Today we’d like to introduce you to Austan Malik.
Hi Austan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I come from a small family. My mother, a hardworking single mom, raised my older sister, my brother, and me. I’m the youngest. She gave us everything she could. We may not have had the best of everything, but we always had what we needed: a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs. That alone makes me deeply grateful.
What stuck with me most wasn’t what we had. It was what she showed me. Her consistency, her resilience, her ability to show up and execute day in and day out. That became my foundation. Watching her and my family grind for everything instilled in me this burning belief: there has to be more to life than just surviving.
Growing up, I often felt misunderstood. I was fascinated with technology, video games, and sci-fi lore. Things not many other kids vibed with. So I turned inward. Music became my escape. I’d literally set alarm clocks just to wake up and watch music videos before school and again before bed. Not many people will remember, but those videos just hit different back then.
Music was always there for me during my highest highs, lowest lows, and darkest moments. In 2008, I discovered a program called VirtualDJ. That was the spark. I’d been obsessed with music for years, and the idea that I could mix and blend tracks myself blew my mind. Not long after, a friend introduced me to FL Studio, and everything changed. I started producing trance tracks as a kid, fully diving into sound design and creativity.
But life doesn’t always follow your plans. I went through some tough times that pulled me away from music entirely. At one point, I ended up homeless. I was working a solid full-time job but couldn’t find stable housing. I slept in my car for countless nights, using a gym to clean up and keep going. No excuses. Just grind.
I share these struggles not to play the victim but to show you what fuels me. My ambition, my rebellious spirit, my refusal to quit. It all comes from these moments.
Sometime around 2010 or 2011, I walked into my first club. Quad in Atlanta. That night was a turning point. I’d always loved electronic music, but that was the first time I realized people actually went out to experience it together. I was hooked.
By 2012, I finally got my own place again. I had a solid career, had just been promoted, and things looked good on paper, but my heart never left music. It kept calling me. When I told people I wanted to be a DJ, I got the usual reactions. Skepticism. Concern. Confusion. I lost relationships over it. But I stayed true. Over the years, I built a community of people who didn’t just hear my vision. They believed in it.
I started playing shows, DJing everything from clubs to corporate gigs, weddings, and more. But in 2016, I hit a wall. I couldn’t find that next track that scratched the itch. And then it hit me. I wasn’t supposed to find it. I was supposed to create it. That’s when I started producing again.
I’ve been inspired by legends like Slander, Excision, Zomboy, Ray Volpe. Artists who made me feel something. With help from mentors and years of grinding, I sharpened my ear, my vision, and my brand. I dropped my first official track in 2017 and kept releasing up until COVID.
Then 2020 hit. And it was one of the darkest chapters of my life. Anyone who knows me knows how hard that time was. But again, it fueled me. It lit a fire that’s still burning.
In 2023, just as I thought things were stabilizing, the corporate career I’d built for 13 years came to an end. I had led high-performing teams, crushed KPIs, and helped countless people grow. It was gutting. I had put everything into that role. But I don’t regret it. It taught me how to lead, how to manage chaos, how to operate in high-pressure environments.
And once again, I found myself at the bottom. But this time, I didn’t sit in it. I turned inward, went harder in the gym, dove deeper into music, and started investing in myself.
I’ve done everything the system says you should do. Climbed the ladder. Went to college. Played the game. But deep down, I’ve always known there’s more to life than just clocking in and clocking out.
My music doesn’t always have lyrics, but every track is rooted in raw, unfiltered emotion. Since August 2024, I’ve been releasing consistently. My track “Trouble” just passed 100,000 streams on Spotify. And my newest release, Never Silent, dropped on April 4, 2025. It captures that turning point. That unhinged energy of breaking free.
My mission now is to keep creating experiences that speak louder than words.
Music hits differently depending on where you are in life. I want my tracks to meet you wherever you’re at. Whether you’re in the gym, on a long drive, gaming, or raging at a festival. My goal is to give you something that feels real, because it is real.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey’s been anything but easy. Life threw a lot my way, moments that could’ve taken me out completely. I’ve had to pause music, face homelessness, and rebuild from ground zero more than once. I was holding down a steady job but still had nowhere to live. Nights in my car. Showers at the gym. Just doing whatever I had to do to survive.
Then came the losses I didn’t see coming, like the end of a 13 year career I’d poured everything into. I had built teams, hit goals most people dream of, and gave it my all. Losing that shook me. But every time I’ve hit the bottom, it’s only made me hungrier.
What kept me going? Purpose. The belief that everything I’ve been through is shaping me for something bigger. So I kept showing up, at the gym, in the studio, in life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an artist and creative, I produce high-energy, emotionally charged electronic music under the name Captain Malik. I specialize in bass-heavy genres like dubstep and trap, blending cinematic intensity with raw emotional storytelling. My work is rooted in real experiences, from growing up in a small family with a strong single mother to overcoming personal hardships like homelessness and career setbacks. Every track I release is a reflection of those struggles and triumphs.
What sets me apart is my ability to turn pain, resilience, and ambition into powerful sonic experiences. I don’t just make music for the club. I create emotional landscapes that hit whether you’re at the gym, driving at night, or navigating your own personal battles. I want my music to feel like a release, an escape, and a rally cry all at once.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
There are so many people who deserve credit for helping me along this journey. First and foremost, my mother. She showed me what it means to work hard, stay consistent, and never fold under pressure. Her strength and sacrifice laid the foundation for everything I am building today.
I also have to thank my close friends and early supporters who believed in me even when it didn’t make sense to anyone else. The ones who came to the shows, shared my music, gave me honest feedback, and reminded me of my purpose when I felt lost.
A special shoutout to the mentors who’ve guided me through the technical and emotional side of production. They helped sharpen my sound, gave me direction, and challenged me to level up as both an artist and a professional.
Lastly, I have to recognize the fans and listeners. Every stream, every share, every message telling me how a track hit home. Those moments fuel me more than words can explain. This journey might have my name on it, but it’s never been a solo mission.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/captain_malik
- Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/captainmalikofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaptainMalikMusic
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/captainmalik
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0mdMSIS1beHEnMh2H6XM55?si=LnI1EwXASmm-YAU-waLQMQ
Image Credits
Photo credit goes to Fabian Fernandez
