There are a lot of adjectives that we can use to describe who Austin Brown is. He’s naturally talented, a music genius, and a funny yet modest artist. Modest, yes, because despite his last name being Brown, Austin comes from what is considered the royalty of music: the Jackson family.
His mother, Rebbie, is the eldest sister of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Coming from a music household known worldwide, Austin was constantly exposed to the pop sounds that made his family known worldwide. Despite never hiding his legacy, Austin stayed out of the spotlight during his childhood. Yes, he played instruments during several showcases of Rebbie in The States in 1998, but other than that, he did not make many appearances in video clips or shows like many of his cousins did. Austin was working on his musical skills in silence and surprised everyone when he announced that he was entering “the family business” in 2004.
Panorama.it talked in exclusive with him.
Thank you so much for being here, Austin. I’m very curious. So let’s begin. I really want to know more about who you are. How do you define yourself?
Ooh, how do I define myself? I describe myself as a music lover, you know? Somebody who’s passionate about creativity and likes to tell stories. Yes. I like to tell stories about my journey and my life thus far, and I like to translate them into music. And I like to do it in a way, sonically, where those who listen to it can dance and feel good, bring in energy… uplift.
We need to address the elephant in the room. You’re coming from a very, very famous family. How did it shape you?
You know, it shapes you in a way where you know where you come from because of what you’re passionate about and what you do. I’ve heard a lot of different things throughout my life: a lot about music, a lot about musicians and sounds. And so it just makes it, for me, it holds the integrity to want to create something great for my generation and to continue the legacy. That’s great.
How do you work on your music? Where do you find the inspiration?
I got to know that there’s so much more out there. These emotions that I’m feeling this is what I’m putting into my music and translate into it until they come out. You know, I grew up in California, around skaters and kids listening to rock. You know, I actually grew up myself listening to rock, funk, and reggae. My dad is Jamaican. So there were so many things that I heard in my life growing up that allowed me to kind of put this whole entire sound together. It wasn’t just a concerted effort just to be different.
Still, someone might see you as “on of the Jackson’s family”…
Sure. That’s part of my sound as well too. It is my background and what inspired me to be what I am now. And I’m okay with it.
Talking about your music: you’re a singer, but you’re also a producer. What’s the difference between being a singer and being a producer?
Ooh. You know, I think they kind of go hand in hand, but when you are a vocalist, you are really looking at things like how you sing it, your tone, and your emotions. But as a producer, I’m allowed to create the paint and the picture I want to paint for you. And you know, I’d rather make a song on a guitar or a piano. The song is there, but then I can choose how I wanna dress it: I have the option if I wanna make it bluesy, if I wanna make it reggae; producing allows me to be able to see it through, and when I’m working with others people I get to dip into their world.
I wanna go further talking about BLVK CVSTLE. Why the name?
BLVK CVSTLE is all about strength and unity, brothers coming together. It’s something that is rooted in us and based on our sound, all of our different life expressions. We are just a bunch of people who come up and play. We all have life experiences that have a staple to them. And so that’s what Black Castle is: it represents a unity and a community of people who are rooted and bringing a big sound.
Returning to your music, what’s coming next this year? I know you’re coming with a single and an album. Can you give us some spoilers?
Yeah. So… the next song that’s coming out is this record called California, which is all about being from California. It’s about the energy of what it meant to grow up here around the musical influences and around these kinds of people. And then shortly after that, there will be the album release.
Which is going to be out in Summer. Which kind of vibes are you going to represent in the album?
I am always deep-rooted in rhythm, in R&B, but there will be some rock influences, some reggae influences, and some soul influences. In the end, it’s just music. It’s just stuff that makes you feel good stories and all connected through sounds. You know, you have certain sounds that move you in a certain way. I have certain sounds that move me in a certain way, so I just want to make sure that the feeling I’m translating is what I want you to experience with me. And so the songs really touch on that. I think we all need something gonna lead us to a positive aspect. A lot is going on in the world that’s trying to detach us from one another, and I think music is one of the things that help glue us together.
There is a song, Fire; which kind of song is it?
Fire is definitely a rock reggae-inspired record with a lot of R&B influences. In my opinion, it has marks from The Police, and so much was also inspired by Bob Marley, and the song is about getting too close to a flame that you know is bad for you, but you can’t help it. It’s like playing with fire, you know, sometimes love, as invigorating as it can be, could also be toxic, but we keep going back and pulling back into it because, for some reason, this person is drawing us into it. So it’s like, Fire. It’s, it’s like throwing your heart out there, knowing what’s gonna happen, but you still are; it’s worth the risk of love.
You’re also filming something, Frequency’s episodes. I want to know more about this experience, which differs entirely from making music.
Frequency’s been awesome. I have a lot of friends in this music business. I’ve been doing it for a very long time, and everybody has their own specific journey. Everybody has their thing that led them to be where they are at. And so what Frequency does is that it allows me to be able to geek out with my friends and talk about it and what they’ve been through and speak about their life and what they’re trying to grow and what they’re trying to grow and what they’re trying to do. I get to talk to people from legends like Philip Bailey from Earth Wind & Fire to my friend DSharp, who is a violinist from South Carolina who is just absolutely insane in doing things that you’ve never heard before. It gives a nice little story about everyone’s journey, which comes on. So it gives a nice little journey.
Coming from a pop royalty family, is this a responsibility for you?
Um, no.
Is it a privilege?
I would say yeah because I’m thankful to have witnessed great mastery. I’m so grateful to have been able to see hard workers achieve their goals by being good at what they do and bringing people together. I got to live watching, um, members of my family. That is special. That’s truly something that’s beautiful. The place I come from humbly is the same place of wanting to uplift and give people something great. That’s not my responsibility to take someone else’s accomplishments; those aren’t mine. I didn’t do them. But I can add what I bring to the table and just try to uplift the best way.
f you could define yourself in one word, what would it be?
Determined.