Austra

Jan 22

Katie Stelmanis, the founder and creative force behind Austra, has been luring listeners into her darkwave-driven electro-pop world for nearly two decades. Her weighted melodic phrasing and distinct bel canto vocals unfurl into ethereal atmospherics that gesture toward a haunted past while wryly tethering the music to a lyrical present.

Across Austra’s entire catalog, Stelmanis’ voice has operated as an ever-evolving instrument — one capable of shaping both mood and structure. Serving as a baseline and infinite source of creativity, her vocals move fluidly through evocative and emotionally charged compositions. During the creation of her most recent release, Chin Up Buttercup (2025), that sensibility became the gravitational pull of the project.

After sifting through a wealth of written material reflecting on a recent past filled with heartache and redemption, Stelmanis entered a close collaborative songwriting process with co-producer Kieran Adams, known for his work with The Weather Station and U.S. Girls. What emerged was a series of serendipitous sessions during which the pair discovered how her voice — captured in various states of tension and release and quiet strength — could guide both composition and production. These moments ultimately formed the emotional architecture of each track on the ten-song release… READ MORE

VideosReviews

Megan Perry

Megan Perry Moore

Photographer | Author | Music Essayist

Megan Perry Moore is a Seattle and Los Angeles-based photographer and author with an extensive portfolio documenting well-known artists and musicians throughout the industry. She is currently a contributor to Music Connection Magazine, providing live coverage, industry profiles, and regular features focused on the technical and creative pulse of the modern music scene (A Song That Changed My Life; In the Studio).

Megan’s professional perspective is informed by a deep history within the studio system, having begun her career at Moir/Marie Entertainment under veteran manager Steve Moir and later serving as Assistant Studio Manager at the legendary NRG Recording Studios. This foundational experience, combined with her work as a publicist for gear companies and producers, allows her to navigate the private creative spaces of artists with a unique technical fluency.

Her career is backed by a prestigious editorial history, including photography and features for Rolling Stone, SPIN, Electronic Musician, Guitar Player, and various indie publications. For Alternative Press, she notably served as the In the Studio columnist and lead photographer, providing an intimate look at the recording process of many influential bands.

She is the author of two definitive books: How to Be a Record Producer in the Digital Era (Billboard Books / Penguin Random House) and WIRED: Musicians’ Home Studios (Rowman & Littlefield), featuring artists such as Snoop Dogg, No Doubt, and Sonic Youth. Megan is currently in production on WIRED v2.0, a follow-up series documenting a new generation of artists in their personal recording environments.

Megan maintains a private workroom and archive in Seattle, where she continues to develop custom, large-scale photographic installations. Her archive spans a diverse range of subjects, from an extensive collection of indie high-art rock photography to profound nature and wildlife studies—including specialized work in partnership with the Snow Leopard Trust for their annual conservation initiatives.

https://www.meganperry.com

Austra

Savanna Leigh

Daniel Avery