Forget the fact that singer-songwriter Trevor “Trouble” Andrew’s forthcoming record, set to drop March 28, is titled Dreams of a Troubled Man. By all accounts this former Olympic snowboarder with the freshest sound in town is living the dream. Between festival appearances (the latest of which is today’s SXSW performance with Wu-Tang Clan), loyal fans and friends (the latter collectively called the Trouble Gang) and a wife we know as Santigold, Andrew leads a charmed life.

“I love the South,” Andrew declared of SXSW’s Austin environs. “It’s a [Wu-Tang] reunion, so it’s going to be legendary for sure,” he predicted. “I’m excited to be down there in general. All the mingling, running around with the Trouble Gang. That should be fun.”

More fun stuff is in store for Andrew and his fans: on March 24,  he and his band mates (guitarist Joao Salomao, bassist Masaru Takaku and drummer Ian Longwell) plan to celebrate the release of Dreams in New York. “I’m going to throw a party downtown somewhere, give out my album,” he said. It’s a disc the artist described as “cohesive,” though he added he’s definitely evolved since the last LP. “I feel like it’s a growth, really,” Andrew said. “Growing as a person, growing as an artist.”

Trouble Gang

That in part is tied to his work with wife Santi White, who rocked the mic on Dreams track “Reporters.” Andrew described the song as “more about people. It’s not so literal. Everybody’s in everybody’s business.”  He added (perhaps for my benefit?), “I love reporters. I need somebody to tell my story, ya know?”

As for Santigold, Andrew brags on her behalf: “She knocked it out! For me it sealed the deal as far as the track being finished. It feels great.” He also hints at her next record, which, according to her publicist, is not due to hit shelves until later this year or even next year. “It’s fucking insane,” he declared. “She’s mixing it right now – doing final tweaks and stuff. People are going to love it.”

Also making cameos on Dreams are Amanda Blank and skateboarder Jake Lamagno. On Blank, Andrew said, “She came in the studio and jumped on [“Run Hide”] and killed it. It all came together.”

The latter, Andrew’s longtime and long-haired friend, appears briefly on “New Kid.” Lamagno does, however, feature prominently in the music video, a production Andrew described as “dark but sexy.” It’s about the “shit that happens in the city, especially when you come from outside the city,” he said.  ”It’s just glorious. You can totally get sucked in and turned out. Visually, [that’s] what we tried to capture.”

FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD: TREVOR TROUBLE ANDREW “NEW KID”

It’s a packed calendar ahead. After Austin, the band moves onto Mammoth where they’ll open for La Roux at the Roxy Chicken Jam. Then a quick trip to Canada for some more music video ventures and then back in the studio.

“I just like to constantly keep being creative, making music, writing lyrics, drawing pictures, designing clothes. I make fliers,” he said. “I make fliers even when I don’t have a show coming up. I’ll just make a flier and wait ’til I have a show and then put a day on it. I live in a great place and I have a great job. Obviously getting feedback…from the world is amazing. I’m super lucky, man.”