Astronautalis – otherwise known as 33-year-old Floridian native Charles Andrew Bothwell – is a mass of contradictions.
He is a “hip-hop” (note the quote marks) artist beloved by indie kids. A rapper signed to a punk label (OneSideDummy). A chameleon as likely to be backed by ragged guitar riffs, throbbing synths or glitchy soundscapes as urban beats and breaks. And it’s not as though he just raps.
In short, he is the walking embodiment of a 21st-century artist – underground, independent, largely self-promoted, but with a huge network of loyal fans thanks to the internet.
Ahead of his Middle Eastern debut, at which he will perform backed by a full live band for Bad House Party tonight, we grilled him on both counts.
Ten years ago, before the internet turned the music industry upside down, would you be where you are today?
The people who got the most upset about file-sharing and music piracy were the people who were already making money. For folk like myself, who got in at the very bottom, we were used to not making any money or selling many records. I certainly wouldn’t have the career that I have or the fan base I have if it wasn’t for file-sharing, Spotify or any of that stuff. I will always prefer it if people buy my records, but I don’t begrudge people – because I also used Napster and BitTorrent, and I use Spotify now.
Is this model the future?
For the longest time in music, there was no middle class. You were either nobody, or Bon Jovi. Now, what’s emerged is the opportunity to be lower-middle class, upper-middle class – there are now tiers of earning and success that are sustainable models that you can raise a family on. I have no desire to be U2 – that notion, that way of life, seems uncomfortable to me. But ultimately I am on a track – I pay my rent, I have my apartment. I’m not rich by any stretch, but I make a living.
Congratulations on the new single, Sike!, the first from next year’s new record. It’s already four years since This Is Our Science. Nervous?
I’m always worried about the reaction – when I’m writing it, recording it, mixing it. But, ultimately, I think that’s a good thing because if I’m writing a bunch of music just thinking “everyone is going to love this”, then I should be very scared of what I’m creating – frankly, I’d be worried if I wasn’t worried.
By the sounds of it, the new record is going in a much harder direction?
For sure. For a long time I was striving to make very pretty music. Mostly, I had a total dissatisfaction with what rap had become – and, honestly, right now I feel it’s one of the most exciting eras in the history of rap music and, as a result, I find myself having fallen back in love with rap.
Is anyone exciting you in particular?
It’s exciting because of the sheer diversity and the broad spectrum of things. Rap has sort of become pop music now – pop singers are going to beat-makers to make songs for them. But then you branch out and artists such as Kendrick [Lamar] – the fact he made that challenging, wildly creative record [To Pimp a Butterfly] and have everybody in the world checking for it, that’s such an incredible testament to what listeners are looking for, what labels are doing and what artists are capable of right now. That record, to me, is a thrill.
What inspired your new record lyrically?
I’ve been in a bit of a quandary as a person, as an American, and as a guy in his thirties. I became frustrated with the behaviour and expectations of people of my age and younger in the West – and especially in America. The belief that “someone else should do it for me” is a constant refrain and, ultimately, we have lost a lot of our drive and determination. I’ve learnt this because I’ve seen this drive and determination in places that are much less comfortable and stable financially. I often joke that I don’t really see people living the American dream in America any more, but I see people chasing the American dream in Romania, Slovakia, Russia... I feel like my generation is at worst expectant and, at best, feeling defeated by the world around them.
Any expectations from your first Middle Eastern gig?
Of course, there’s everything everybody knows about Dubai – but I also come from a place people know superficially before they get there, so I’m really excited to learn a lot more. In my research, I found it’s the falconry capital of the world, which I think is incredibly badass. I can’t possibly explain how excited we are to be coming to Dubai – when we first got the offer, I didn’t tell anybody, my friends, family – I didn’t even tell the band because I didn’t want to jinx it. I’m honestly tripping out – I’m really pumped.
• Astronautalis performs on Thursday, December 3 at Casa Latina, Ibis Al Barsha, Dubai. Doors open at 9pm, tickets are Dh100
rgarratt@thenational.ae
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
more from Janine di Giovanni
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Abramovich London
A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.
A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.
Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.
Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
- India v New Zealand (The Oval, London)
Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
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SHAITTAN
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