Promising Pop/R&B Singer, Matt Hill Chats About His Career So Far

Matt Hill was born and raised in Newark, Delaware where the dreams of becoming a worldwide pop star tend to appear far fetched. However, Matt managed to become substantially popular amongst social networks after posting a Vine video of himself singing. Gaining attention from thousands of fans overnight inspired Matt to chase his dreams. He then teamed up with best friend/producer Jonny Benjamin and Training Camp Music to create a unique sound proven to impress.

Learn more about this promising young singer in the folllowing interview:

Happy New Year, Matt! Where does this interview find you today?

Happy New Year to you as well! I’m currently In the studio, working on finishing up my EP.

Can you remember the moment that you decided to be a performer? Growing up, was there always music around you?

I grew up in a household where music was always prevalent and my parents made sure that music was a big part of my upbringing. My mom was always listening to music while doing everyday household duties. My dad used to have a huge sound system in our basement and some nights we would just go down there and listen to Rock and Roll for a couple hours and play air guitar and just have a good time. And being the youngest of three children my older sisters always kept me up to date on the latest music. Having said this, I always would sing recreationally whether it be in the car or in the shower or with my family and friends but it didn’t occur to me that I could actually have a career in music until I put out a Vine video of myself singing Ushers “Let it Burn” in December of 2013. The Vine went viral and I got an overwhelmingly good response which made me ultimately record my single and release it to the fans I had gained.

 

Tell me, why did you decide to cover and essentially re-imagine Sam Smith’s song “Stay With Me”? Generally, how do you choose the songs that you cover?

“Stay With Me” is a song that just appealed to me on so many levels. For me personally the song never got old no matter how many times I listened to it. When deciding on what songs I want to cover, it’s usually a collaborative effort between myself and my producer Jonny Benjamin. I come up with a list of my favorite songs, whether they are popular at the time or long-lasting classics and decide which songs we would be able to pull off without ruining the originality of the song while still putting our own twist on it.

What’s like working so closely with your friend and producer, Jonny Benjamin?

It’s definitely a blessing to be able to work with someone so musically creative and talented. On top of that, he’s my best friend of over ten years so that just adds to the enjoyment and satisfaction of making music.

So far, what’s been a cover or an original song that you have been most proud of releasing?

I would have to say I was most proud to release my first single “Pick You Up” because it was my first original song and the feeling of hearing yourself on a well-rounded record for the first time is really indescribable.

You are definitely one of those artists that is using all types of social media to get your music out there. What’s that been like? How did you get started using VINE to release your music?

Social media has played a huge role in my career as an artist. Whether it be posting Vines of myself singing, posting Instagram teasers of new material I’m working on, or tweeting my fans and interacting with them, all are great tools that I use to my advantage. Like I said before, Vine is what ultimately led me to decide to take my music career to the next level.

What has been the biggest surprise about being in the music industry?

The biggest surprise about being in the music industry for me was the amount of work and effort it takes to create an original song. From the concept of the song to the production and writing process, it’s something I feel goes unnoticed a lot of times. People don’t realize the collaborative and creative effort behind the 3 minute song you hear on the radio.

Living or dead, what artist would you love to work with and why?

I would love to work with Chris Brown because I feel like his live performance is unlike anybody elses. He just has a natural ability when it comes to entertaining.

More times than not, influences tend to bleed through. What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?? Are they any songs that you can’t get out of your head now?

I pull my inspiration from a lot of different places. As I previously stated, growing up I was around so many different types of music and because of that I personally enjoy pretty much all genres of music. Reggae, believe it or not, actually has a significant influence on my music, especially the melodies. Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” has been stuck in my head for quite a bit now.

Thus far, what’s a favorite memory or something quirky that’s taken place with you? In-studio, on stage or elsewhere?

My favorite memory is probably the first time I was out and a fan recognized me and came up to me asking for a picture. It was a crazy feeling.

What message would you like to give your fans about your music?

I would just like to let my fans know that I’ve been working very hard in and out of the studio and plan to put out an EP in the next few months.

Is there anything else that you would like people to know about you or your music?

As far as my music is concerned, I don’t want people to classify me as a certain type of artist, and what I mean by that is my influences come from so many different genres of music, and I like to express that through my own music. I feel like when it comes to making music there aren’t any boundaries.