a chat with Matt Taylor

Originally from Dublin, Bright based singer/songwriter Matt Taylor is back with a new EP April 13th. Matt is already taking the world by storm with his beautiful vocals, and writing skills. Releasing popular tracks such as "GODSPEED" which received a beautiful amount of praise, getting inspiration from the likes of SOPHIE''s and Taylor Swift's storytelling/songwriting, our writer Bella has the opportunity to speak to Matt about what he's currently listening too, his newest EP, and so much more.

What artists are you really loving right now?

I think it’s always quite varied, but right now I’m obsessed with the new Swedish House Mafia album, and also the new Kendrick!

What sparked your drive to make music? Is your love of music influenced by your upbringing at all?

I think it’s always been deeply embedded in me, whether it’s dance, singing or writing. I’ve always used it as a way to process different situations & emotions so in a way it’s a real necessity to me.

What is your favorite song on the EP?

I think it has to be Godspeed, it really sparked the entire project and it’s deffo one of my favourite tracks I’ve ever done.

Which song on the EP is the most meaningful for you?

I think that April 13th is the track I’m most lyrically proud of. We managed to fit a lot into that track, and it was a real weight lifted off my shoulders when we finished it!

What was your process when creating the EP?

This one was quite fast to be honest. I want to say it was chaotic but it was all very natural & flowing, everything kind of came together at just the right time. It’s the most comfortable I’ve been while working on a project.

What was it like making this EP for you outside of the musical process? You wrote a lot about heartbreak, did writing this EP help you in anyway?

Oh yeah 100%, I mean I wrote the whole thing so that I could get over someone. I still find it weird to think that they might have listened to it, I hope it helped them too.

Are there any specific artist that influenced the sound for this EP? If so, how does their sound materialize in your own music?

How are you able to bridge the gap between the electro-pop sound and the beautiful melodic writing like that of Taylor Swift and Lorde?

Ahahaha that’s very sweet! I actually made a playlist of the songs that shaped this EP, you can see it on my Spotify but it was quite a broad amount of music! From Kanye to Damien Rice, there are too many to just list here.

Where did you pull from when writing for the EP? What is the inspiration behind the beautiful stories of heartbreak and longing?

I wouldn’t say this project is about heartbreak and longing, it’s more about acceptance. Yeah I miss someone but that’s okay, there are always going to be people who have a positive & negative impact on your life, and sometimes it’s not even that black & white. I’m sure I’ve been the villain in a few peoples stories but that’s because we’re all trying to find our own ways. I’d say I pulled from my desire to fine mine.

Did you work with a team when writing and producing this EP? If so, how do they inspire or influence the music (if at all)?

Yes, and it absolutely would not have been possible without the. I’m so so lucky to be able to work with my friends every single day. I don’t think they inspired the sound or writing per say, but they inspire me all the time, we all inspire each other.

How would you describe the evolution of your sound, what brought you to the current mix of your sultry melodic to moody electro-pop sound of this EP?

I think it just matches my evolution as a person. I’m never going to want to stick to just one sonic identity, there too much to explore for that, and I think my sound today is just shaped by the emotions I felt a couple of months ago.

What does this EP mean for you and your career?

This one has definitely changed a lot for me. I can’t quite go into detail about the industry side of thins, but from the point of view of a fan base it’s been so crazy to see the response to this one. I’ve never had so many people resonate with my music before & it’s a really interesting feeling. In some ways it’s a bit invasive, I fell like people are inside of the emotional part of my brain, but it’s also just so so so cool to see the growth!

It is clear that your EP has been successful, where are you planning to go from here in terms of your sound?

Ahahaha I’m not 100% sure yet, but you’ll know in a couple of weeks!

As we move through the EP, the order of songs placed—in a way—tell a story itself. We end the EP with ‘End Like This’— that while still telling a story of the anger behind having a relationship end—sounds hopeful in a way. Is this significant in anyway, are we ending this pain of your love journey on a better note?

I think it goes back to what I was saying about acceptance. Like what happened was shitty, nothing is gonna change that, but I don’t want it to define how I feel moving forward. Sometimes I still miss what it felt like was there, sometimes I cringe thinking about it, I think that’s all part of closing a chapter & End Like This felt like the right way to do it!

Did you purposely list the songs in the order presented on the EP and if so, what did you want from it?

Ehhhhh, kind of! I think it all just came together naturally, they’re all quite different but when I laid them out infront of me it became obvious quite quickly! I knew for SURE that I wanted to start with Godspeed, and I let it drive me from there!

Words by Bella

Keep up with Matt

Instagram

Youtube

Watch Matt's music video for "End Like This" down below!