July 16, 2020

Meet Austin Ludwig

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Ludwig.

Austin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up, I was no stranger to adversity; in fact, for what seemed like a lifetime, my relationship to adversity felt inescapable. You might be thinking, “Easy there buddy. Don’t go all dark on us too quickly.” But isn’t it the darkness that provides us the appropriate contrast to appreciate the light? I’m here to show you my scars that carry the story of who I am and who I’m becoming. Every scar has a story. We might consider them ugly, but scars testify that we are capable of healing. When we share our scars and the stories they hold, I believe we enable others to heal as well. George Braque made this statement: “Art is a wound turned into light.” Here are my scars. Here are my stories. Here is my light.

By the time I was 14 years old, I had a front row seat to three divorces. My mother, step-mother, and my siblings and I fell victim to an abusive father who severely struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism. For the most part, we grew up dirt poor and struggled to make ends meet. In hindsight, it wasn’t all bad. As an adolescent it was the only “normal” I knew. However, events escalated during my early years as a teenager. During what should have been my freshman year of high school, I never enrolled in school and my sister dropped out. We stayed home to take care of my youngest siblings who were one and two years old at the time. That year all hell broke loose. As my father’s addictive behavior increased, so did the abuse. This resulted in the State taking custody of my siblings and me. From that point until graduating out of the system at 18, I was a foster kid.

After spending some time in state foster care, my world changed in a drastic way. Winshape Homes, a foster care program founded by Truett Cathy, pursued custody of my oldest sister and me. By the time I was fifteen, we moved into a Winshape Foster Home at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Under the care of my foster parents, Doug and Julie Bowling, I began my journey toward healing and wholeness. When I graduated, I moved to Cobb County to become a student at Kennesaw State University. I thank God for Winshape and to this day still consider it home.

Even in the midst of a broken upbringing, I was always involved in music. The truth is that music is one of the greatest gifts I ever received from my father. Like many young musicians, I grew up playing in churches and music was kind of the lifeblood of my family. Our home life may have been hellacious, but on Sunday mornings we led worship together as a family at various churches. Later on in life, I had to come to terms with what damage this double-life caused in my faith. During my early years of college, I learned to make my faith my own and had to let the healing process fix the fractures in my framework. I got connected to a college ministry at a local church, Riverstone. Without a shadow of doubt, this church was a divine intervention in my life. I jumped in the deep end and got involved with worship and music ministry. Today I can proudly say that I have been on staff for almost five years and have been the Worship Pastor for over two years.

So there you go. Some scars and their stories. It’s an honor to share. Today I love the life I lead. I would endure the darkness again and again if it meant I could embrace the light I hold today. I am immeasurably blessed. Dreams have come to fruition. I’ve married my best friend, Lexy. I’ve traveled the world. I’ve released music and continue to do so. Alongside vocational ministry, I’m an artist and producer. I have various projects with a full length album coming this year. I also release music under the moniker LOODVIG for my anti-pop project. I hope people find my art and experience my music– my light. Every wound was worth it.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Needless to say, it’s been a pretty rough road, but rough roads are the ones less traveled, and roads less traveled lead to uncharted territory and unique, creative identity. Rough roads are catalysts for great art and, more than anything, great artists. It’s less about what you will accomplish, but more about who you are becoming because it is where artistry flows from. If we harness the power of our story, we will have something to say. Songbirds with broken wings discover a different kind of voice– a different kind of song. Sometimes we want to fly off and share our sound with the world before we’ve discovered it ourselves. As we mature, we recognize the blessing that our broken season offered us. What once felt like an impediment actually became an opportunity to use creative muscles we never knew existed. It took me a LOT longer than I expected to release music, but in retrospect I’m grateful for that. Over and over again I have faced countless obstacles. Like many artists, I didn’t want to be boxed in. But it was within the box that I discovered my true creativity. If I have learned anything, it’s that limitation begets innovation.

Can you give our readers some background on your music?
Currently my main music project is LOODVIG. I took on this moniker and launched this anti-pop/alt-rnb project at the end of 2019. It even has some trap and EDM influences (I love massive drops), but is also grounded with a major focus on songwriting and cathartic storytelling. Throughout 2020 I am releasing at least a song a month.

I’ve also had the privilege of producing a few different projects with my production partner Spenser Boice. He’s a great friend and business partner who introduced me to the world of production a few years back. Last year we connected with missionaries in China and traveled to Hong Kong to produce our first ever international record in the language of Mandarin, the most spoken language in the world. The record was a success and these songs are being made accessible to Mandarin speaking believers across the world, especially in China where there is a lack of equity and access to these kinds of resources to engage in freedom of worship.

This year I will be releasing my personal debut full length album under my actual name as an artist. This record has been a long time in the making. The songs are faith based and share my journey of discovering my true identity.

I’m proud to have my hands in various aspects of the music industry. I don’t think one lane would ever fully scratch the creative itch that I have or tap into the potential of what I know I can accomplish. I’ve heard from both sides of the line– communities of faith and the “secular” entertainment industry– I won’t be able to effectively do both. There’s this idea that one will blemish the other, but those are lines I refuse to see.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plan for the future is to continue that which I started many years ago. I believe Eugene Peterson said it best: “A long obedience in the same direction.” This is what I live for. I don’t necessarily make “New Year’s Resolutions” because I simply plan on continuing what I’ve already set out to do two or even three years prior. Big dreams require longevity and a steadfast dedication. I will evolve and transform along the way. The process will pivot and shift, but in the simplest essence my plans haven’t changed. I will make music with the goal of inspiring others to hopefully tilt their heads a little to look at themselves and the world around them with fresh perspective. I want to challenge the norms through artistry and empower others as well. I plan to succeed in what I set out to do and to share my story along the way. My ambition is to see my dreams come to fruition so that the abused, the marginalized, and the broken hearted know that they can do the same. At the most elementary level, I plan to be a better man and to learn how to increase in love. My desire is to inspire others, so they too can turn their wounds into light.

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.artisthub.co/artist/5TexIbPAUcr8mG8JK1zHWZ?si=Kwj4DRdBQGqnAOMerc7fFQ
Email: austinludwigmusic@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinludwig/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austinludwigmusic

Image Credit:
Rachel McCart
Erastus McCart

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