Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I’m from Washington Township, New Jersey. My dad is a professional musician, so I learned a great deal from him. I began writing songs at age 8 and took a love to the piano. From then on, I knew I wanted a career in music in the long term.
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: I am both self-taught and received formal training in classical piano. I competed in classical competitions for several years when I studied with my private instructor. I am a self-taught singer and songwriter who has just started to receive vocal lessons.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: My first major influence was David Bowie from age 8 or 9, then I began to explore other artists such as the bands Yes, Genesis, and Gentle Giant. I also became a big fan of both Billy Joel and Elton John as I grew older. I have many musical influences, but these have been my strongest, helping contribute to my identity as a songwriter.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Change Your Ways’. Is there a story behind it?
A: I wrote ‘Change Your Ways’ during the Covid pandemic and was essentially putting out a message to all of mankind. There has been so much unrest in the world, between war and climate change, I’m advising man to change their ways before it’s too late.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: I recently released my first EP called ‘World I’m Comin’ For You’ from January 2022, featuring 5 of my songs. I have released 2 singles since then during 2022, including my songs ‘Real Future’ and ‘Change Your Ways.’ While I don’t have an immediate plan to release another full EP or album, I plan on releasing several singles over the course of 2023. I’ll also be releasing a music video with each single.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: As a songwriter, I feel I write about relatable events from the world. I have always been very observant and feel my listeners can relate to many of the things I write about, such as worldly issues and the struggles of daily life and how to overcome them. My faith in God has shown me a twist towards the end of my songs, as I like to promote a positive outlook for the future.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: I write and record for the love of music. I have always loved music and being a singer-songwriter from a very young age. At the same time, I feel like I am destined to give something great to the world. I want all people to hear my music and I am currently working on that. I don’t care about fame, I just want to inspire as many people as I possibly can through my writing.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: As a very young songwriter, my writing process usually began on the notepad, writing ideas or lyrics. However, as I have evolved as a writer, the process either begins at the keys or even on my cell phone notepad, where I’ll create on the go. Sometimes a song takes a day to complete, other times it may be a week or two weeks. From there, I take it into the studio and my team and make it something special.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: The grind of the music business can wear on you sometimes, but I have always prided myself on keeping my head high and remaining quite strong in the face of adversity. I feel I do best when I’m under pressure, but I’ve already gone through many trials and tribulations early in my music career, including not receiving callbacks in important auditions and having to join or reform my own bands a number of times. It is a never ending process and I feel that I can make it worth it in the end.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I’ve had the honor and great opportunity of working with two legends in the music industry, both from Billy Joel’s original band. On my most recent EP entitled ‘World I’m Comin’ For You,’ my songs featured the drumming of Liberty DeVitto and multi-instrumentalist and producer Richie Cannata in Cove City Sound Studios in Long Island, New York. The experience of having two widely-known artists in the industry play on my original songs has been a thrill to say the least, but I’m only just getting started!
LISTEN TO THE ARTIST:
Follow Matt DeAngelis:
Spotify – SoundCloud – YouTube – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Website