Catch up with pop artist Matt LeGrand and listen to his latest single, "One More Try".
What got you interested in music?
Matt LeGrand: Watching and playing music with my older brother, Alex. We loved all of the old school classic rock bands. The Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Clapton just to name a few. I got my first electric guitar when I was 11. I loved it so much. It was a bright red fender and I would take care of it like a baby. I literally would clean it every single day and if anyone touched it, I'd turn into a monster. My first concert ever was The Stones and I would credit that show for motivating me to do all of this.
Do you remember what the first song you wrote was about?
It was an extremely sad song. I only wrote about half the song and then I stopped. It was about a teenage romance that ended too soon. The boy was so awful to the girl that she ran away from home to start a new life. Flash forward 10 years: the boy is now a man and painfully figures out that his teenage romance, that he treated so badly, got diagnosed with cancer and passed away a year ago. This shuts him down and all he is left to say is all the things he would do differently in another life.
Which artists or bands have you been influenced by?
Currently I love JB’s new album. I think everyone that was involved in that creative process did an amazing job choosing the new direction of his career. My all time biggest influences are Freddie Mercury and Justin Timberlake.
Is there a current single or artist you'd recommend to your listeners?
I think Zayn Malik’s “Pillow Talk” is fantastic. The video is out of this world. I think it’s a starting point of a different style of artistry.
Which words would you use to describe your sound?
I wouldn't use any words to describe it right now. I'm so early in my career that I haven't even found my sound yet. It's a really exciting process, as I am experiencing it right now, but it does take awhile. Ask me this question after my HIT SONG!!
Where do you draw inspiration from when you are working on new music?
I use a fun process that I call “Current and Old.” I listen to what's lit and super hot right now, then I go to my old school pop songs playlist and I start combining things. It keeps things simple, doing it this way. All pop music is recycled. I heavily rely on personal experience as well. It's the natural way.
"One More Try" has a different sound than your other releases, what inspired that single?
I was dying to have a ballad for myself and I approached B. Howard to see if he had anything. Sure enough, this is what he had just laying around. It's such a wonderful song written by an artist that is genuine, kind, and real. These are the kind of artist that I'm influenced by. Thank you, B.
What do you hope your listeners can take away from your music?
I hope that they can take away the same exact feeling that I have when I'm writing or singing the music. I want my music to help people. If you are down, I want to write you a happy song. If you feel like you have to let emotions out, I'm going to give you an emotional song. If you are already happy, I'm gonna make you extraordinarily happy. What I do is for other people and myself.
