Ink Splot 26: Austin Mahone Interview

Austin Mahone Interview

Austin Mahone is an average 16-year-old 10th grader from San Antonio, Texas. . . except that he has a massive number of fans on his video channel where he puts up his own music videos. He now has 2 original songs, "11:11" and his newest song which I am addicted to, "Say Somethin." Marie Morreale, famous for her interview with One Direction, met Austin a few weeks ago and got the scoop on this all-American hottie. Read on for the interview and the adorable picture of Austin in his room with all his fan mail plastered all over the walls.

Q: You started this on your own. How did you do it?
Austin: I started putting videos on YouTube about 2 years ago with my best friend, and then I made a separate channel and just made covers of popular songs. Then I started travelling to do like birthday parties, and meeting lots of different people and travelling to different states and doing live performances.

Q: When did you first decide that you wanted to become a performer?
Austin: My first instrument was drums and I started playing that when I was 6, and then I played guitar at 14 and piano like a couple months ago. And the more I play music and practice all those instruments, the more it just felt like this is what I wanted to do, like that’s what was like supposed to happen for me.

Q: Who are your musical influences?
Austin: Probably Drake and Justin [Bieber] and Ne-Yo. I just met Justin Bieber today at the Z100 New York Elvis Duran show.

Q: What would your perfect day be?
Austin: Today. Today was a perfect day. I got up. I didn't feel tired even though I got up at 6 o'clock, had a very nice breakfast, got a nice ride to ride in, very comfortable. I met my biggest inspiration. I met this really big radio guy, got to be on like the biggest radio station ever, and just doing interviews like this. It's so much fun.

Q: Your fans have a fun nickname. How did that come about?
Austin: Mahomies. It was actually, me and my friend were talking about how clever “beliebers” were, and we were trying to come up with like fan names. Like two years ago we were like, “If we had a fan base, what would our fans be called?” I just came up with Mahomies and I thought it sounded cool.

Q: What’s your most unusual hidden talent?
Austin: Um, there’s so many. [Laughter] I can wiggle my ears. I’m double-jointed on my thumbs. I can pull it back. It looks like I broke it.

Q: What's your favorite sport?
Austin: Basketball. I used to play point guard when I was playing in school. And I used to play football. I was a wide receiver.

Q: What is your favorite team?
Austin: Um, the Spurs. Gotta root for the home team.

Q: What kind of music do you listen to?
Austin: I listen to a lot of R&B, hip hop, pop, some old school like Boyz II Men and Bryan McKnight, but I listen to a lot of new stuff too.

Q: What actor would play you in a movie about your life?
Austin: Zac Efron.

Q: What’s your favorite food?
Austin: Italian food. Pizza is my favorite, but I like ziti. Lasagna’s good too. I like Chicken Alfredo.

Q: If you could invent an ice cream flavor, what would it be, and what would you call it?
Austin: I love ice cream. I'd probably throw all the flavors ever invented into one flavor. I don't know what I would call it . . . Mahomie Madness.

Q: What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?
Austin: Alright, well I was water skiing when I was a little kid. I was learning how to water ski, and somehow my swim trunks like just came off. I don't know how it happened. They didn't rip. Like, my skis were on, so I don't know how it even happened.
Mom: He wiped out and next thing you know, the skis are upside-down and he's in the water screaming, “My swim trunks! My swim trunks!” So I thought for sure they just got torn off of him or something. He still had the skis on his feet, and the swim trunks were gone. We don't know how it happened. They were short skis, you know, because he was like 7 or 8 at the time. And then we saw them floating in the water and we went to get them. I thought they'd be torn, but they weren't. They were totally fine. So we have no idea how it happened. [Laughter]

Q: How adorable were you when you were a little kid?
Austin: I don’t know. That’d be a question for my mom.
Mom: It was so cute and he was so young, but he would say, “Momma, the birds are tweeping.” Yeah, instead of tweeting. “They’re tweeping.” It was really cute.
Austin: Oh gosh. [Laughter]

Q: What's the hardest thing you've had to overcome?
Austin: Probably like being hated on in high school. I lived in this little country town, and all my group of friends, we're like the only people that are from the city and dressed differently. I was like this outcast person and they just didn't like me for some reason. It was hard, but my friends got me through it because I wasn't the only one. So, I thank them for that.
Mom: But then when you started the music, you got kind of hated on for that too, picked on, bullied, because nobody else was doing something like that.
Austin: It's all good now though. I'm not in that town anymore.

Q: Do you have a personal motto?
Austin: Yeah, I have it on my phone. It's my screen saver. “Make the most of every opportunity because you only get one chance.” So, I want to take advantage of that.

Are you a Mahomie? Tell us what you think in the Comments. I definitely can't wait to hear more from him!

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Interview by Marie Morreale

Total Approved Comments: 99

He sounds like Justin Bieber

Comment #1 | Posted by: Megan on July 13, 2012 at 08:35 AM

oh my god he is soo handsome.im sure i would like the way he sings I'm gonna check him out right away=)

Comment #2 | Posted by: cheesecake81 on July 13, 2012 at 09:02 AM

Whoa.

Comment #3 | Posted by: Fairyemerald31 on July 13, 2012 at 10:58 AM

I love you austin, you are amazing <3

Comment #4 | Posted by: Valentina on July 13, 2012 at 11:10 AM

Who is he???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I have never heard of him in my life.

Comment #5 | Posted by: ? on July 13, 2012 at 11:18 AM

me to i NEVER heard of him in my LIFE

Comment #6 | Posted by: cool6 on July 13, 2012 at 01:27 PM

Austin Mahoneiv'e never heard of him ever

Comment #7 | Posted by: galaxymink3 on July 13, 2012 at 01:27 PM

i love him he seems to be a cool guy and i love his song and his voice

Comment #8 | Posted by: c.c on July 13, 2012 at 02:06 PM

Never heard of him!!!

Comment #9 | Posted by: pinkartistic10 on July 13, 2012 at 02:27 PM

WHO IS HE BUT HE IS SO CUTE

Comment #10 | Posted by: BIRDBLOODHOUND480 on July 13, 2012 at 03:12 PM

The song is so awesome! Love you dude! Say Something!!!!!

Comment #11 | Posted by: lightningthief3 on July 13, 2012 at 04:42 PM

What happen to him at school was terrible!I guess there are some people that just don`t understand.

Comment #12 | Posted by: 2010musican on July 13, 2012 at 08:10 PM

I'll give him a chance, I just hope he won't become the next Justin Bieber...

Comment #13 | Posted by: Mysterygirl123 on July 14, 2012 at 10:09 AM

hey there i love him u r the best and i love ur voise!! <3 u

Comment #14 | Posted by: Bijoya on July 14, 2012 at 10:09 PM

lol i love him and i don't know y it's kind of funny
and ur voise is awsome
and don't forget say thanks!

Comment #15 | Posted by: Bijoya on July 14, 2012 at 10:12 PM

never heard of him but he looks so cute!!!

Comment #16 | Posted by: 2001faith on July 15, 2012 at 07:15 PM

I hope he does NOT become the next Justin beiber.

Comment #17 | Posted by: Minecraftman223 on July 16, 2012 at 06:11 AM

he is really cute

Comment #18 | Posted by: coloringdainty8 on July 16, 2012 at 09:17 PM

he is SOOOOO cute!:)

Comment #19 | Posted by: tigerfangs18 on July 17, 2012 at 10:31 AM

I don't think he's cute.

Comment #20 | Posted by: Minecraftman223 on July 18, 2012 at 06:59 AM

He is soooooo cute! I love his voice!!!!

Comment #21 | Posted by: cupcakebird6 on July 18, 2012 at 01:39 PM

i heard him on the radio with say somethin

Comment #22 | Posted by: n on July 19, 2012 at 04:26 PM

okay i am glad i am not the only one who has not heard about him he could be a next Justin beiber