Travis Scott Talks Pressure To Follow Up ‘Astroworld’ & COVID Pandemic Impacting His Creativity

There can be a lot of pressure on a recording artist after he or she drops a triple-Platinum, Grammy-nominated instant classic. Will the creator successfully follow up on that well-received body of work? Travis Scott is currently in that space.

The Houston rhymer’s Astroworld arrived on the scene in 2018 by debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 537,000 first-week units. The LP garnered another 205,000 units in its second week to remain atop the chart which angered Nicki Minaj and her Barbz fanbase.

Despite Astroworld becoming one of the best-selling and most acclaimed albums of that year, Scott insisted he does not feel burdened by his own musical triumphs. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk till Dawn, Spy Kids) interviewed the Cactus Jack Records founder for i-D, and he asked his fellow Texan about feeling pressure to succeed.

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“I don’t feel no pressure, except to keep the fans alive. There’s so much more ground I can cover, and I want to cover it, and I love the challenge of it. I want to make a f###### new sound. I might spend days banging my head against a wall trying to figure it out, but once I do it, it’s like ultimate ecstasy,” said Scott.

Travis Scott’s connection with his followers is partly based on the live show experience. The “Sicko Mode” performer’s “Astroworld – Wish You Were Here Tour” grossed more than $34.3 million during the first 32 dates of the trek. Netflix later released a documentary about the album and tour called Look Mom I Can Fly.

The COVID-19 pandemic essentially shut down the tour industry for nearly all of 2020. At the moment, there is no clear sign of when artists can go back on the road. Rodriguez wanted to know how else did the COVID era affect Scott’s creative process.

“It made me way more productive,” answered Scott. “You know, you’re not doing any shows. You not really doing too much traveling. You in the crib, and I got the studio at home and I have the peace to record all day, you know? Obviously like, you lose a little bit by not being able to travel and, you know, just see the earth.”

Since the release of Astroworld, Travis Scott tallied three more #1 singles on Billboard‘s Hot 100. “Highest in the Room,” “The Scotts” with Kid Cudi, and “Franchise” with Young Thug and M.I.A. each debuted in the chart’s pole position before quickly slipping down the rankings.

The immediate chart success of those records suggests that there is still high interest for new Travis Scott music among his diehard fans. His Ragers are patiently waiting for his fourth studio LP which is tentatively titled Utopia. When Rodriguez jokingly told Scott to hurry up on his new album, the 28-year-old hitmaker replied, “It’s coming. Coming soon. You can bet that.”