically. Whatever comes out of that, I’ll be grateful for.
Who are your top 3 major influences?
Jeff Buckley, Hayley Williams, and Radiohead!
How can we all support your work and talent?
You can stream my new album on September 4, and if you like it, the best thing you can do would be to follow me on Instagram and comment on my posts and share my music. I don’t think people understand how far each comment, like, or share goes – it truly keeps indie artists like myself moving forward.
