Meet Matthieu Samouiller | Musician Multi-instrumentalist

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

Hi Matthieu, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I love this subject. In my life, I believe that the greater the risk, the greater the chance. Here are a few examples.
I was at the end of my degree in economics and applied for a master’s in French Polynesia – Tahiti. Most people I know thought I was going to go surfing and take a vacation (that’s what I thought too), but it seems that this period changed my life. After a week on the island, I met a Tahitian musician at a party. He had studied at the Musicians Institute, worked in Los Angeles for 7 years and had recently returned. At the time, I’d never met anyone who made a living from live performance. This guy made a very good living playing guitar in various bands and doing solo gigs. The next day, I asked him to give me some information about this music school and I enrolled the same day. A week later, I received an e-mail informing me that I’d been accepted. And that changed everything after that. I finished my master’s degree and went to study at MI in September 2023.

During the last year of my economics degree, I started playing with this guitarist and went on a solo tour (playing my multi-instrument set) in the south of France, in bars and restaurants, during the same summer. I’d always worked on this project, but I never thought I could make a profit out of it. A year later, two months before starting MI, I landed a 60 gig contract at one of France’s most famous hotels, the “Hôtel du Palais”, also known as the Emperor Napoleon’s Residence.
High risk = high reward.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a multi-instrumentalist. I like to play with a looper pedal and record all the instruments I have around me. I learned guitar, piano and drums for about 15 years at a local music school in France, and have continued to practice all these instruments. At IM, I followed the guitar program, but also took drum, keyboard and singing lessons. The number of hours I’ve spent at this school is incredible.
I recently started learning the saxophone. My ultimate goal is to play at a professional level: guitar, drums, keys, saxophone and cello, and to incorporate all these instruments into my music. Don’t worry, I’m practising and putting in the time!

Nothing has been easy in this process, and the way I’ve overcome challenges has been, and always will be, discipline and determination. I have this obsession that I need to progress and the “why” behind the scenes is very strong and keep me on track.

I’d like to create soulful music and travel the world playing these compositions and songs.

I’m working on an album at the moment and I’m very excited about it! And on top of that, I’ve recently launched an online guitar training business.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
On Tuesday night will go to Bar Lis in Hollywood for the Jazz night to enjoy some amazing music.
We will go for a 13 miles run from Hollywood to the wisdom tree and them from there take the trail to the Griffith Observatory.
We will hang out later on in Hollywood with my friends and go for the funk night at the Black Rabbit Rose.
I’d love to go to a live show of John Mayer at the kia forum.
Because we are passionate about surfing we will go surf 3 days in orange county. Huntington Beach Pier for the first day, San Clemente Lower Trestles for the next two (one of the best wave in the world).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to thank Tuhiva Morgan for pushing me to go to music school. It is thanks to him that I went to the Musicians Institute.
I would also like to thank Musicians Institute for giving me more than I asked for, an amazing education and the best music teacher I have ever met in my life, who gave me a tremendous amount of knowledge and applicable skills.
I also thank all the people I met in Los Angeles who made me feel good.

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthieu-samouiller-06442ab2/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeZWTxot4nbqdTSr9fl69XQ

Image Credits
Hotel du palais,
Marc Antoine Protière.