Page 14 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 114

BV114 pg 14-19 Austen Starr Interview.qxp_BV114 pg 14 10/06/2026 20:24 Page 1

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A Starr Is Born
A Starr Is Born

ometimes, things can come from the least expected of places. Much of
Sthis applies to Bostonian newcomer Austen Starr, whose debut album, 'I
Am The Enemy', is poised to make her quite the opposite with many fans of
rock music. Describing herself as an anxiety monster with a penchant for self-
induced misery, you would question whether a life of rock and roll would really
be the way to go. Add into this, she'll happily tell you she was raised in a family
where being a musician was the last thing she was encouraged to do. Yet, here
she is. And she hasn't come alone. With Joel Hoekstra for company on guitars,
whose CV boasts acts you may have heard of, such as Whitesnake and Cher
among other talented musicians, it is little wonder that 'I Am The Enemy' hits
all the right notes. And, with work well underway to take this show on the road,
it seems that much more is poised to come.
t is very clear that Austen is taking this the world and, if so, what she hopes people shows, is authenticity, vulnerability and relata-
Iseriously. Not just her music and the will see when they listen to her work. bility. Those are my top three goals in trying
album, but her time with Black Velvet. From "It's definitely really weird to be releasing to get my music out."
the minute she appears on our screen, it is music to the public for people to actually lis- The initial feedback from listeners has
very clear how excited she is to finally have ten to and critique and feel ways about how succeeded Austen’s hopes and expectations.
her music in the world, and to have people they feel personally about it and not just how “Oh my gosh, it's overwhelming, the re-
eager to talk to her about it, which is more I prescribed it,” Austen begins. “It's become sponse to this, because I had never put any-
than matched by her eagerness to speak yours, theirs, the listeners. It's no longer thing out there before because I was so
about the songs, the lyrics, and her journey mine, so it's whatever it relates to, whoever it nervous about how people would perceive it.
to this point. relates to, it's no longer what it means to me I didn't know how people would react; I
With the opening track on the album now; it's what it means to any of the listeners. thought people just wouldn't like it.
being 'Remain Unseen', Black Velvet begins "I guess I am no longer remaining un- "I told Joel Hoekstra, ‘Only like seven
by asking whether she feels the release of 'I seen! But, I think in terms of what I hope peo- people are going to watch this music video,’
Am The Enemy' is now her being ‘seen’ by ple will see from listening to the music and and now the views are at something like

AUSTEN STARR