Today, groundbreaking alternative singer-songwriter/model/artist Sam Austins unveils new single “Oatmeal Pancakes” (listen HERE). The masterfully R&B-tinged, incredibly vulnerable slow-burn received a coveted radio premiere via LA’s KCRW, and is the latest offering from Austins’ forthcoming EP, Boy Toy, due out May 26 via Atlantic Records (pre-save HERE).
Of today’s deeply personal release, “Oatmeal Pancakes,” Austins shares:
“‘Oatmeal Pancakes’ is a very special song to me on the ‘Boy Toy’ EP. It’s an ode to someone with whom I shared a classic night of emotional intimacy. It was a little blip of connection that, at the time, I needed. The moment was both fleeting and unforgettable. I remember spending time with her in a beach house, outside of LA, drinking red wine and listening to classic 90s records for hours into the morning. I actually almost called this song ‘New D’Angelo.’ The morning after, she had made a special breakfast for me. It’s my new favorite meal, caramelized bananas on top of oatmeal pancakes.”
Boy Toy’s magnetic lead single “Keep You Company” (listen HERE + watch the official music video HERE) arrived last month to instant critical acclaim, hailed by The Line of Best Fit as “…a track atmospherically bubbling with potentiality, effortlessly catchy in its hook, and striking with its electric guitar line.” Recently named to the highly-regarded NME 100 (‘essential emerging artists for 2023’), Austins has quickly become known for this genre-bending merge of sounds and influences, “incorporat[ing] indie, psych, R&B and beyond,” and proving himself to be “a true Gen Z chameleon.”
The Detroit-bred, LA-based musician has poured every part of himself into Boy Toy – even creating a character named Samuel Salem Bonhart to “express the raw emotions of what I’ve experienced through a new set of eyes.” As Sam elaborates, “Myself, like this character, grew up exposed to iconic heroes like Rick James, Prince, and Bootsy Collins, who were known for their powerful vocals and larger-than-life stage presence. Taking on an obsession with that era of music, Samuel Salem Bonhart is the presence of that heartbroken rockstar who embodies the highs and lows of love and loss.”
Earlier this month, the rising artist lit up the stage at LA’s iconic Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever not once, but twice – first, alongside Jesse® (from the Neighbourhood) and Yeek, and then as support for Vagabon. This summer, Austins will join the likes of Joji, Omar Apollo, Blondshell, and many more at San Diego, CA’s stacked Bleached Fest [August 5-6 @ Waterfront Park].
“Oatmeal Pancakes” and “Keep You Company” follow “Dancing With The Devil” and “Matador” – two standout singles that Austins released in the fall of 2022, before embarking on his first-ever North American tour, supporting beloved indie artist Dora Jar. That tour saw Austins stop in cities from Boston to Chicago to San Francisco, and included sold-out shows at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom, as well as LA’s storied Troubadour, where the run culminated.
Boy Toy marks the first EP that the artist has shared since his standout, debut mixtape, 2021’sHOMELESS STAR, which featured top single “JOY FOR YOUTH” with Atlantic labelmate Sir Chloe. Since he first arrived onto the scene, Sam Austins has become known for crafting music that’s simultaneously uplifting and melancholic, vulnerable and wildly inventive – an ability that’s been recognized with playlist adds from New Music Friday, Lorem, and Apple Music’s New Music Daily, sync placement on HBO’s Euphoria, and a slot at Lollapalooza last summer.
