Rising Music Star Matias: “Why I would like to inspire a movement to better connect our world with technology”

I would inspire a movement to better connect our world with technology. In the US we sometimes forget the privileges we have such as access to clean water, electricity, and the most essential basics of living. Living in Colombia, I have noticed that there are many areas still not connected to these most basic needs. I think utilizing technologies such as Solar Power and Atmospheric Water Generators we can begin creating better opportunities for the people living in these areas. I think once these basics need our meet we will really see places like these begin to flourish.

As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the pleasure of interviewing Matias.

Matias is an American / Colombian pop artist redefining Latin Pop while connecting with the ever-growing population of American born Hispanics and beyond. Raised by an immigrant Colombian-born father and American-born mother, life for Matias has always been that of great diversity. At a young age Matias began singing all types of music mainly focusing on classical music and opera till about the age of 15. Shortly after, Matias found himself discovering a talent that has allowed him to masterfully songwrite, compose and perform music in a special yet unique way. Fast forward to the summer of 2016, Matias moved to Colombia for a year to reconnect with his roots and work on new music. He had the pleasure of working alongside Grammy Nominated Producer Jorge “Pyngwi” Holguin ( Don Tetto, The Mills), Noise Up (Manuel Turizo x Nicky Jam, Rels B, Arcangel ) and Felipe Santos (Cali y El Dandee). Matias found a true calling to the kind of music he desired to portray and has been living between Colombia and the U.S ever since. Performing at many different venues across the northeast, Matias has had the opportunity to play shows for crowds upwards of 2,500 fans. His latest single “Vida Mia” has surpassed 62k streams in less than one month, bringing up his total Spotify streams to 385k.

“Music to me is so much more than just a catchy melody or song; it’s a universal language, a pure embodiment of energy and feeling. Music is something that just fills the soul and is so powerful”

With 4 EPs, 5 music videos, and countless hours on stage and in the studio, it has been an amazing journey at this point in his career and the future looks bright.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Absolutely thanks for having me. I grew up in a pretty interesting household. My mom is from a small rural town in North East Pennsylvania and my dad is from Pereira, Colombia. Growing up I remember always seeing a pretty clear divide and sometimes clash in culture and habits, but I think that mix of both my parents’ backgrounds made me who I am today and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I have been involved in music for as long as I can remember. I grew up in local youth theaters and was always on stage. After high school I was living in and around New York for a few years constantly checking out open mics and working with different producers. What ultimately put me in the Latin music world was my first trip as an adult to Colombia in 2015. I remember spending time with my family, listening to the music, and eating some delicious food, and I realized that this culture is a part of me. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to reconnect to my roots and start digging deeper into that side of my heritage, and what better way to connect than music.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Hands down the story of how I met and played for Emilio Estefan. So I was in Colombia at the time and through a good friend of mine named Pablo, I was introduced to Shakira’s former manager Jairo Martinez. Jairo and I ended up meeting up in Miami and really hit off . We passed by Emilio’s studio where Shakira recorded her first album. It was really amazing to see. A few months later Jairo gave me a call and I was flying to meet with Emilo in his beautiful office in South Beach. I played a few songs and we shared a few laughs, definitely one of the coolest things to happen to me so far in my career.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Extra batteries and always change your strings. So when I first started my career I was playing a lot of shows with my guitar. I will never forget it was one of my first shows with a pretty decent crowd around 300+ people there. I get on stage and begin playing and realize my guitar battery is low, at this point I am thinking ok it will last through my set…nope guitar dies in the middle of my set, no extra batteries to be found. Lucky quick thinking on the sound guys behalf he mics up my guitar. I continue playing and next thing you know a string breaks. Honestly the audience really didn’t mind or notice but I felt horrible. I guess the lesson is always have extra batteries and always change your strings before a show, but more importantly don’t let the little things bother you because most of the time the audience has no idea.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

The most intriguing and exciting project I’ve ever worked on is actually this current project called “No Me Dejes”, released Friday June 5th, 2020. Reason being is because this is the first project in which I have assembled a full fledged team working in my best interest. From my new manager (GMG) to my new publicist (Deep Blue PR) all the way to my distribution company (DashGo). With all the knowledge and experience backing our team, we are set for a bright future, not only with this project but with future projects as well.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

Diversity within the entertainment industry is quite prevalent due to the simple fact that it allows each and every human being the ability to understand different perspectives within the world we live in. You can see major recording artists and successful actors/actresses from all backgrounds giving the public unique contributions such as language, skill, ways of thinking, knowledge and of course experiences. The entertainment industry does a great job of diversifying all facets, in turn, allowing opportunities for people across the globe. It’s important because it allows us to realize the “ways of life” from different cultures and it makes for a more interesting world. Being born to a Colombian father and an American mother, I have had the unique opportunity to learn and understand the differences and commonalities between both cultures.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. The first thing I wish I was told at the beginning of my career was to keep my immediate fans engaged by releasing music on a consistent basis. An example of this would be when an artist releases a Single/EP/Album, gains a following and doesn’t drive the momentum onto his next project, fans lose interest because they don’t have any new material to consume. Ever since realizing this I have been releasing music every 6 weeks to keep my fans engaged and entertained.
2. The second thing I wish I was told is don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. It wasn’t till a bit later in my career that I started really trying out different kinds of music that I never expected to try. I mean ask the 16 year old me if I wanted to try doing Latin music and I would have started cracking up, but life has a funny way of taking you where you need to be.
3. The third thing would be. Don’t ignore the little wins. I think sometimes as a society as a whole we only focus on the big picture. We lose sight of all the little pieces that help make the dream a reality. So appreciate and love the little wins because when you do finally get to that bigger goal it is that much sweeter.
4. Fourth thing. The right team is everything. I have worked with all kinds of different people from all walks of life in this industry and I realized that the key component is putting the right team with the right energy around you. If it wasn’t for my killer publicist (Deep Blue PR) and management (GMG) I wouldn’t be having this chat with you today.
5. Fifth and final thing I wish I was told. NEVER STOP LEARNING! In today’s music industry you have to be so much more than just an artist. You don’t have to be a master of every aspect of the music business, but you should know a decent amount. Having this knowledge you have the ability to have clear and concise discussions with the people you work with. Show people that you are not only talented as an artist but also sharp in business, after all this is the Music Business.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Stay creative and within your scope of work. Generally musicians who get “burned out” produce music within their standard sound, and while this is considered staying within their scope, the creative aspect can really help build a project that differentiates from the rest. An example of this would be collaborating with an artist outside of the direct genre of music in which they have found success. Another way to keep from being burned out is to balance between work and social life. Some musicians have difficulties managing personal relationships with their family and friends because work within the music industry requires a generous amount of time and dedication. It could be a great refreshment stepping away from the recording studio and enjoying what life outside of music has to offer.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would inspire a movement to better connect our world with technology. In the US we sometimes forget the privileges we have such as access to clean water, electricity, and the most essential basics of living. Living in Colombia, I have noticed that there are many areas still not connected to these most basic needs. I think utilizing technologies such as Solar Power and Atmospheric Water Generators we can begin creating better opportunities for the people living in these areas. I think once these basics need our meet we will really see places like these begin to flourish.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My Parents. Without their support and love I wouldn’t be where I am today. I can remember so many times where my mom would drive me back and forth from voice lessons and shows I was in. My dad always and still encourages me to stay true to my intentions and my dreams. My parents have been everything behind my career.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

I have always found joy in making other people happy. I find this quote to be so true, so many things that have shaped my life have been found in the quest to serve others. Whenever I perform a show or write a song I always have in the back of my mind how many people my art can touch and bring them some kind of joy, a brief escape from reality. I can’t think of a stronger quote that embodies that idea.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

I would love to sit down and have a meal with Gary Vaynerchuck. I’ve been following him for a while since my friend David (Drock) began filming his content. I really am inspired by his business tactics, hustle, and general outlook on life and would love to have the chance to pick his brain. So Gary if you’re seeing this let’s set it up! @matiasmadeit

How can our readers follow you online?

I am available across all platforms of social media. To stay updated, follow me on the following links.

Instagram — Matiasmadeit

Facebook — Matiasmadeit

Youtube — Matiasmadeit

Website — Matiasmadeit.com

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!