Today we’d like to introduce you to Almost Heaven
Hi Almost Heaven, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up I was always creative, very independent… & always getting into some trouble.
It wasn’t until 18 years old though that the idea that my career-path could be centered around being creative was presented to me. It was October. I’ll never forget it. I was at Texas Tech University & a professor walked into my Art Appreciation class (on a day I’d normally ditch) to give a presentation on the Graphic Design program that was relatively new there at the school. What do you mean I can make album covers for my favorite artists for a living?! I remember calling my mom afterwards like I had just had an epiphany. I might’ve even literally used those words..
Long story short, that newfound clarity quickly sprouted into a fiery combination of ambition & impatience which led to the decision to drop-out after that one year & pursue the ‘self-taught’ route. After 3 1/2 years of the freelance graphic designer/videographer grind, I somehow finally ended up in my friend Louie’s home-studio. I say “somehow,” because although music was a big part of my daily life as a listener and as a fan, I’m not sure I had ever even formed the thought that I could potentially make music of my own up to that point in time.
I had worked really hard as a videographer up to that point & found myself in a position where I was working with artists constantly. I was making good money from my art & my work was growing locally in popularity. The thing is though, listening to your favorite song by your favorite band 500 times is a lot different than listening to a song that you realize you don’t like very much 500 times. I became fatigued and the money wasn’t motivating me anymore. I still loved making videos though & I mean, I was almost four years into this thing so turning back just wasn’t an option…
That’s when it came to us, “What if I just try & make the music that I want to put behind my videos?” I know… not the most revelatory thought, but at the time for me it really was & we hit the ground running. Twisting away at knobs, yelling different ways into different microphones, taking things from our favorite songs, we knew no bounds & we were liberated! This newly-realized freedom quickly turned to focus & “Haha! That’s pretty cool!” turned into, “Wait, that’s pretty good..” which turned into, “Hm, maybe we should actually put this out?” Music really took over my life after that point & it’s safe to say that I didn’t look back.
Fast-forward just a couple of years later, & here we are now. I moved here to Austin from El Paso in June of 2024 with my photographer, Sebastian Saef, & we already find ourselves working alongside such amazing & talented people such as, Jaelyn Valero, THEBROSFRESH, Julian Muñoz, Tony Ramos, Jonathan Terrell, Chauncey Scott, Quentin Arispe, Adrian Flores, John Ambrose & many more who have already established themselves as creative forces here within the community in Austin. Coming from not even registering this as a possibility, being a singer, songwriter, producer in this position is such an unreal blessing & to say that I am grateful is truly an understatement.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If it was easy, I’m sure I would’ve become bored of the whole thing & moved onto something else to be honest.
Since I was young, I’ve always enjoyed the process of learning something new. From learning how to shoot a left-handed layup, to building a Lego set, to learning how to play the synthesizer or make a beat – I love the feeling of seeing something through. Especially as a kid who wasn’t by any means the most naturally talented at well, really anything, there has always been a ton of satisfaction that has come along with seeing an idea be brought to life. So, although it has in retrospect been very difficult & has required tons of energy & effort just to get to where I am today, I can thankfully say that I have yet to really feel the weight of that in real-time throughout the entire process up to this point. I feel that something like making sure my parents felt like I was going to be okay was a struggle that carried much more weight for me. Thankfully, we’re on the other side of that too.
Yes, I do believe my hard work is a major factor in regard to this sense of ease & confidence that I feel that everything’s going to work out; however, I feel that it stems even more from the deep sense of purpose that I feel gifted with and the support I receive every day from all of the amazing people that I’ve become surrounded by. This journey has been equal-parts grueling & life-changing. I don’t expect it to get any easier either, I’m just happy that I get to experience it with my friends.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Primarily, I am a singer, songwriter, producer & the front-man of my music project, Almost Heaven.
Almost Heaven is a two-piece band fully realized by Austin-native drummer, Jaelyn Valero. We specialize in a dance-focused fusion of post-punk, pop, indie, & electronic influences.
I think what Almost Heaven is quickly becoming known for is our live performances. The character comes to life, the music’s at a higher decibel, Jaelyn’s smacking away at her kit like it pissed her off before the show… it really is beautiful & makes for a very fun room to be in. I feel my strongest & most free when I’m on a stage performing, so I really sink into that & let it take over.
We’ve also become known for the entire world that we build around the music. The visuals, the characters, the glasses… it really is about the whole thing for us & I take a lot of pride in that. I think this is also what sets us apart. That obsession with the details.
I have to say though, what I’m most proud of are the DM’s, texts, phone calls, etc.. that I get from people telling me that what I’m doing inspires them. I have to screenshot it every time because there’s a bit of a surreal feeling around them. This whole thing started because I fell in love with the feeling that I get when I make music that my friends & I enjoy listening to. So, to be in a position now where that’s beginning to serve as an inspiration to people outside of myself is something I’m learning to really embrace.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Although we’ve really been thrust into the scene, I just moved here in June of 2024, so I still feel relatively fresh in the city.
I’m not one to shy away from disliking something though, so I’ll start there. The traffic, the traffic, the traffic. I’ve never been so late to everything before. I think I’m developing a bit of road-rage quite honestly…
Other than that, I must say that Austin has been such a beautiful page-turning experience for me up to this point. To be so quickly embraced by such an established & thriving community has been the ultimate privilege. Jaelyn, THEBROSFRESH, Julian & T… I owe them so much & I’m so grateful for all of them! They for sure have to be my favorite thing about this city.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/___almostheaven/profilecard/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@___almostheaven
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/r6TVUN6hEK6Ngj188
Image Credits
Chauncey Scott & Sebastian Saef
