It is such a privilege to be able to write about the impossible-to-define Astrid Star. I typically avoid writing in the first person, as it feels too personal and subjective. But when I got the Bandcamp email about Lilac Boy’s first-ever live show, it felt like a full-circle moment. When I first found Lilac Boy, it was through Star’s YouTube channel. I was starting high school. Now, I am writing for a music publication and am months away from graduating university. And I get to write about an artist who has been a constant source of inspiration for me.
It would be easier to say what Star doesn’t do. But, for the sake of introducing them to the unenlightened, I’ll try to list everything the artist has their hand in. They are a YouTuber and streamer under the name Aztrosist and part of a podcast consisting of three other prominent internet personalities. They are a visual artist as insect.christmas, specializing in ink work and graphic design. Their website dedicated to their art is a work of art in and of itself. As half of a duo, they are a game developer under the name BUGSQUIRREL, with the positively-received game TV Kid out on Steam.
They are the vocalist of the duo Hyperdimensional, with a project seemingly in the works. Also under the aforementioned insect.christmas name, they produce vaporwave. And, of course, they are the heart and soul of Lilac Boy. And, fittingly, as a musician, they also are one of the hosts of the Music Posting Podcast, which is now one of the top-listened-to music-oriented podcasts on Spotify. Whatever they set out to accomplish, they conquer. Success seems effortless for the multi-talented gem.
It has been over five years since Star began making music under the name Lilac Boy. In that time, she has since transitioned–in both gender and art.
When I first started the project I was barely an adult, a boy-moding terminally online kid making beats in the basement. The songs were super rough, but I think 5 years later I’m making stuff that is truer to myself. Despite being transfem, I’ve kept the “Boy” in “Lilac Boy” because I think it’s fun as an artistic statement.
Astrid Star on the name Lilac Boy
Now identifying with they/she pronouns, they focus their music on topics near and dear to them. Star herself explained, “My music often centers itself around themes of techno-dystopia, ills of the computer age, gender dysphoria, human suffering, and nature.”
Lilac Boy spans a wide range of genres and has ever since the inception of the project. While fans like myself would label each song differently, from noise to drone to lofi; Star defines it as noise-pop and synth-punk. She draws the most inspiration from artists that, like her, defy labels, like Death Grips, 100 gecs, Machine Girl, George Clanton, and Vektroid. Her roots and tastes are clear throughout her discography, but never derivative.
Every album is a reinvention of the genres she favors, an exploration of herself that is made raw and visceral through the music. According to her, she just wants to do what she thinks sounds or looks cool to her– and it pays off. To me, they are the Have a Nice Life of this generation. This is not something I say lightly or as a simple comparison.
Her lyricism and the topics she chooses to imbue into her albums are so incisive and feel deeply intimate, reminiscent of Dan Barret’s work. I have cried to Lilac Boy’s “Grave Fly” off of their 2023 album Neon Reaper Rebirth as much as I have cried to “Bloodhail” off of Have a Nice Life’s Deathconsciousness. That is no small feat.
The queen of bugs and fungus played her first live show on January 6, 2024, in Rochester, New York. Many fans online were heartbroken that Lilac Boy was doing one show, far from so many who adore the project. However, I see this as a beautiful beginning, a metamorphosis of Star’s career. The fact that they were able to even play live to begin with is a huge feat. Many artists don’t have the opportunity to have such a grass-roots beginning these days.
The fans that were able to attend say it was unforgettable, taking to social media to post photos and videos of their night (most of them blurry, likely due to their excitement). Star posted on X asking fans to send this very footage in so she could compile and edit them into a music video that is in the works.
After the show, Star thanked those who attended her first live show, posting film photos of the night. Many people couldn’t make it due to the weather conditions, but that didn’t dampen any spirits.
Hopefully, with the outpour of support and, quite frankly, begging, for Lilac Boy, Star will be able to grace more stages in the coming years as she continues to garner recognition she is more than deserving of.
They are currently working on their tenth album, due to drop this year. Star explained that the upcoming ten-track LP Dissident Blue will be themed around the ocean, its creatures, and drowning, much like her 2018 single, “Seahorse Song.”
Lilac Boy has allowed me to really grow as a musician. I’m now starting to do things I never thought possible, like play live or make music with other musicians. After this 10th album, I will probably take a break from making new Lilac Boy music to focus on other musical projects. I have been making vaporwave under the name “insect.christmas”, I’d love to make an acoustic album, and I’m currently making a truly revolutionary 21st-century techno-dystopian transgender industrial album with Panaroid, a noise rock musician. Our band is called “Hyperdimensional”, it’s a two-piece and it’s gonna kick ass.
Astrid Star on her upcoming projects
As Lilac Boy, Star was recently featured on Alex Unknown’s newest album Runoff Heart Machine as a guest vocalist on the opening track “Metals.” Her recent singles have been nothing short of amazing, and are doing very well on streaming services. She released a music video on December 1, 2023, for “Coral and Fizz.”
Kicking off the year with a live performance sets a precedent for the adaptable artist that is Lilac Boy. With much more to look forward to this year from so many different creative outlets, I know Astrid Star will once again blow expectations out of the water (pun intended). I can’t wait to see what they do next. Star is an unstoppable supernova and I hope to be blinded forever by her radiance.
Very well written article about an artist who definitely deserves more visibility. Being so multi-talented nowadays is quite remarkable, like a modern day da vinci! Thank you for highlighting them in such an eager and honest way.