Q&A: Interview with Austel

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by Sara Ramirez

Photo credit: Artemis Szekir-Rigas

Annie Rew Shaw’s second album as Austel began as the final-year project for her MA in music production, but gradually evolved into something far more expansive and personal, ultimately becoming her clearest statement yet of her identity as an artist and producer. Self produced in studio spaces accessed through her degree, Mirror to Mine is an intimate, acoustic-led record built around nylon-string guitar, subtle ensemble arrangements, and carefully woven field recordings.

With support from outlets including Metal Magazine, Under The Radar, Ones To Watch, The

Line of Best Fit, and Clash Magazine, Austel’s music has been described as “charming” and “a space for reflection.” The single “30th Day” was also featured on alexrainbirdMusic’s May 2026 compilation. Austel is also part of 2% Rising, a community supporting female and gender-expansive producers, and is an advocate for creating safer, more inclusive practices within the music industry.

Echo Magazine: Mirror to Mine began as a final-year master's project before becoming a full-length album. At what point did you realize the project had grown into something much more personal than an academic endeavor?

Austel: I’d finished the record for the project, and realised this was the sonic direction I wanted to go - it had felt so natural and instinctive. I actually needed to take a break away from it to release my debut album Dead Sea, and then after a couple of years I revisited the recording projects. I realised they could be taken even further, so asked my friend Grace Banks if she would be interested in mixing the songs. I loved working with her - she taught me a lot and really elevated the album to a whole new space. So while it’s been a long process, I think it turned out to be exactly what was needed.

Echo Magazine: The album features contributions from family members, your partner, and

longtime friends. How did collaborating with people who know you so well influence the final sound of the record?

Austel: My brother is an excellent drummer, and we share a very similar love for the same kind of music. He knew exactly what these songs needed, and what my vision was, so that was very easygoing! Similarly with Drew and Kai on saxophone and cello, and Kit on guitar, I wanted to create a studio space that felt collaborative and open, rather than me dictating what they should play. I could shape the arrangements a bit more retrospectively in editing, and then with Grace when mixing, but overall, I was really happy to create a much more synergetic record.

Echo Magazine: Many of the songs were inspired by revisiting childhood places and memories during lockdown. Was there a particular memory or location that had the strongest impact on the album?

Austel: There are lots of particular places that hold specific memories for me, both in London

and my hometown in Devon. I wrote a lot of this album when I’d moved back during the 2020 lockdown, and our daily routine was basically working and going on a walk around the town and fields. I had a lot of free time for the first time in a long while, and that led to a lot of rumination and reflection. There were a lot of memories from my child/teenagehood that came up - some uncomfortable, others surprisingly bringing a sense of peace and relief. I don’t think I could pinpoint one specific thing that overrides the album; it's more like this huge tapestry of time.

Echo Magazine: If you could sit down with your younger self, the version of you growing up in the Southwest of England, what song from Mirror to Mine would you play for her first?

Austel: Coast To Coast.

Echo Magazine: Looking back at the person who started writing these songs and the person

releasing them now, what do you think has changed the most?

Austel: I’m in a significantly better place and feel a lot more stable. I have a lot of love in my

life. There are bigger things now, and I enjoy feeling part of everything. I feel very grateful for that.

Echo Magazine: The album draws comparisons to artists such as Big Thief, Bon Iver, and

Cassandra Jenkins. Are there any other unexpected influences that helped shape this record?

Austel: I’m not sure how unexpected these are, but I took a lot of inspiration from King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Sufjan Stevens, Elliott Smith, Joni Mitchell, The Staves, Billie Marten, both Martha and Rufus Wainwright. Maybe some slightly more rogue ones, but ever-present are The Waterboys and Cocteau Twins.

Echo Magazine: You have said that creating and sharing this album feels like a form of healing. What do you hope listeners take away from Mirror to Mine after spending time with these songs?

Austel: I hope there’s connection to be found, and that people can interpret the songs to

transmute into their own experiences. I think we all want to be loved, we all want to be accepted, we all have an inner child that needs nurturing. I hope this album can offer comfort, renewed determination and release.

Photo credit: Artemis Szekir-Rigas