Astr

ASTR, an electronic R&B duo, was formed in 2013 in New York City. The group initially comprised singer Zoe Silverman and producer Adam Pallin. Their formation occurred after Silverman and Pallin met at a yoga class. Pallin had prior experience as half of the group Little Jackie, alongside Imani Coppola, which achieved a top-twenty hit in the UK Singles Chart in 2008 with “The World Should Revolve Around Me.” Zoe Silverman is the daughter of Tom Silverman, founder of Tommy Boy Records.

Initially, ASTR maintained a mysterious public persona, refraining from disclosing their real names and wanting to distance themselves from their backgrounds. Their debut single, “Operate,” was released in May 2013 through Tommy Boy Records, followed by another single titled “Razor.” They gained further attention after performing at the 2013 CMJ Music Marathon and releasing a cover of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” which became a breakthrough hit on Hype Machine. In 2014, ASTR released their debut six-track EP, “Varsity,” via Neon Gold Records. “Spin” magazine later recognized “Varsity” as the twentieth best album of 2014. The duo also performed at SXSW for the first time in March 2014 and became the first act to sign with the independent record label 300 Entertainment.

ASTR released their second EP, “Homecoming,” on November 6, 2015. This EP featured the track “Activate Me,” which was produced by Darkchild. Silverman characterized “Homecoming” as “nostalgia pop” and addressed lyrical themes of “industry sexism.” Following the release of “Homecoming,” ASTR undertook a national tour. They also released a remix of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Run Away With Me” in the summer of 2015 and a standalone single featuring Mick Jenkins titled “It’s Over,” which premiered on Billboard. ASTR performed at the Governors Ball Music Festival in June 2015. In March 2016, ASTR released a new single, “Bleeding Love.” Currently, ASTR operates as the solo project of Zoe Silverman, maintaining its blend of electronic and R&B styles.