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== Career ==
== Career ==
In April 2020, Waters posted a 15-second snipped of his hip hop/pop song, "Stunnin" which became a "viral [[TikTok]] sensation."<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /> In one month, "Stunnin'" was viewed more than two million times on [[YouTube]].<ref name=":1" /> In June, "Stunnin'" was ranked #3 on [[Rolling Stone]]'s Breakthrough 25 Chart.<ref name=":0" /> By July 2020, "Stunnin'" had been streamed over 35 million times on [[Spotify]].<ref name=":4" />
In April 2020, Waters posted a 15-second snippet of his hip hop/pop song, "Stunnin" which became a "viral [[TikTok]] sensation."<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /> In one month, "Stunnin'" was viewed more than two million times on [[YouTube]].<ref name=":1" /> In June, "Stunnin'" was ranked #3 on [[Rolling Stone]]'s Breakthrough 25 Chart.<ref name=":0" /> By July 2020, "Stunnin'" had been streamed over 35 million times on [[Spotify]].<ref name=":4" />


Waters was chased by numerous labels.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0" /> He decided to stay independent, but did sign a licensing deal with [[BMG Rights Management|BMG]].<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" /> His manager is [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] executive [[Chris Anokute]], who helped launch [[Katy Perry|Katie Perry]] and [[Rihanna]].<ref name=":0" />
Waters was chased by numerous labels.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0" /> He decided to stay independent, but did sign a licensing deal with [[BMG Rights Management|BMG]].<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" /> His manager is [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] executive [[Chris Anokute]], who helped launch [[Katy Perry|Katie Perry]] and [[Rihanna]].<ref name=":0" />

Revision as of 01:36, 21 April 2022

Curtis Waters
Birth nameAbhinav Bastakoti
BornKathmandu, Nepal
OriginCary, North Carolina, U.S.
GenresPop, indie pop
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
LabelsBMG

Abhinav Bastakoti (Born December 20, 1999),[1] known by his stage name Curtis Waters, is a Canadian-American musician and songwriter.[2][1] He is known for his self-produced 2020 debut single "Stunnin.'"[3] He is the first Nepal-born musician to reach international success.[1]

Early life

Waters was born in Kathmandu, Nepal.[1] He moved to India at a young age, before moving to Germany at age four, and then relocating to Calgary, Alberta at age ten.[1][4] Waters settled in Cary, North Carolina in 2017 at age seventeen.[2][4] The moves were following his parents' educational dreams—his father now has a PhD in environmental science, while his mother has two masters degrees and specializes in GIS.[1][5][6]

When he was 14, Waters returned to Nepal for three months for his Bratabanda, a complex Hindu coming of age ceremony.[1]

In 2014, Waters downloaded FL Studio onto his laptop and started to make beats.[2] “Waters says, "Being from a Nepali immigrant family, my parents always want the best from me academically. They didn’t really understand my love for music at first. So I did it secretly in my room."[2] His musical influences include Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Odd Future, Tyler the Creator, and Joy Division’s Ian Curtis.[6] By 2017, he was posting his music online.[2]

As a teenager in Canada, Waters used music and graphic design to overcome depression.[6] In the process, he created a comic book character named Curtis Waters, an homage to two of his favorite artists—Ian Curtis and Frank Ocean.[6][2] He says, "This character was fun, bright and silly. I started to dress like him, and when I made music, I could make myself feel like this person in my head.”[6] By 2017, he was posting his music online as Frank Waters.[2]

In 2018, Waters began his freshman year at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, studying in media studies.[7][5] He also worked at Tropical Smoothie Cafe.[7]

Career

In April 2020, Waters posted a 15-second snippet of his hip hop/pop song, "Stunnin" which became a "viral TikTok sensation."[7][6] In one month, "Stunnin'" was viewed more than two million times on YouTube.[2] In June, "Stunnin'" was ranked #3 on Rolling Stone's Breakthrough 25 Chart.[1] By July 2020, "Stunnin'" had been streamed over 35 million times on Spotify.[6]

Waters was chased by numerous labels.[7][1] He decided to stay independent, but did sign a licensing deal with BMG.[7][6][1] His manager is A&R executive Chris Anokute, who helped launch Katie Perry and Rihanna.[1]

In June 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ran an article about Waters.[7][3] In July 2020, "Stunnin'" was used in a Mercedes-Benz commercial.[7]

Water's second single was "System."[7] He recorded his album Pity Party in his dorm at UNC Greensboro.[1] After production, Pity Party was re-released in October 2020.[5] One reviewer of Pity Party noted, "The throughline in these 12 disparate tracks remains Waters’ distinct point of view, simultaneously self-deprecating, sincere, and disarmingly honest."[5]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details
Pity Party

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
CAN
[8] 		IRE
[9] 		NZ
Hot
[10] 		UK
[11] 		US
Bub.
[12]
"Stunnin'"
(featuring Harm Franklin) 		2020 36 27 21 69 11 Pity Party
"System"[16] — — — — —
"The Feelings Tend to Stay the Same"[17] — — — — —
"Freckles"[18] — — — — —
"Doodoodoo"[19] 2021 — — — — — TBA
"Conceited"[20] — — — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
  • 2019: "Food Court Heart Break" (33 Life featuring Curtis Waters and Yung Star Ballout)[21]
  • 2020: "Quarantine Party" (Jay2thekim featuring Curtis Waters)[22]
  • 2020: "Sensual Healing" (Susanne Davis featuring Asher Porter and Curtis Waters)[23]
  • 2021: "SugarCrash!" (ElyOtto featuring Kim Petras and Curtis Waters)[24]

Personal

Waters lives in Cary, North Carolina.[4] He has been open about his experience with depression and bipolar disorder and has expressed his desire to be a mental health advocate in Nepal.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Das Shrestha, Kashish (July 14, 2020). "The rise of Curtis Waters". Nepali Times. Retrieved August 10, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Pant, Shashwat (July 6, 2020). "In the spotlight: Curtis Waters' Stunnin'". Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Leight, Elias (June 23, 2020). "Curtis Waters' 'Stunnin' Is a TikTok Hit -- And a Threat to the Major Label System". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Miao, Hannah (May 27, 2020). "Meet Curtis Waters, the Cary Musician Going Viral on TikTok with "Stunnin'"". Indy Week. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e Wang, Steffanee (September 23, 2020). "Curtis Waters On "Stunnin'" & Finding Success Beyond TikTok". Nylon. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Segalov, Michael (July 19, 2020). "Curtis Waters, TikTok king: 'There are no gatekeepers to the industry anymore'". The Guardian. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Fay, Seamus (July 16, 2020). "No One Believed in Curtis Waters, Until Everyone Did". Complex. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart: Week of August 29, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  9. ^ "Discography Curtis Waters". irish-charts.com. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  10. ^ "Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. June 29, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-06-28. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  11. ^ "CURTIS WATERS FT HARM FRANKLIN | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 2020-07-13. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  12. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart: Week of August 1, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  13. ^ "Brazilian certifications – Curtis Waters" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  14. ^ "Canadian certifications – Curtis Waters". Music Canada. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  15. ^ "American certifications – Curtis Waters". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  16. ^ "System - Single by Curtis Waters on Apple Music". Archived from the original on 2020-08-18. Retrieved August 10, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  17. ^ "The feelings tend to stay the same - Single by Curtis Waters on Apple Music". Archived from the original on 2020-07-31. Retrieved August 10, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  18. ^ "Freckles - Single by Curtis Waters on Apple Music". Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved September 15, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  19. ^ "Doodoodoo - Single by Curtis Waters on Apple Music". Retrieved February 28, 2021 – via Apple Music.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "Conceited - Single by Curtis Waters on Apple Music". Retrieved February 28, 2021 – via Apple Music.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ "Food Court Heart Break (feat. Curtis Waters & Yung Star Ballout) - Single by 33 Life on Apple Music". Archived from the original on 2020-08-18. Retrieved November 20, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  22. ^ "Quarantine Party (feat. Curtis Waters) - Single by Jay2thekim on Apple Music". Archived from the original on 2020-08-18. Retrieved November 20, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  23. ^ "Sensual Healing (feat. Asher Porter & Curtis Waters) - Single by Susanne Davis on Apple Music". Retrieved November 20, 2020 – via Apple Music.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ "SugarCrash! (feat. Kim Petras & Curtis Waters) - Single by ElyOtto on Apple Music". Archived from the original on 2021-04-23. Retrieved May 8, 2021 – via Apple Music.
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