Curtis Waters
Abhinav Bastakoti (born December 20, 1999), known by his stage name Curtis Waters, is a Canadian-American musician and songwriter. He is known for his self-produced 2020 debut single "Stunnin.'" He is the first Nepal-born musician to reach international success. Early life. Waters was born in Kathmandu, Nepal. He moved to India at a young age, before moving to Germany at age four, and then relocating to Calgary, Alberta at age ten. Waters settled in Cary, North Carolina in 2017 at age seventeen. The moves were following his parents' educational dreams—his father now has a  PhD in environmental science, while his mother has two master's degrees and specializes in GIS. When he was 14, Waters returned to Nepal for three months for his Bratabanda, a complex Hindu coming of age ceremony. In 2014, Waters downloaded FL Studio onto his laptop and started to make beats. “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." His musical influences include Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Odd Future, Tyler the Creator , and Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. By 2017, he was posting his music online. As a teenager in Canada, Waters used music and graphic design to overcome depression. 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. 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.” By 2017, he was posting his music online as Frank Waters. In 2018, Waters began his  freshman year at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, studying in media studies. He also worked at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Career. In April 2020, Waters posted a 15-second snippet of his hip hop/pop song, "Stunnin" which became a "viral TikTok sensation." In one month, "Stunnin'" was viewed more than two million times on YouTube. In June, "Stunnin'" was ranked #3 on Rolling Stone's Breakthrough 25 Chart. By July 2020, "Stunnin'" had been streamed over 35 million times on Spotify. Waters was chased by numerous labels. He decided to stay independent, but did sign a licensing deal  with BMG. His manager is A&R executive Chris Anokute, who helped launch Katy Perry and Rihanna. In June 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ran an article about Waters. In July 2020, "Stunnin'" was used in a Mercedes-Benz commercial. Water's second single was "System." He recorded his album "Pity Party" in his dorm at UNC Greensboro. After production, "Pity Party" was re-released in October 2020. 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." Personal. Waters lives in Cary, North Carolina. 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.