Formula Indie Sessions : Interview with Astral Rocks
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest memory is sitting at a piano at five years old, fascinated by how pressing a key could create both a sound and a feeling simultaneously. That curiosity never left me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Those first moments at the piano grew into something deeper. As I got older, I realised music allowed me to express what words alone couldn’t. Playing notes became writing songs, and songwriting became a way to tell stories, share experiences, and connect with people.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Astral Rocks grew from my belief that even when people try to bring you down, something inside you can still rise. There were moments when I cried, but with every tear I became stronger. The Flame in Me carries that message: pain can break your heart, but it can also light a fire inside you.
How would you describe your sound?
Powerful, emotional rock with heart and meaning. Strong melodies, honest lyrics, and songs designed to give people goosebumps and help them draw strength. I want listeners to feel that someone has walked through the same pain they may be facing, and risen anyway.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
That honesty is everything. I used to chase perfection. Now I chase truth. When a song comes from a real place, people feel it without being told to.
What tools and instruments are essential in your creative process?
It usually starts with humming a melody, then writing chords at the piano. From there I send the idea to Ian, who plays guitar and develops the track further in Logic Pro. We rely on real human musicianship, instinct, and feeling, no AI. The soul of a song must come from real people.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Right now I am fully immersed in my own work. The Flame in Me means a great deal to me at the moment, it holds strength, honesty, and the conviction that you can rise again after pain.
How have your personal experiences shaped your artistic vision?
Every song I write is lived, not imagined. The challenges, losses, disappointments, hopes, and victories have all found their way into my music. Writing turns difficult experiences into something positive, and if even one person feels less alone because of a song, it has done its job.
What emotions do you hope listeners take from your work?
Strength, hope, and courage. I want people to know they are not alone, and that no matter how dark things seem, they are stronger than they think. Sometimes one song is all it takes.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you?
Never give up, no matter how many people doubt or criticise you. Let your work speak louder than the doubts.
What is a dream venue or festival you’d love to perform at?
A major international festival, standing on a stage while thousands of people sing back words I wrote from the heart. For me it has never been about fame. It is about connection.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
George Michael. He had a rare ability to combine beautiful melody with raw emotional honesty and lyrics that endured. He connected deeply with listeners, and that is exactly what I aspire to.
Where can listeners follow and support your music?
On Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all major streaming platforms. Every stream, share, and playlist addition helps independent artists keep creating and reaching new audiences.
What’s your dream for the next chapter of your journey?
To keep releasing original music, perform live, and build Astral Rocks into a lasting legacy. I also dream of seeing my book Raised by Cold Hands transformed into a stage musical on Broadway or the West End, bringing its story of pain, survival, and hope to audiences through music and storytelling combined.
What do you hope listeners discover about you along the way?
That I am a real person behind the music, someone who has faced heartbreak, setbacks, and doubt, but never stopped believing. If my journey shows people that it is possible to keep moving forward and create something beautiful from life’s hardest moments, that is more than enough.
Astral Rocks
original music inspired by strength, hope, and the belief that no matter what life throws at you, the flame within can never be extinguished.
