STANDING SHOW
Honestav started his artistic career as a video creator, making jokes and one-liners on his phone camera, but he’s also made a name for himself as a singer of thoughtful, wounded acoustic tunes like his viral breakthrough, 2024’s “I’d Rather Overdose.”
Born Avrey Freeman in Springfield, Missouri, his childhood was punctuated by tribulations. Both parents struggled with substance abuse. Freeman would spend idle time recording comedic videos, most notably from the perspective of his “broke boyfriend” character. Far from a freeloader in real life, Freeman steadily released singles onto streaming services starting in 2021.
Early Honestav tracks flirted with hip-hop the way early work by Post Malone did; over time, his music mutated into folk and pop just like Malone, as on 2022’s “Freckles.” More confessional, guitar-driven tunes followed including 2023’s “Starduhst,” “Stuck Sorry,” “They Don’t Make Pills for a Heartache,” and “The Grass Needs Mowed.” When a drug overdose claimed his father’s life, Freeman poured his emotions into the 2024 track “I’d Rather Overdose.” To his surprise, the song exploded, topping global viral charts and landing on Billboard’s weekly TikTok 50.
