by pankhuri bhutani
photo courtesy of alt bloom
With around 120,000 monthly listeners on his Spotify profile, this LA based alt-R&B artist is coming up with his newly released debut EP titled, Astronaut Complex. Alt Bloom’s songs are unique in every aspect, and that’s the reason it took him no time to attract listeners from all across the globe.
Ethan Thompson, who goes professionally by the name Alt Bloom, has so far released many successful tracks, some of them including “Stay,” “West Coast,” “Damn Baby,” and “October Eyes.” To talk about his new EP, Ethan was kind enough to take out some of his time for a short interview with Unclear Magazine.
What was the experience like with your first song?
Alt Bloom: “The first song I wrote was after my first heartbreak. It was freeing. I felt like I could say what I honestly felt without the fear of somebody hearing it.”
Was there anything you planned out to do before setting out in the music industry?
AB: “I planned to get a degree — that fell through.”
What according to you is the best thing that you have experienced so far related to your music?
AB: “Being free again. Being a ski bum in L.A. I thought I must be naive to think I could just make the music I want. Now that’s exactly what I am doing.”
Out of all the songs that you have created, which one is your favorite and why?
AB: “Different day, different song. Sometimes an old song rings so true to me I remember the lessons I knew before that I had since forgotten. Off this EP it’s hard to pick a favorite, they all speak to different parts of me. I wrote a song once that nobody will hear called ‘What Will Pass On.’ It’s a song about what I want to leave behind. That one would be one I come back to a lot when I am feeling lost.”
photo courtesy of alt bloom
You just released your debut EP Astronaut Complex. Congratulations on that! What was the inspiration behind it?
AB: “Thank you so much! The inspiration was life and love. All the songs are mixes of stories of the last few years in my life. Sonically I have always been trying to marry Mac Miller’s to Tom Petty’s and there’s moments in this I feel like we are really getting at that.”
What was the creative process like and did you face any challenges during the process?
AB: “Creating is challenging, but that’s what makes it enjoyable. We are all addicted to the rush of when something clicks. It’s why artists will stay in the studio for months chasing that magic.”
Is there any particular message that you are trying to convey through this EP?
AB: “Every song is a different part of a relationship. Top to bottom it goes from meeting someone to losing someone. Each song deals with a different emotion in that cycle. It’s what plays into the title with letting your walls down to actually experience something. Too often we are scared to leave our safety nets. Go ahead and live/love fearlessly. You’re gonna get hurt, but that’s part of experiencing a full life.”