After establishing himself with a wealth of captivating gems these last few years, Atlanta-based artist Matt Cleare returns once again to offer up his dreamy new single '4000!'.
Lifted from his forthcoming new EP 'Butterfly Twist!', which is set to arrive soon, '4000!' makes for a wonderfully warm and enchanting listen. Filled with rich and tender textures, a vibrant atmosphere, and his own mesmerising voice at the helm, we can't wait to hear what else he has in store for us on this new collection as well.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has inspired him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Guitar!
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I loved soul, rock, and R&B. And Rap. My mom grew up in the 70s so I got real into soul as a young kid but she was still young in the 90s so she put me onto Pac and shit like that. I got real into grunge rock and psychedelic rock in my early teens. And I had this mix CD of classic R&B stuff that I found in some used car she bought that really blew me away. All that shit changed my life for sure.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I remember buying “Bad” on cassette from a thrift store as a kid. Wish I still had it ‘cause it’s probably valuable af. Also the Corinne Bailey Rae album was maybe the first one I bought with my own money. I really loved her. I still do.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
I wish I made every song off of “In Search of” by NERD. And I wish I made “Strawberry Fields Forever” too. There’s so many songs I wish I had made but I don’t wanna expose myself ‘cause I might still make them.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
No, not really. Well maybe clean – I like the space being clean before I make something. No crazy rituals though. I just get in that zone and flow.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
N.E.R.D, Tame Impala, The Beatles. Garden & Villa. And Prince omg Prince. And Drake right now I’m really revisiting this era. He just kinda book ended this year and I’m amazed by all those songs.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Tame Impala or Donald Glover.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Finishing the masterpiece and listening back to it right after it’s finished. The whole process of creation itself for sure. But I haven’t had the chance to really connect with all my fans at once, so maybe when that happens it’ll be my favourite part.
And what is the most frustrating part?
I won’t call anything frustrating – the good and bad parts can’t really be separated but I’d take the good and bad parts of being a musician any day of the week. It’s all good fr fr I don’t have complaints!
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
To be as honest and vulnerable and transparent as possible in every musical endeavour.
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Matt Cleare's new single '4000!' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.