Great Escape

An Illinois native, charming boy-next-door Steffan Argus was born with music beating up his chest. At an early age, he was trained to sing and play a multitude of instruments resulting into the versatile storyteller we know of today. However, despite his many talents, Steffan decided not to dive head-first into music, saying that the best advice he was given was to wait. And contrary to the fast-paced demeanor of the industry, this advice brought wonders to the growth of his sound.

“I’ve been working on developing my music for years and years. If I had released the type of music I wanted to make three years ago, I would be on a completely different trajectory than I am now. I allowed myself the time to figure out who I am and what I want to say. It’s been a blessing in disguise. I was so anxious to release music, but because I waited for the right moment, I’m now doing exactly what I have always wanted.” Now 18 and more than ready to make his voice known, Steffan finally released his debut EP Lost At Sea last May. Citing Jason Mraz, Kishi Bashi, Yellow Ostrich, and Twenty One Pilots as his musical influences, the acoustic crooner takes his own version of whimsical yet poignant to create a sound dripping of both adventure and nostalgia, an amalgamation that reflected off his four-song EP.

A voyager’s journey to the great unknown, Lost At Sea is refreshingly unique and interesting as all of the songs are tied together to an encompassing narrative. “This collection of songs tells a chronological and cohesive story from start to finish. This body of music is the first chapter in my book. It’s a fantasy adventure that delves deep into some darker emotions that are often left untouched. It’s a call-to-arms for all the people who feel lost and are looking for an escape,” he explains. “The sound is very whimsical and even orchestral, with elements of alternative rock, but rooted in a pop style production.” He is a true storyteller at heart, drawing his songs from fictitious worlds interlaced with genuine emotion from his own person.

“I like to write songs that exist within a made up universe. I take real feelings and situations from my life and apply them to abstract concepts that come from being inspired by all things nature and fantasy. The songs on the EP have been inspired by everything—from a T-shirt to a shed that I lived in for a year and a half. I get little seeds of ideas attached to emotion, and then I expand and turn them into songs,” he states, allowing for the kind of writing process that grants us a peek at his personal life while still keeping his listeners at bay and clamoring for the rest of the chapters to come. Always the overachiever, Steffan isn’t only a musician, but a model, an athlete, and an actor as well, getting a head start at both singing and acting at a young age through musical theater, an endeavor that paid off on both fronts in the long run.

“Musical theater taught me technique and discipline. I’m so grateful for that. Acting in theater is a lot different from TV or film, but it did help me learn a lot about becoming a character. It also taught me stage performance endurance. When you’re singing and dancing on a stage for two hours, you learn a thing or two about breath control.” Steffan currently stars in The Commute, a web series on YouTube already on its second season, as Hansen, one of the only two leads of the romantic comedy. With a total of over 7.5 million views, the success of the show has helped catapult him into other acting projects, including the newest X-Men spinoff The Gifted.

Dropping this October 2017, Steffan is set to play Jack, the boyfriend of Lauren Strucker, one of the child mutants on the show. Jack is kept in the dark about his girlfriend’s true identity, causing trouble in their relationship. There’s definitely nothing stopping a free spirit like Steffan, with an arsenal of talents and pure passion at his fingertips he’s a visionary in the making. “I’ve been very interested in exploring the possibility of creating a musical of my own,” he reveals. “It is in very early stages of development but it is something I’m very excited about. Back to my roots!” Boasting multiple projects and a lot more to come, he’s a spark ready to catch fire, also promising a full-length album in the future. He’s hitting the road with his band as he gears to connect with his fellow lost boys and girls around the country, and hopefully around the world in no time.

By Jam Nitura

Photographed by Logan Cole

Shot on location at the Angeles National Forest