Today we’d like to introduce you to Cosmic Fates Rock Band.
Hi Cosmic Fates, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Cosmic Fates rose from the ashes of Covid as a passion project of Ethan Luke Stenis, former touring musician turned technologist — out of Austin, Texas. After over a decade of playing in different ATX indie bands – most notably the Dirty Life & Times, and Tiger Blood, he put his music aside for a decade to raise a family. During that time I spent two years assisting primary care for his grandfather, going through that sandwich generation in his 30s. During this time, he also switch careers in technology in order to provide for his growing family and then moved his family across country to Utah. But just like many other couples, COVID exposed that his marriage had grown apart, leading to a long and slow divorce that finally resolved in early 2021, when semi-normalcy was breaching the horizon.
I was finally able to pick the guitar back up and started processing the heaving emotions and experience of my last decade through song-writing and began recording what was to be the debut Cosmic Fates self-titled “EP. I started playing open mics under “Ethan Luke” to flesh out my songs and getting my chops back. I took the song I wrote for my marriage vows, and changed the lyrics to be our break-up song, “Phoenix Rising”, and was inspired greatly by my love for 90s alternative rock – that was the music I was listening when I first experienced break-ups. I dusted off old songs and finished them, “McCartney Eyes” was a Beatles-solo era inspired indie song about what it would be like falling in love at first sight – based on a comment my friend’s wife made to me back in 2005 one night about how I have “Paul McCartney Eyes” and if any girl ever says that to you, you put a ring on her finger right there! (she was half-joking). As my heart rose up from the ashes of my divorce, other songs began to take a more silly little love songs turn with Hopeful Romantic, and the Flaming Lips-inspired Ever Again.
In 2023, I formed Cosmic Fates, and the full band to start supporting the first EP live, and more songs began to spill out that were inspired by the life experience and wisdom I have picked up along the way. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I’ve always processed and channeled my emotions through music and song. It is what fills my soul, it is my primary source of inspiration and artistic expression.
As a three-piece band, made of our drummer, Joseph Thomas, and bassist, Jared Raulston – we are just a couple of 40-something passionate musicians who are playing as often as we can in between moments of life being engaged dads who work and support our families.
Our sound is inspired by all eras of classic and alternative rock history — with spontaneous shoegaze and psychedelic tendencies, we aspire to create a sonic journey through the complexities of the human experience. Pass our wisdom down through song and story-telling.
We just released our latest single, “Restless Heart” on Valentine’s Day, 2/14/2025. It is a song that explores the internal struggle we have as humans settling down to a routine life vs chasing the unknown and your wildest dreams. We go into the studio next weekend, May 1st and 2nd, to continue recording our next EP, which will include our next single, “Kicking Rocks” which we are hoping to get out on July 4th, 2025.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For me, Ethan Luke, my journey has included many obstacles and challenges, I took a decade off of music to raise a family, my oldest is on the spectrum, my ex-wife went through deep traumatic experiences in her life, losing both her borther and father to drunk drivers, both in comas. Dad was in coma for the entire two years I was taking care of my grandfather as well. We had our oldest at that time. I switched careers as well to help support the 2nd baby and put my family through therapy. We moved to Utah for a better life but ended up getting a divorce during COVID. While 2020 was the worst year ever, in hindsight, it was the best year ever for me to get back to music and find who i was again.
I love my boys, I’m a very engaged parent – I coach and take care of them quite a bit. I’m a great co-parent with their mom, we are still friends and work well together raising the kids.
The band itself hasn’t had too many struggles except for the fact we are all fathers, full-time employees, partners or husbands, and are trying to be the best humans possible at the end of the day – and sometimes music has to take a back seat for our practice / show schedule. That’s ok, because it is living life and that is what inspires our songs and music anyway.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the Director of Marketing Technology & Operations at CHG Healthcare. I run a team of marketing technology managers who help optimize the operational efficiency, adoption, and management of our marketing-related software. I know that might be Latin, but what I really do is inspire people and try to get the best out of them by being a supportive, encouraging people and thought leader. I love telling stories about how data / technology / people can work together to get the best outcome.
It took me awhile but I did find my Ikigai – that sweet spot of what I’m good at, what I can get paid for, and what the world needs intersect – and that is by telling the story of how technology and data can help businesses operate better. I find this spills over quite a bit into my creative, as I love to present at work, just as much as I love getting on stage and playing our songs.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I am a collaborative worker, I love to work with people to succeed at our goals. The sum is greater than the parts, I strongly believe in that – that is why I prefer a band over playing solo. There is something amazing about getting a few folks together and finding that magic in the music together. Liking floating in the spaces of our minds.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cosmicfates.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosmicfates.music/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564120147886
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanstenis/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CosmicFates
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/cosmic-fates/sets/cosmic-fates-1
