We’re excited about a lot of things right now, but one artist that is currently at the forefront of our mind is South LA native August 08, and his new single “Keep Me Around” is proving why. Tapping into a dreamy R&B soundscape filled with experimentation and raw emotion, the artist puts his vocals on full display in his new track, holding nothing back. Diving in a new terrority for the single, the artist bares all as he navigates feelings of heartbreak and remorse.

“I wanted to speak on real-life situations and what we go through in relationships,” the artist said when speaking on the track. “I never wanna shy away from the raw emotion and mood swings that come with loving someone.”

Already known for his simmering lush R&B sound, the artist is due further refine his sound in his upcoming album Seasick. Teasing that the project will take us through a thematic arc, we caught up with the rising star virtually talking his creativity in lockdown, finding his sound and being so raw in his music.

Check out the interview below now…

Hey August, how are you and how has this past year been?
I’m not well. The world and people are destroying my confidence.

With everything that happened last year, was your creativity affected?
Not at all. It gave me the opportunity to focus on myself and creatively free myself. A lot of changes in life with family passing and friends but we still here growing and building through it all.

How did you first get into music? What sparked the interest?
I first got into music because my cousin in Reako had fruity loops and I spent the summer at his house making beats for fun and I got hooked.

Talk us through your sound. What do you want people to take away from it?
My sound is obtainable. I want everyone to feel a part of it as though they created it. Every beat is simple and every lyric is relatable.

And your new single, what was your mindset going into it?
I wanted to speak on real-life situations and what we go through in relationships. I never wanna shy away from the raw emotion and mood swings that come with loving someone.

And the video is stunning. What was filming like?
The filming was amazing. It was directed by Jason Ano and we really dug into the concept of simplicity. We had an amazing crew and my co-star girlfriend, Lauren Pearson, killed it.

Who would you say inspires you?
Honestly, when I was making this project I always listened to Francis and the Lights. He’s my favorite. But I was emotionally on the edge of my seat in life so that drove the ship.

What’s next for you, what are you most excited about?
Seasick the album coming in 2022. I’m very excited to show off the full body of work and what we have to offer.