Life & Work with Amstar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amstar (Amr Jan). 

Hi Amr, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Music was always a part of my life growing up; my parents played lots of music around the house and in the car, and my dad had a piano that he loved to jam on. In middle school, I picked up the drums, then the guitar and piano as well. My interest in production grew out of my love for instruments, trying to arrange music by myself to create my own songs at home, and incorporating more “digital” or “modern” elements. Musically, my main focus at the time was rock music and playing in bands – part of me wanted to be a rock star, but I didn’t know what that path looked like. Around then I discovered dance music and started to dabble with electronic production. I remember as early as my late-elementary school years I was fiddling around with Garageband putting loops together, but it never developed further than that until my late teens. As I was exposed to more dance music, my focus shifted, and I started DJing at parties and eventually bars/clubs. I was producing here and there, but I didn’t really start taking it seriously and putting in the necessary work until the last few years. Since then, I’ve met so many awesome creatives/creative-adjacents, made meaningful friendships, and played some pretty cool shows. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. I think that’s a universal experience as an artist. It’s not like engineering or construction – there’s no right way or road map for any of this, and you don’t get to see real-time results. That in itself can be brutal, and it really puts you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Some days I feel like I’m writing meaningful, authentic music, and some days I feel like it all sounds uninspired and mediocre. Some days I feel like I’m making a splash in the pond, and other days it feels like I’m drowning in it. And I’m only just getting started on this journey; I fully expect the bipolar nature of being an artist to only get more intense. Apart from that, there are a lot of roles an artist has to play. Without a team and/or expendable income, an artist likely has to be their own graphic designer, video editor, content creator, manager, and PR firm (at least up to a certain point). Fortunately for me, I really enjoy graphic design and video editing, and I consider them a part of my creative process, but it can still be a lot. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I try to focus inward and remember that at the end of the day this is about me and my creative expression, not about pleasing some A&R or getting lots of Instagram likes. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I consider myself primarily a dance music producer, and if I’m known for anything, it would be the more high-energy, heavy side of house music. I like to do it all though, and I want my project to reflect that. One of my focuses coming up will be to diversify my release catalog. There’s a lot in the pipeline right now, but soon enough people will get to hear a range of sounds that more fully captures what I’m about. At the end of the day, my music is a representation of who I am and what I’ve experienced, and as such it traverses a range of emotions, styles, and genres. My background in playing instruments definitely lends itself to my productions as well, whether it’s my particular sense of groove, melodic tendencies, or affinity for distortion. 

Outside of my personal artist project, I have a company with my best friend called Mad Sound, through which we do music production and engineering for all kinds of musicians: pop singers, hip hop artists, bands, DJs, whatever. It allows me to work on a range of music that I otherwise might not get to, and keeps things fresh – there’s always a new project or challenge to tackle. 

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking feels like a dirty word to me, I suggest trying to make genuine friendships and relationships with others in the industry. Don’t force it – you might not get along with every single person, but be yourself and the right people will come your way. All my mentors have also been great friends, and I think that’s how it should be. As I mentioned earlier, there are a LOT of people in the scene trying to elevate themselves; try not to worry so much about what other people are doing and be authentic to yourself and put your music first. With that said, I probably wouldn’t be where I am without the guidance and support from the people in my corner. On a similar note, take advice from people you trust – it’s almost guaranteed another artist has been in the same spot as you – and pay no mind to the opinions of someone you wouldn’t take advice from in the first place. 

Contact Info:

• Email: amstarofficial@gmail.com OR prod.madsound@gmail.com
• Website: amstarmusic.com

Image Credits
Dru Cook