Astn Wonders How She Could “Be So Cruel” On New Single

Today, boundary-pushing R&B singer, songwriter and producer ASTN expertly straddles the line between pop and R&B on his addictive new single “Be So Cruel.”

Listen HERE via Warner Records: https://astn.lnk.to/besocruel

Watch the suspensful video HERE:

The bouncy track, chronicles the imperfect process of letting someone go with anecdotal lyrics and buttery vocals.

ASTN begins “Be So Cruel” by insisting that he has moved on. “She’s spicy just the way I like my Thai food,” he croons. “For a minute I forgot all about you.” However, he didn’t realize how he would feel when he saw his ex with someone new. “And I hope this breaks y’all up,” he sings on the melodic chorus. “I’m not crazy, but I might be for you — don’t treat me so cruel.” It’s a refreshingly honest and unfiltered account of post break-up jealousy.

About the track ASTN shares, “Be So Cruel” is one of those songs that happened for me right when I needed it. I had just gotten out of a pretty long term relationship and wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. This song is a perfect portrayal of that. The lyrics represent the heartache and agony that comes with seeing a previous lover move on. All while the instrumentation behind the lyrics symbolizes a sense of freedom. 

The single arrives with a cinematic video that embodies the intense emotions. ASTN describes, “I’m not crazy, but I might be for you”. That is the perfect line to sum up this video. I knew I wanted to do something unpredictable for the visual to offset the lightheartedness of the record. I’ve always enjoyed darker/moody cinema, and this felt like the right time to dive into that world. The juxtaposition between the playful sonic’s and references like “American Psycho” and “The Batman” was exactly what this video needed.

It’s a topic that ASTN is something of an expert on. In March, he captured the cyclical nature of falling in and out of love on his major-label debut EP, You’re Almost There. The five tracks were sequenced in chronological order of a breakup. Lead single “Gradually” found ASTN wrestling with whether to end a relationship.

ASTN signed with Warner Records after breaking the internet with his 2021 R&B remix of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” which generated 4 million TikTok views overnight. Overwhelming demand led to a full cover released independently across streaming platforms, and it currently boasts over 87 million Spotify streams. With “Be So Cruel,” ASTN has delivered another instantly hummable, thoroughly relatable anthem.