Triumph Books - Austin Mahone. Startin Something Spectacular

Contents

1. From Texas to YouTube and Beyond

He could have played a video game or read a book. Instead, Austin Mahone battled boredom by posting videos of himself online. He and his best friend, Alex Constancio, started posting videos in June 2010: silly skits, lip-synced music videos, ukulele-backed raps, even clips of them dancing to the hip-hop song Teach Me How to Dougie.

We started posting videos because we were bored, Austin told Just Jared in early 2013. We had nothing better to do, so we started to do that as a hobby, and then it kind of just grew.

And grew and grew and grew.

Six months after posting his first videos, Austin began creating videos of himself singing covers of songs by artists including Justin Bieber, Adele, Bruno Mars and Drake. Thanks to social media, his legion of online fans swelled. His YouTube video covering Biebers hit Mistletoe was posted in October 2011 and has since been viewed nearly 13 million times. In November 2011, even before landing a record deal, Austin debuted at No. 38 on Billboards Social 50, a chart that combines Web presence and sales. He ranked higher than Demi Lovato, 50 Cent and Jennifer Lopez and just behind R&B diva Beyonc.

Fast forward to spring 2013 when Austin begins heading his own tour and joins Taylor Swift as the opening act on her RED tour and its clear that this Internet sensation has become a bona fide pop idol in less time than it takes some folks to spell S-U-P-E-R-S-T-A-R.

Austin appears during Y100s Jingle Ball in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in December 2012. Photo courtesy of AP Images

Austin Carter Mahone was born April 4, 1996, in San Antonio, Texas. His father, Carter Mahone, died when Austin was just 16 months old. An only child, he and his mother, Michele Mahone, moved to the tiny town of La Vernia, Texas (population 1,055), when she remarried.

It was during his La Vernia years that Austin started posting his videos first comedy, then music. He admits music hasnt always been his thing. Austin had a drum set and messed around with it for a while when he was 6 years old; it wasnt until YouTube commenters offered encouragement that he really began to get interested in music. His grandfather gave him a guitar and he started taking lessons. His singing, once limited to the shower, improved as it gained a worldwide following.

Uploading music videos is one thing, but Austin wanted to drive traffic to them.

Austin and his mom, Michelle, have a tight bond. Photo courtesy of San Antonio Express-News

I promoted myself on Twitter and Facebook as hard as possible, nonstop, he told The Hollywood Reporter . People started realizing that if they commented on my videos, Id reply to their comment, so I started getting a lot more views and comments.

Gurj Bassi, digital director at Universal Musics Republic label, says the fact that Austin has taken the time to respond to fans has likely made a difference in his burgeoning career. I always try to emphasize this to artists because fans love to have direct contact with the person they idolize, and the Internet makes that possible, said Bassi.

Austin greets fans outside New Yorks Z100 radio station in June 2012. Photo courtesy of AP Images

Austin visits the Empire State Building during a visit to New York City in late 2012.

For Austin, that persistence and personal attention has paid off in a big way.

By January 2011, he had 2,000 YouTube fans; a month later, he had attracted 20,000 fans. In March 2011, he was invited to perform at a Playlist.com live concert in Orlando. By May 2013, his YouTube music channel had 802,000 subscribers and his 100-plus videos had attracted a combined 121 million views.

When his mom divorced her second husband, Austin moved back to San Antonio and briefly attended Lady Bird Johnson High School. Hed led a fairly ordinary life up to that point, but it was soon obvious hed become famous enough that traditional school wasnt going to work any longer. Girls congregated at his locker, students began taking photos of him during class, and boys became resentful and started hassling him. Within five days, Austin and his mother realized that taking online classes at home would be a better option for him.

Austin poses for photos with fans in Florida. Photo courtesy of AP Images

After appearing on Live with Kelly and Michael in September 2012, Austin took time for photos with fans.

Austins Internet fame didnt immediately translate to high-paying record deals and sold out arenas. At first, he played at parties charging as much as $400 for a 45-minute set and Skyped with fans for a fee. He sold his own merchandise and performed at PlayList Live, a convention featuring YouTube stars. In late 2012, a Chicago family paid Austin $2,000 to fly in and play at a party. After the performance, the teen singer announced on very short notice that hed meet fans at Chicagos Millennium Park. In what Michelle refers to as a watershed moment, nearly 1,000 Mahomies (the name hes given his fans) showed up and police had to be summoned to whisk Michelle and Austin away from the riotous crowd.

That was a turning point, Michelle told The Hollywood Reporter , when I started to realize that things were getting crazy.

In the fall of 2012, Austins mom quit her job as a mortgage loan officer to focus on her sons career.

Weve been through a lot, and weve had a lot of faith that wed get through it, Michelle said. I always tell Austin not to take any of it for granted because the minute you do, it could be gone. We always talk about that feeling blessed, because he is blessed.