Having just released the music video for “Message in a Bottle,” we got to know the handsome and talented Matt LeGrand a little more here at VULKAN! Make sure to read the full interview and enjoy this Friday as you kick it off with a killer music video!
What was running through your mind when you wrote “Message in a Bottle”? How do you feel when you listen to it now?
I wrote “Message In a Bottle” with a couple of great guys out in LA! Dub Shakes and Clayton William were a blast to work with. We all mutually loved this reoccurring concept of a “Message In a Bottle.” Maybe you’ve heard of it? My mind was on summer, the beach, a Pina Colada, and a lovely lady. This song made me feel great from the first time hearing it and still makes me feel great today. To be honest, it just makes me want to go to an island!
Share with us the message behind the song. What do you hope your audience will feel when listening to it?
We wrote a story about a guy that quickly falls madly in love with a girl (as guys always do). The guy keeps going in and out from fantasy to reality. He keeps realizing over and over that he may be rushing things, and he’s not too sure how to tell her his feelings. These are tendencies that I am more than guilty of! It’s really about the intricacies and sometimes false realities that come with being infatuated by a new person. With this song, I hope that my audience can dance away the jitters that come with starting a new relationship!
If you could go back to the beginning of the process, what advice would you give yourself?
I would say to not waste so much time stressing about pleasing others. Although that’s what entertainment is all about, it’s not nice to treat yourself with insurmountable pressure. Don’t get me wrong though, there is great joy in pleasing others with your gifts, and the cool thing is that it can be done with gentleness for yourself!
How have you evolved as a singer in the last few years? What are some things you believe you have excelled at? Need to work on?
It’s always hard to know if I’ve evolved because I’m with myself every day. So, I reach out to people and ask if they see an evolution, and it seems like I am! Yay, thank goodness! I really do feel like I am evolving though. Every day is just another opportunity to better who you are and what you do. It’s not easy, and I feel like it’s all about doing what you need to do on the days that you maybe don’t feel like it. Throughout this pandemic, I’ve been able to work on my producing and songwriting a lot more! I look forward to continuing to work on that.
What do you believe makes you stand out both as a musician and person?
I think that my versatility makes me stand out. For me, I’ve never just been about one thing. I feel that it’s all about the unique combination of influences and the ability to do different things when needed that makes someone stand out. Though in an industry that’s built on standing out, I think we are all more similar than we might think. As a person, I think that it’s simply my culture and how I was raised! I’m a dual citizen, I have family all over the world, I’ve been lucky enough to experience growing up in two completely different cultures, I care about others, and I try to be as honest of a person that I can be every day!
Tell us about a moment in your childhood where you were faced with an important decision. How did you make it?
Well, this is not so much childhood, but going into adulthood, I decided not to go to college. At the time, this was the riskiest, most punk thing I’d ever done in my life and was also probably my first major life decision. I thought that putting my time into something that I wasn’t going to fully dive into and giving it my all was just pointless. I believe that making decisions for yourself is a privilege, and it’s also one of the most frightening things you can do. With so much opportunity and the freedom to make decisions comes lots of responsibility!
What is your favorite quality in someone?
Humor me, and you have me! I also love humor. If you can just make me genuinely laugh, you have me! When you’re a nice person like me, fake laughter is a real issue. Oh, and I love humor!
As an artist, what is your purpose?
My purpose as an artist is simply to make people feel. The good, the bad, the pretty sides, the ugly sides, the beauty, and the scars. I believe that it is all safe behind the word “art.” In a world with so much thinking going on, I’m on a mission to make people feel what’s going on!
When you aren’t creating, what is your favorite thing to do?
Playing sports, definitely! I love rock climbing, playing fútbol, and hockey. I’m just about a fan of every sport, though. There have been multiple instances where I have just been flipping through channels, and I’ll watch curling or surfing. I also love underrated things like laying down in the shower.
What comes next?
My new single is “Message in a Bottle.” We have an animation video releasing on Friday, June 18th, to support the single. Make sure to stay in touch with me on Instagram @mattlegrandofficial, Twitter, and Facebook. Also, check out my MLG merch on my website https://mattlegrandmusic.com/.
