With a lifetime of trial, error, and growth under his belt, Austin Cook is no stranger to the musical world. Beginning his journey as a kid, he has tried it all; from singer songwriter vibes that recount your greatest heartache, to rapping about the fast life with his former affiliates under the name Aye Dolf. All walks of life have led him to where he is now musically; Revealing a new persona, Runaway. While only having two songs out under this moniker, “Why” and “Cocaine Rush Ft. E.T.”, he has set the tone for this chapter of his life. Runaway has taken each hardship he’s faced to develop a sound he is proud of. We spoke with him on his life as an artist, getting to know the bare bones of who Runaway is, and what has led him to this point.
UU: Who are you? What do you want the world to know about the person you are, and your creation?
Runaway: I want the world to feel. Whether it’s a sad or upbeat vibe to the song I’m making, I want my fans to feel what I feel, and what it felt like to make the song I’ve created.
When did you begin creating, and in what mediums? How have you gotten to the point that you are today.
Ever since I was a kid I remember wanting to make music. I grew up in church playing guitar and singing until I was 15. I didn’t by any means have a stable or pleasant childhood. I ran away from home at 15 to Arkansas to live in a girls closet. As you can imagine, it didn’t last very long. Every since that point I started experiencing very low mediums. Kinda put me into a darker state of mind making the decisions I was making. Thus, I began making music. At 17 I was in a rap group called A.B.P that’s when “fruit” “baby no” and “don’t be scared” were made. The group fell off slowly. Everybody had things they had to, do family to take care of, etc. So, I was left singing to people freestyling at parties, and still considering myself an artist. In 2016 I was 20 years old, and I met the genius E.T. in Frazier, Colorado. We grew up 20 minutes from each other in Missouri but didn’t seem to finally meet until this point. We started kicking it, smoking, listening to music together when finally, in 2017, he produced “why” for me. I consider “why” my first single because i had such a different taste and different ways of expressing myself as I adventured through my life to this point.
What do you do? What have you achieved thus far? How do you describe the music you make?
I would describe the music I make as not of everybody’s preference. Which makes it that much better, because I can single certain fans out that can understand and feel the background and meaning to the songs I make. I love being different, and I love standing out. I want other people to know that it’s okay to be who you are.
Where are you from, and where have you been? What influence has your surroundings, either in your upbringing or during your life as an artist, had on your music?
I was born in Joplin, Missouri. I never felt at home in Joplin. I never could figure out the reasons, and the ways of the people in the small town of Joplin. In May 2011 a EF5 tornado destroyed the heart of Joplin. Because I never liked being around and remember everything everybody went through and seeing how much it changed the town, I always wanted to be on the road. When I was 16, I got sponsored for skateboarding and started traveling for competitions. The moment I got to experience the city lights, and what it’s like to be 5280 feet above sea level in the mountains, I had higher hopes and higher dreams. This made me want to let people know about my message with my music.
Why do you create? What importance does is hold to you, and why do you continue to push yourself.
I create because, without creation we would have nothing. There are too many opportunities and people to touch, and whatever message anyone has to bring to the world is important. This is important to me because I don’t want to be reminded of the old, I want to up bring the new in a clear eyed lends.
How do you plan to keep improving in this field, and what are your goals and aspirations for your life as an artist?
My goals as who I am as a artist are to create new and different sounds, but put all the same feeling in my songs; Pushing myself and disciplining myself on the way.
What are you working on?
I’m working on a general way to make people feel more, working on helping others realize that they are loved and it’s okay to be feel or be sad or even happy. Feel more.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgDLR5_AA8a/?taken-by=runnnaway
Anything else we need to know?
Love yourself, or you will never truly be happy.