Biography

If Frank Ocean and Sade had a baby, ASTU would be it. Part retro soul, part nineties R&B pastiche, part New Wave-inspired synth-pop, ASTU’s music refuses to pledge allegiance to a single vibe. The Oakland-based singer/songwriter has the ability to find an easy, irresistible groove and turn it into an unhurried banger. The depth and complexity of her buttery alto on Patterns, her debut project, has garnered critical acclaim from Afropunk, Earmilk, KQED and more. The black, queer and gender expansive artist found herself in R&B, expressing her sexuality, identity and life experience in her music. ALTARS - ASTU’s debut album - builds upon her 2018 EP(Patterns) taking us from cognizance of old systems of thought to the returning of self that comes only from looking within and into the dark, where the light is. From silky, slow jams to trip-hop-esque grooves, ASTU keeps us wanting more. 
 Variance Magazine describes her sound as "...kin to some of Solange’s recent material with the whispering confidence of Kelela..." while KQED raves, "...a particularly insightful and self-assured debut, sure to count as one of the Bay Area's most notable releases this year."