ASCETIC HEDONIST serves as a paradoxical manifesto, challenging societal norms by reframing pleasure as something deeper and more sustainable when approached with discipline and intention. This single is not just a song but a philosophical glitch in the matrix, a sonic and spiritual manifesto that challenges the hyper-stimulation of our digital world. NEO 10Yโs intention with his music is to empower listeners cerebrally, helping them manifest peace within themselves and on Earth. With ASCETIC HEDONIST, NEO 10Y invites audiences to embrace a new perspective on joy, one that emphasizes mindful restraint and intentional pleasure, setting the stage for a transformative listening experience that transcends boundaries and defies conventional norms. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1.ย Your roots can often shape your journey. Can you share a story or moment from your early life that had a significant impact on your path into music?
NEO 10Y: Growing up, music was my escape and my teacher. I remember being a kid and feeling like the world didnโt always make sense, but songs did. MTV was my religion. That early connection, combined with my classical training, gave me the drive to create music that makes people feel understood and empowered. ASCETIC HEDONIST comes from that same place โ itโs about embracing contradictions and still finding joy in them, itโs about love being binaries for oneself and the collective.
2.ย Did your musical journey begin with formal training, or was it more of a personal exploration? How has that shaped your unique approach to your craft?
NEO 10Y: It was a mix. The classical foundation โ piano and vocals โ grounded me in discipline and structure, but beyond that, I had to disconnect to reconnect and explore more freely โ experimenting with sounds, textures, and constructs that felt more authentic to me. That expansive nature that you hear in ASCETIC HEDONIST โ the refined and the raw โ thatโs born from who I am, what my soul represents. Itโs quintessential NEO 10Y in a lot of ways.
3.ย Who were some of the most influential figures in your early musical life, and how did they inspire your sound? Also, whatโs the story behind choosing the name NEO 10Y?
NEO 10Y: I was inspired by artists who werenโt afraid to be different, those who made bold statements and turned music into a movement. NEO 10Y combines โneoteny,โ meaning retaining childlike essence, with notions of oneness (my name โNikhilโ in Sanskrit), and โ10โ โ a number of rebirth and unity โ and even reflects complete binary code unity, which resonates with my expansive identity and vision. ASCETIC HEDONIST channels all of that โ embracing both seriousness and playfulness in one unified expression.
4.ย What do you believe sets your music apart? How would you describe your sound to someone discovering you for the first time, and what emotions or experiences do you hope to evoke in your listeners?
NEO 10Y: My sound is future-facing yet ancient, spiritual yet sensual. Itโs designed to activate us and awaken something dormant. With ASCETIC HEDONIST, I want people to feel the tension between surrender and indulgence, and to recognize both as sacred.
5.ย For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style?
NEO 10Y: I never really emulated; I observed. I let influences enter me like teachers but refused to mimic. Over time, my development became about deprogramming โ shedding societal scripts. My style of pop music is more like a โphilosophical omnipresent portalโ. ASCETIC HEDONIST embodies that: itโs a genre expansive pop song, yes, but one designed as a spiritual technology.
6.ย Music often transcends entertainment. Whatโs your view on the role and function of your music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles?
NEO 10Y: NEO 10Y started as a political music project, which has evolved to be more spiritual. My purpose as an artist and human is to help manifest a protopian dimension of peace through the expansion of love energy. Music is more than entertainment, itโs a way to reflect the world, but also to imagine something better. I always want my songs
to carry a message, even if itโs subtle. ASCETIC HEDONIST is about embracing the contradictions which is something we all face in todayโs world. Itโs both personal and universal.
7. Do you feel the rewards of your musical career match the energy and passion you invest in it, or are there different kinds of fulfillment youโre still seeking?
NEO 10Y: The biggest reward is when someone tells me my music connected with them. Thatโs priceless. Of course, there are always bigger stages Iโd love to play on and more people to reach, but I try to stay grounded and enjoy the journey. Releasing ASCETIC HEDONIST has already given me that kind of fulfillment. To do the launch event for the single at HEAVEN in London feels extremely aligned โ itโs a massive stage at one of the worldโs biggest nightclubs, and it aligns with my release date of 999 (9th September 2025). I also had the honour of previewing the song at my show at West Hollywood Pride, plus a show at SUBCULTURE in LA, and Rough Trade Records, and performed at the Roundhouse, Troxy, and big festivals like Secret Garden Party โ all of these have been amazing experiences that I am grateful for and I look forward to the continued expansion!
8.ย Can you walk us through your creative process? From the first spark of an idea to the finished track, whatโs the most essential part of your process, and how do collaboration or external influences shape your work?
NEO 10Y: Usually it starts with a universal download โ a concept. Then I build from there on piano and guitar with melodies, lyrics, and my own production. I have my own sound, so collaboration keeps things fresh. I get to work with some of the most talented producers in the world to help realise my vision. With ASCETIC HEDONIST, the key was staying true to that initial feeling of tension and release. Thatโs what shaped the sonic identity of the track.
9.ย Whatโs been the most challenging hurdle in either your personal life or music career, and how has it shaped you as an artist?
NEO 10Y: Aside from being bullied a lot as a kid and as an adult, for a long time, I struggled with feeling like I had to pick a lane โ serious or fun, spiritual or sensual, ascetic or hedonistic. The hardest part was learning that I donโt have to choose. I can be all of it. Thatโs why this single is so special to me โ itโs about accepting wholeness, not division.
10.ย On the flip side, what moment or achievement in your career so far has made you feel the proudest, and why?
NEO 10Y: I have had so many incredible adventures as an artist and human โ universal alignment, critically acclaimed art, travel, big stages, TV opportunities, modelling campaigns, runway shows, and manifesting authentic love. The proudest moment is always the present. Right now, itโs releasing ASCETIC HEDONIST. It feels like my most distilled truth so far โ a declaration of paradox as liberation. Looking ahead, my plan is to continue building a sonic world where contradiction isnโt conflict, but wholeness.
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