Audiofeed Festival is coming up quickly, and 2023 marks the second year that Tuned Up will be hosting a stage. The weekend of July 1st through 4th in Urbana, Illinois will bring some of the best up and coming independent artists, along with several seasoned veterans and exciting reunions. To get you hyped for the fest, Tuned Up will be spotlighting artists playing our specially curated stage, hopefully introducing you to your next favorite band.

audiofeed spotlight artist-lone wild

Nashville-based indie pop/rock artist Lone Wild, aka multi-instrumentalist Ashkan Karimi, is looking forward to making his Audiofeed debut this year. Following a year of new recording, with the genre-bending EP Lucid Dream released in March, Ashkan is planning on hitting the first set of shows following the madness that was COVID lockdown. This will likely be an ongoing theme for many artists coming out of the pandemic. Ashkan was gracious enough to take some time to chat with me after a late night at a Taylor Swift concert about his band Lone Wild. Read ahead to meet an incredible musician and all-around nice guy.

Describe YOUR MUSIC in 5 words:

Seasoned indie-rock for loners.

Could you name a song or two of yours that someone unfamiliar with your band could check out to get a sense of who you are?

The first song that would give someone a good sense of my music is “Stranger Ways.” It was the first song I had written in a while that was experimental but I also felt I was in my own skin. I was able to get uncomfortable in the writing while feeling I was very much myself.

A good song to check out from the new batch of songs is “Free My Mind.” “Free my Mind” was one of the songs of me being my most vulnerable and honest space. It was the epitome of all the newest ones I’ve put out. And it’s a departure from some of the bigness of the past releases. That is to say, it’s more minimalistic and stripped back highlighting the music and emotion of the lyric. I feel like the vulnerability comes through on this song the most.

What is your approach to live performances and why should someone come see Lone Wild at Audiofeed?

My approach is to give the person attending an opportunity not just to hear the music but to connect emotionally with it. I always try to give a person in the crowd an opportunity to be a part of the music. If there was another band member it would be the audience. There is something so special in the energy when a crowd of people gather together in unison. I like to put on a show that’s special where each person has an experience.

Which artists and/or albums who influenced your music would be carved in stone on your Mount Rushmore?

U2: They’re one of the reasons I got into music. I saw a concert film of theirs when I was 13, shortly after I started playing guitar, and it really moved me. This was my watershed moment for “I want to do that.”

Jeff Buckley: He’s an amazing vocalist and songwriter. It’s crazy how he can be so tender and at the same time have all the rock angst you would expect from a band like Led Zepplin. I love hearing that dynamic.

Mutemath: From an innovation standpoint, I love how they were always pushing the envelope. To me they were a musicians’ band. They challenged the status quo for music and always challenged me to be better.

Sam Fender: I’ve been really into his stuff for the past number of years. Mostly because I can hear the influences of monumental bands like Springsteen, War on Drugs, and the Killers. It’s cool to hear someone new to the game but wearing his influences on his sleeves. They’re very personal and real to him.

If you could have rider requests that HAD to be followed by venues and festivals, what would ABSOLUTELY be on it?

For me, if I have enough room temperature water before I sing, I’m a happy camper. I’m very practical. I’m not a diva. But, if I could have a spray bottle of Vocal Eze in the green room before every show, that would be awesome.

What kind of music do you listen to on the way to shows?

Usually stuff that’s upbeat and pumps me up. I tend to lean towards stuff that’s dancy-upbeat. And maybe some throwback stuff, like David Bowie, that scratches that nostalgic itch.

Who are some other artists you’re looking forward to seeing at Audiofeed 2023?

Joy Electric is the band who I’m most familiar with. But if I’m being honest, I don’t know a lot of the other bands, so I’m excited to go and discover new indie bands.

What are some future projects coming up for Lone Wild?

The new album is done, so that’s exciting. The last track is being mastered as we speak. That’s coming out ideally this summer. I have a few dates in mind. I want to make sure the drop is successful, so I’m fine pushing the date to whenever works the best.

I’ve got my first show in June in three years. With COVID and this new record, I’ve put playing out on hold. I also have a number of B-Sides songs will be coming out after the album releases.

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Be sure to check out Lone Wild at Audiofeed or coming to a town near you. Stream his latest EP Lucid Dream HERE. And follow him on INSTAGRAM and TIK-TOK.