Words by: Amanda Marano

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Austin Meade has just signed to Snakefarm Records. In the meantime, he’s been perfecting his country and rock ‘n’ roll infused sound as he gears up for the release of his label debut Black Sheep on February 19, 2021. About the signing, Meade shares, “I’m excited to have an opportunity to work with a team that believes in what we are doing. We could have all made excuses for this year to be a wash. But instead, kept moving and built one hell of a crew. The Black Sheep crew is coming for you.” 

In honor of the exciting announcements, Austin Meade has released the video for the soon-to-be hit “Happier Alone” — which has already garnered over 2 million streams in the U.S. alone. The funky and colorful video frames a rock track riddled with country elements, while the lyrics still manage to be intimate as they are sung through sultry vocals. “I played this song at least 30 times the first day we wrote it,” Meade explains.“For me, it doesn’t get old and the idea for the video was sitting in my head for a few months. It’s a tip of the hat to my high school hometown: Brenham, Texas. I’ve always wanted to go back and shoot a video with old friends in the places that we loved hanging out when we were younger. So we got a killer crew together and made it happen.”

He continues, “‘Happier Alone’ turned into the exact early 2000’s sound that I’ve always loved, and the video keeps that nostalgic aura alive. ‘You could be happier alone’ is a pretty heavy statement when standing alone as text on a page. But the music and video give you a peek inside our true intentions of keeping life funny and enjoying the small moments — like an old roller rink couple’s skate.”

Growing up in a small town in Texas, Austin Meade’s songs and stories are rich and versatile, with the upcoming album boasting tracks that are dark alt-pop to new age and Sabbath-inspired. He cites his other influences as metal-and classic-rock bands like Judas Priest and Whitesnake, the intense emo-rock of Paramore and Fall Out Boy, as well as the power of songwriters like John Mayer and Tom Petty. He put in the work, touring in the Texas and Oklahoma’s Red Dirt scene, performing as a drummer for years, and even teaching to pay the bills. Meade eventually found his true voice when he began playing guitar as a teen in his pastor father’s church. All of these experiences and influences helped to shape Meade into the artist he is evolving into today.

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