Meet Matt Kelley | Musician/Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Kelley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I owe so much of who I am to where I’m from and how I grew up. Though I didn’t always understand the role my upbringing played in my artistry, those roots ultimately gave me the foundation to blossom into my own unique artist and individual, and I am so thankful for my hometown and the people in it.

I was born and raised in Cedartown, Georgia, which I always describe as the epitome of a small, Southern town. Storytelling was baked into my upbringing, whether it was listening to my grandmother and her friends circulate the weekly gossip while playing cards, or eavesdropping on the phone calls my mom would take as part of the church prayer chain, or hearing anecdotes about the colorful cast of characters that my dad met while working as a teenager at my Paw-Paw Kelley’s service station. These were tales of REAL people with REAL feelings and REAL life experiences, and I found myself drawn to the authenticity and beauty in those simple stories. As I began writing music, I knew that I wanted my work to embody the qualities found in the stories I was raised on, and I have strived to write lyrics that capture the magic found in the everyday human experience.

Growing up, I always felt like somewhat of an outsider due to my love of music and performance (though most of those feelings were admittedly cultivated in my own mind). My dad coached baseball and football for 35 years, both of my brothers grew up on the baseball field, and most of the boys my age played some sort of sport, but I never had interest in pursuing that path for myself (I mean, the extent of my athletic prowess was catching butterflies in the outfield and playing in the dirt after my brothers’ baseball games!). I knew I loved the arts, and while I was never ostracized or mistreated for having different interests from those around me, I always felt as though I hadn’t truly found the place where I fit in, which was a hard thing to grapple with as a kid. However, I soon found my home in places like the local children’s theatre company, or in a cover band with a few friends, and these avenues were where I was finally able to cultivate the passions that had lived inside of me for so long. Once my family realized that the stage was where I was meant to be, they (as well as the rest of my hometown) supported me wholeheartedly, and have continued to cheer me on ever since. Just last week, I was fortunate enough to return to my hometown to be interviewed about my debut single on the local radio station where I had my first job 10 years ago, and if that isn’t the definition of a community having your back, then I don’t know what is!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
First and foremost, I’m a rock and roll artist, and one of my biggest goals is to bring that massive classic rock sound back into mainstream music. I have always been drawn to the rock legends of the 70s and 80s like Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Elton John, etc., and I miss the larger-than-life soundscapes and earth-shattering energy that they brought with their artistry, so I’m definitely trying to channel that similar vein of sonic magic while sharing my own unique perspective. I also just want to create a space with my art where everyone can connect to it in some way. Our world feels like it’s more divided than ever, and it seems like people nowadays tend to view those around them as a series of labels and beliefs rather than as fellow human beings. My goal as an artist is to put a microscope to the human condition and tell stories that reflect and analyze the experiences and feelings that we all face, like love, heartbreak, chasing a dream, and navigating the twists and turns found on the journey of life. I truly believe that music is the most powerful force in the world, and by writing about these universal themes, I hope to create a sense of commonality amongst those who listen to my songs, and hopefully show the world that at the end of the day, we are all just people trying our best, and we should focus on the things that unite us, not divide us.

My journey as an artist has not been an easy one. For years, I have struggled (and continue to struggle) with crippling self-doubt and anxiety in regard to my own abilities, and there have been countless times where I have questioned whether or not I was even good enough to continue down this path. I’ve faced a multitude of setbacks and rejections that beat me down throughout my artistic career, and even in moments of success, I’ve often felt as if I have isolated myself from the world around me due to my single-mindedness in pursuit of my dreams. In these dark moments, I’ve found it is most important to lean on my personal support system. I have such a strong network of family and friends that are there to lift me up when I am feeling down, and they remind me that not only am I loved by many, but that my creativity and artistry is worth sharing with the world. One of my favorite lyrics I’ve ever written comes from a tune entitled “Lonely City Streets,” and it reads, “Heaven doesn’t seem so far away, so we’ll chase it in each moment, and we’ll find it in each day.” The people I have around me constantly remind me of just how beautiful my everyday life truly is, and they motivate me to keep chasing my passions with every ounce of my being.

In terms of what I’m most proud of thus far in my career, I would have to say the release of my debut single, “me, unconditionally.” I wrote the song back in 2021 but didn’t release it until this year, and it was the first original piece of mine that really made me stop and say, “Wait. Maybe I am good at this whole songwriting thing!” It’s a tune that I am immensely proud of, so to be able to have the opportunity to step into the studio for the first time and record it was a truly special experience. I worked with a producer based out of Brooklyn named Dan Weiner, and he immediately understood my vision for what I wanted the final product to be. He taught me so much about the recording process as a whole and the level of specificity that goes into creating a fully realized song, as I had never even stepped foot in a recording studio before working on this track. The record came out on April 18th, and as of today (May 7th), it has JUST surpassed 10,000 streams on Spotify alone, which is truly mind-blowing for me. Seeing my hard work be loved and appreciated by so many fills me with unending gratitude, and it just makes me want to keep creating and sharing my work with as many people as possible. As far as what’s next for me and my music, I am currently in the process of recording single #2, entitled “Trust Me (A Happy Song),” which (if all goes according to plan) is set to be released sometime in June, so be on the lookout for that!

At the end of the day, I am simply a boy with a dream. I left my small Georgia town to move to the big city and share my songs with whoever will listen, and it’s been truly magical to see my lifelong dreams actively coming true in front of my eyes. I’m unbelievably thankful for the support of my fanbase thus far, and I hope to keep sharing my music and bringing people together through the power of song for as long as I possibly can.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I guess now is as good a time as ever to fess up: I do NOT live in Los Angeles, and the only time I’ve ever actually stepped foot in LA was during a layover at LAX on the way to Australia. I’ve always wanted to take a proper trip to Los Angeles, so if anyone is interested in booking me for a show out that way, you know where to find me! I actually live on the other side of the country in New York City, so if you ever find yourself visiting NYC, here are some of my favorite spots/things to do in the Big Apple:

1.) Take in the local piano bar scene! When I’m not performing my original music, I work at piano bars in and around the city, where I take song requests for around 3-4 hours a night. There is no setlist, so the music is chosen completely by the audience, and it’s a completely different show every evening. I primarily work at Bar Nine on 53rd and 9th in Hell’s Kitchen, but I’ve also performed at Haswell Green’s, which is located right off of Times Square. When I’m looking for a fun piano bar experience on my nights off, I typically go to Marie’s Crisis in the West Village, where the repertoire is EXCLUSIVELY Broadway showtunes and the atmosphere is perfect for a former theatre kid like myself.

2.) Get a slice of pizza! NYC is famous for their pizza, and there is certainly no shortage of great pizza spots that will fit any budget. There are a million dollar slice spots throughout the city, but my favorite is 99 Cent Fresh Pizza on 55th and Broadway (close to the Ed Sullivan Theater). I discovered this hidden gem when I first visited New York for my 13th birthday, and I’ve been hooked on it ever since! If you’re looking for a more upscale experience to go along with a delicious slice of pizza (and some killer pasta), head to Rubirosa on the outskirts of Little Italy. There’s almost always a line out the door, so be sure to get a reservation in advance! (P.S. if you end up dining at Rubirosa, head on into Little Italy and grab an after-dinner coffee and cannoli from the Cannoli King at Caffé Palermo. The atmosphere is wonderfully vintage and the cannolis are out of this world!)

3.) Spend a day in Central Park! Sometimes the craziness of the city can be too much, and Central Park is a great escape into nature to get away from all the hustle and bustle. My favorite spots to rest and relax in the park are the Great Hill and The Pool in the north end, as well as the giant rocks and winding pathways along the west side of The Reservoir. However, my favorite overall spot in Central Park HAS to be Strawberry Fields. Located just off of W 72nd Street, this memorial to John Lennon located just a few yards from where he was tragically murdered serves as a beautiful testament to his musical legacy. Being the massive Beatles fan that I am, I love to sit on the benches surrounding the memorial and enjoy the Lennon/McCartney tunes being played live at all hours of the day by local musicians.

4.) Last, but certainly not least, GO. TO. MELBA’S. I live in Harlem, and my absolute FAVORITE neighborhood eatery (and maybe my favorite restaurant in all of the city) is Melba’s, located on W 114th Street. This iconic restaurant is just a few blocks from my apartment, and their soul food cuisine tastes identical to the Southern home cooking I grew up on. The place is always popping, because everyone wants to get a taste of Melba’s signature dishes like fried chicken & waffles, candied yams, and collard greens made the RIGHT way. My personal favorite dish is Melba’s Spring Rolls, which are filled with classic Southern staples like black eyed peas, rice, and greens. I promise you that this food will not only fill your stomach, but soothe your soul.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are SO many people who have supported my music and nurtured my passion throughout the course of my life, but if I had to pick just one person who shaped my artistic journey more than anyone, it would have to be my elementary school music teacher, Mrs. Allen. When I was in the third grade, Tuesday was my favorite day of the week, because that was the day I got to go to music class and hear what Mrs. Allen had in store for us. She would often play us the music that she grew up on, and I would sit enraptured as my ears got their first taste of artists like Bob Dylan, Harry Chapin, and Peter, Paul, & Mary. However, my life would never be the same after Mrs. Allen played “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles. While a bleak orchestral tune about a woman dying alone might seem like a strange choice to play for a group of third-graders, I thought it was the greatest song I had ever heard, and I immediately recruited a group of my friends to learn the song with me to perform in music class the next week. In that moment, my mind was opened to everything that music could truly be, and it sparked a love affair with the Fab Four that has continued on for the rest of my life. A good teacher possesses the superpower to profoundly change the lives of their students for the better, and I will never be able to fully express just how much Mrs. Allen and her music class changed mine.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattkelley_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattkelleymusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPWiGAy5LX1_BP3atPFkstA

Other: Stream my debut single, “me, unconditionally”- https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/mattkelley2/me-unconditionally

For booking inquiries/questions, shoot me an email @ mattkelley807@gmail.com!

Image Credits
Camille Duvall, Alexandra Galvis, Kendra Frankle, MAD Captures Photography