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

Comments

[Comment #26]

I LUV HIM HE IS SO ADORIBLE HEY IS OMG AND I MADE A WISH AT 11:11 TODAY:)

[Comment #27]

WOW HE HAS SO MANY MAHOMIES I AN HIS #1 FAN

[Comment #28]

he is way cuter than JB and sounds ALOT BETTER!!!!:)

[Comment #29]

he is sooooo cute!!!:) OMG

[Comment #30]

He is a realy good I like to lisen to him on radio disney ...I like the song say something

[Comment #31]

I have never heard of him but his must be good if he looks like JB

[Comment #32]

Austin you are the best

[Comment #33]

omg i love him

[Comment #34]

I dont knoe him but hes CUTEE!!!!

[Comment #35]

He is so cute

[Comment #36]

OMS MY SISTER LUVS AUSTIN!!!!!
Austin is awesome and i'm so happy he is getting his dream in life.

[Comment #37]

How come I've never heard of him....?

[Comment #38]

OMG I LOVE AUSTIN MAHONE :D HES SO AMAZING SH]UCH A BIG MAHOMIE ;D

[Comment #39]

HE IS THE CUTEST BOY EVER:)

i LOVE HIM!!!!

i LOVE HIS SONGS 11:11,AND SAY SOMETHING

[Comment #40]

I love Austens songs!!!!!!

[Comment #41]

who is he? And i bet Justin B is not happy about being replaced.

[Comment #42]

katie s ur right he is cute

[Comment #43]

He is such a cutie!!! Love you Austin!!!!!!!

[Comment #44]

I saw him in concert. He had a good show.

[Comment #45]

i love austin every time he sings i jus wanna cry i have never been that way but austins voice is like an angel

[Comment #46]

and he seems reeeeallly sweet

[Comment #47]

Awhh poor Austin don't worry Love you the way you are<33
Mahomie 4 Life <3
xoxo

[Comment #48]

Its really cool that he set out to do something that he really wanted and is half way to achieveing his dream this kid just gave me confidence to pursue my acting /dancing career

[Comment #49]

i <3 him so much!
He is so cute
and has an Awesome voice
he is so cute
i love him so so so so so so much!

[Comment #50]

he will NOT become the next justin bieber!