For British singer-songwriter Matt Maltese, the pandemic was a chance of a lifetime to unveil a new side of himself to the world. And it so happened that the burgeoning mass of Tiktok was his first witness; amidst the absence of live shows came a new cohort of fans who were obsessed with — not his latest release — a track he had put out into the world in 2018.
Perhaps it was because everyone felt seen with the words of As The World Caves In, which exactly reflected what the whole world was going through in 2020. But writing that took place before 2020, and that tendency to dwell in the sorrows of apocalyptic lyrics, was lost on Matt when those sentiments became less of a getaway from reality than a reminder of what people were facing every day. This shift in perspective is especially prominent in his latest album, Driving Just to Drive — a charming, introspective and earnest compilation of Matt’s new lush and cinematic tunes.
In a sit-down chat ahead of his show in Singapore, we ask Matt about his journey into music, the creative process behind his songs, thoughts about TikTok, and where he will be going in the future.
Hi Matt! Can you tell me what you do for a living in 10 words or less?
Hello! I mould feelings, thoughts and stories into a song shape. Does my hello tip my word count over?
No, you’re good (laughs). Was there a particular artist, life event or realisation that ultimately led you to pursue music as an artist?
I suppose there are quite a few moments along the way. When I listened to music growing up, I remember it making me feel more than anything else made me feel. And how I felt when I was singing. It was terrifying and something I couldn’t understand. I think the first moment I wrote a song — maybe when I was around 13 or 14 — I overwhelmingly felt the mythology of it. It was like singing but five times as intense. I couldn’t understand what was happening when I was writing a song. It was an intoxicating feeling. I was probably doomed from that moment on.
What does your creative process usually look like? Talk me through the timeline of how your songs usually get made or how differently the processes can turn out to be.
It varies a lot, but I mostly just start with a voice note or a lyric or even a melody and build from there. My production comes hand in hand with the writing these days, and I find that building up the song musically helps me find the song itself even more. Lyrics are incredibly elusive. One day it will all fall into place, but others, it will be the worst drivel you’ve ever written. But I find that trying to just be in the thick of it as much as you can and making things, good or bad, is the best process for me.
When do you feel like a song is complete? Is there a physical sign or gut feeling you look out for? What is the lyric you are proudest of writing so far? Why?
I’d say it’s a gut feeling. A lot of it is down to the lyrical side — whether I’ve said everything I want to say or not. Picking a favourite lyric is an extremely hard question to answer! Right here, right now — ‘there was a time when I worshipped the towel you dried on’ (from ‘Curl Up and Die’).
I feel like you embrace a rose-tinted lens of nostalgia very wholeheartedly in Driving Just To Drive, and I find it really comforting to listen to tracks that feel sincerely optimistic and romantic. Was the process of creation just as cathartic?
Sometimes! A lot of the writing, at times definitely was cathartic, but the perfecting of it is always a pretty intense process. There’s nothing as good as a finished thing that you feel good about, though.
Is the Matt Maltese who wrote As the World Caves In different from the Matt Maltese on tour today? What’s changed, and what stayed the same?
Yes, still me — no Paul McCartney business. I guess I’m maybe less inclined to be apocalyptic. It felt a lot more fun and interesting to me to write apocalyptic when things were less awful; it now feels much less helpful, and so I think that’s gradually moved my music towards a more peaceful, positive space. But yes, I also have hair now.
We can’t not talk about Tiktok. How do you feel about the platform?
I feel pretty positive about it. In my opinion, it’s clearly made the music discovery process more democratic than it used to be. People’s access to a potential group of fans used to have a lot more gatekeepers — you’d have to pay some guy to have the meeting with a radio producer or appeal to a small group of tastemakers, and now you just don’t. I mean, basically, any kid with a phone can record themselves singing and get a record deal overnight. And, of course, there’s so much in that which is good and bad. Everyone has such strong opinions, but either way, nothing replaces the work. I think sometimes the fast-paced nature of it can make it easy to forget that you also need to have lots of very good songs that can translate outside of TikTok, and also, shows are so different than singing to your phone. You need to have done the work for when the algorithm forgets about you. But yeah — I’m biased slightly as it kind of changed my life — I think it’s a reality and can be a good reality if you approach it right. And I think it’s so miserable when someone hates it without fully realising the good it has also done. It’s just a huge change which is terrifying. And I just know in five or ten years, there’ll be something even more unhinged that makes TikTok seem like the good old days.
Do you think being on Tiktok has changed the way you write and make music? If it has not, do you think it will in the future?
No, I actually really don’t. I’ve personally always had the same compass with songwriting. I do think I can just feel if it’s good or not. Of course, I didn’t start with Tiktok in my life, so I maybe have a slightly different relationship with it than others.
You’ve had quite a number of high-profile listeners share your works over the past few years. Who has been the most unexpected listener that you’ve learned about?
Doja Cat? That was quite ridiculous. And V, of course. It’s all just very bizarre.
If you could collaborate on a track with anyone in the past or present, who would that be?
Jon Brion.
Last but not least, what is the most unexpected song that you’ve had on heavy rotation over the past month?
I don’t know if it’s unexpected, but I’ve been listening to “My Lady Story” by Anthony and the Johnsons. It’s from one of my favourite albums of all time.
Once you’re done with this interview with Matt Maltese, click here to catch up with the May 2023 issue.
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