Allow me to introduce you to Matt Harper an up and coming artist in electronic pop music. After his debut during the 2020 lockdown, Matt felt the fire in him being rekindled, he focused on his music and now Matt has gained popularity and received more than 200,000 streams and was played on radio stations around the world.
Matt’s music can be described as synth-pop, with references to the 80s and 90s, which are updated to reflect current tendencies. Lyrically, he mashes up hard-hitting lyrics with an introvert who is lost in a world of his own, making a perfect blend.
“Oh No,” the first single off of Matt’s soon to be released EP “Change the World,” addresses the difficulty of being one’s self in the midst of social networking. The EP features Matt’s style of embodying shimmering synthesizers and some elements of rock; all in all, it is a positive record that calls for self-actualization.
Today Matt continues to cultivate songwriting and producing skills and this extra work can be seen in this recently released project. Given that Matt Harper is geared up for a number of live events, including a show scheduled for the Tamworth Festival, he is definitely one to keep an eye on.
I encourage you to listen to Matt’s songs, as everything, from the lyrics to the melody, is created consciously and beautifully.
Listen to Oh No
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What is your stage name
Matt Harper
Is there a story behind your stage name?
Not really it’s my name. I did look into other versions of it like Harper and a few others but they were already taken. There were less Matt Harpers on Spotify than any other option I could think of.
Where do you find inspiration?
It just hits me, usually at the most difficult time to do anything about it. I have to keep singing to myself the hook line or music idea till I can get to the piano. I’ve lost a lot of good ideas.
What was the role of music in the early years of your life?
I played trumpet before my teens, pretty well but stopped during high school. I didn’t get back into
music till I was recovering from a serious motorbike accident age 17. My mother got me a keyboard to pass the time in hospital and I started to learn synthpop songs.
Are you from a musical or artistic family?
Not really no, self inspired I guess. I did listen to all my parents records as a kid. Neil Sedaka, Buddy Holly, Neil Diamond.
Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?
I was in a couple of bands years ago that never really went anywhere though we gigged a lot. That gave me the bug for doing my own
thing where I could be in charge. I did some research and realised I could do it all myself pretty much.
How did you learn to sing/write/to play?
I’m mostly self-taught on Piano. I had a few lessons but I’m not really into the structure of it. I like to learn my own way which has probably held me back. I learned to sight read music from playing Trumpet but Piano is a beast in comparison. There’s two clefts for a start and one has the notes on the wrong lines!
I do try to learn from sheet music, especially classical stuff, but it takes a long time.
The singing is just something I always fancied doing though I had no idea if I was any good. The first time in a proper studio doing vocals was nerve wracking.
What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?
It was Toyah Wilcox at the height of her fame at the Birmingham Odeon. I
loved it. Next one was Depeche Mode at the same venue. That was the catalyst really for my love of Synth music.
How could you describe your music?
I think I take a bit of everything I love about music and lyrics and meld it into something new. It’s kind of Synth Rock in my mind. I don’t have a style I try to follow, I just write songs and my natural production preferences determine how they end up.
Describe your creative process.
It’s an idea that I thrash around for a while in my head. I write most of it in my mind first and then go to the piano to see what chords I will need to record with and finish the structure. I also need to know what key I can sing it in.
Then i start with the rhythm section first to find a beat that fits and after that I add the bass line and some guide parts so I can build the structure. Then it’s layering all the other parts in. It’s pretty much complete before I go to the studio and add vocals. We also do a few tweaks to get a mix before it goes off to my producer.
What is your main inspiration?
Anything really. A memory, a melody, a rhythm, the news. Something I hear about. I don’t have a theme.
What musician do you admire most and why?
Lyrically. Thom York, Michael Stipe, Martin Gore. I wish I could be as poetic as they are though I do try to put ideas into my lyrics that require some thought or could be interpreted many ways.
Musically, Vince Clark, Japan, Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Human League, Bjork and a host of others. Mostly for challenging the norm at the time and not being afraid of being creative.
Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career?
It constantly evolves. I try to push myself with every track to do something more difficult. Maybe in the production or the lyrics or the vocals. For this EP I’ve gone more in line with my liking for Indie Rock though retaining the electronic heart of its creation.
Who do you see as your main competitor?
I don’t see myself as competition or vice Versa. I think there’s a place for everyone. I’ll let listeners decide if they want to listen or not. I don’t really know who my audience is yet. I’m on a journey of discovery. I would
love to do festivals and I imagine the crowd singing along. If anything I try to write singalong music.
What are your interests outside of music?
I enjoy playing piano so I would always do that regardless. I’ve also taken up golf, but I’m not very good. I like travelling to new places and seeing life outside of the tourist spots.
If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?
Anything that involves technology suits me fine. I love tinkering with software applications.
What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?
Getting listeners. With very little promotion up to now it’s been hard but things are slowly picking up.
If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?
I don’t think I know enough about it yet. There’s so much to learn. I haven’t found anything yet I would want to change.
Why did you choose this as the title of this project?
The EP is called Change the World as is the opening track. I wrote it because I was so saddened by world events at the time. Each track has some link to my dissatisfaction or aspirations for a better way of life. I’m not trying to be preachy just asking the listeners to think about it I guess.
What are your plans for the coming months?
Getting gigs. It’s not easy when you’re a one man band with a backing track in a computer. I’m constantly searching for electro opportunities.
Do you have any artistic collaboration plans.
Maybe but that would be telling. I’m also talking to my label EDM about a remix contest which sounds fun.
What message would you like to give to your fans?
Stay strong and focused. Keep at it. Luck is the reward you get for effort.
