Rising star Matt Palmer integrates the fun, dance-worthy sound of pop with the heartfelt lyrics of R&B to create a fusion of the genres that is sure to please. An artist indeed, Palmer is not only a talented vocalist, but writes and produces music as well. Truly dedicated to his craft, he has honed his talents and continues to evolve. Through a distinct voice and musical aesthetic, Matt Palmer is sure to find his spot amongst his musical peers, which is already evident by his growing number of followers. After complete and utter relentlessness, I finally got the chance to interview Mr. Palmer!
Here it is... enjoy!
Q: You attended Clive Davis' Department of Recorded Music. Describe how you got into such a competitive program and how it affected your artistry.
A: Well the application process is pretty in-depth. The department makes you send in a 5-minute sample of your music and two music-related essays. In one of the essays, we had to answer the question "Why Music?" and in the other we had to discuss an artist who we felt could've been promoted better at a point in their career, and we had to describe how we'd do it. I wrote my essay of Michael Jackson during the "Invincible" era. As for how it affected my artistry, it really gave me focus. I went to school wanting to do everything- sing, write songs, produce, engineer- all at the same time. I learned it was best to start with what you're best at and grown from there. I discovered songwriting was my biggest asset, so I started with that.
Q: You are a singer, but you are also a songwriter and a producer. How important do you think it is to not only be able to perform music, but to be able to create it?
A: I think songwriting and singing are completely different beasts. I certainly don't judge artists who don't write their own songs because there will always be incredible vocalists or performers out there who need to be heard. But for me, I've always felt like there were two different ways of expressing the same emotion. I've been singing since I was very young and songwriting came into the picture later. I love them both so much that I couldn't ever give one up fully.
Q: Your EP "I Wish" debuted on iTunes almost a year ago. How much exposure has it brought you? How much has it changed things for you?
A: I think the songs from that EP really put me on the map in the underground R&B scene, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. If it weren't for me sending out home-studio versions of "Six Whole Days" and "That Way" to blogs two years ago, no one would know my name. Now, when "Is He The Reason" leaked onto the Internet with no artist attached to it, listeners could tell that it was me. That's just crazy to me and it's really humbling- it's good to know people are really listening! The release was to give those people who heard the songs on YouTube a chance to buy the songs and support the music, but the big push is going to be for my first full-length album, "Let Go". Hopefully more mainstream outlets will take notice.
Q: One of your big influences in Michael Jackson. Are there any elements of his music that resonate in your own?
A: I mean, I would never want to compare my music to Michael Jackson's because he is truly an icon, an untouchable artist who created, in my opinion, the best pop music of the 20th century. With that said, Michael taught me about uplifting melodies. Even if he was singing about a sad situation, the joy an life in his melodies were always there. I feel like "Six Whole Days" is that-- on the page, it's depressing, but when you listen to the song, the melodies are more vibrant and joyful. That's something I got form Michael.
Q: You have re-works of popular songs like Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" and Rihanna's "Rude Boy". How difficult is it to re-work a song you've heard a million times, without imitating its original melody?
A: Once I heard the instrumental versions of these songs 2 or 3 times, new melodies just popped into my head. As a songwriter, a lot of times that's my job. If I'm not doing the beat, it's my job to take an already finished instrumental and make a song out of it. And those instrumentals are incredible when you really listen to them. Stargate and Dr. Luke are unbelievable producers, so it's easy to build off of when the music is so strong.
Q: How would you describe your sound?
A: I would describe my current sound as Pop/R&B. I want to be a 2010 version of Babyface- writing love songs with a real soul to them, but something that wouldn't sound out of place on the radio today.
Q: One of your most popular songs is "Fall For You". What do you think it is about that song that got it so many plays?
A: You know, I actually don't know! I think people like uplifting pop music, and that song is as pop as it gets. Sometimes after a long day, you need something escapist and upbeat to put you in a good mood.
Q: Most artists express a want to become better at their craft. How do you hope to grow as an artist?
A: I hope to be a very strong performer on day. I feel comfortable as a songwriter and a recording artist but I still get nerves when I perform. Sometimes I'm not as happy with my performances as I'd like to be. Some people, like Beyonce or Michael Jackson, are just wired to perform, and while that's not my greatest strength, it's something I'll never stop working toward.
Q: What is next for Matt Palmer?
A: Well, we're releasing "Let Go" later this year in late summer/early fall, and it will include some of the songs from the EP, but mostly new material. We're also launching a music video for "I Wish". It's actually been completed for a month or two now, so I'm really excited for everyone to see it; I think it's a great introduction to me as an artist. We're going to try and get a big push for those releases, and if all goes well, hopefully there will be a second video from the album.
As a songwriter, I've been in the studio with several major label artists in the past couple of months. I plan on writing for more signed artists and hopefully I'll land a placement on one of their albums soon.
Listen to Matt Palmer's "Let Go" and "Six Whole Days" on the Fresh Feenz Playlist!
Be sure to:
Buy the "I Wish" EP on iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-wish-ep/id341710815
Check Out his YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mattpalmermusic
Check out his MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/mattpalmermusic
Follow him on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/mattpalmermusic
