Following the release of his newest duet with Indonesian singer-songwriter, Rahmania Astrini, on her latest track titled “Shush”. Chicago’s own Conor Matthews sits down with Variance’s Ethan Ijumba for an exclusive Q+A discussing his career beginnings, musical upbringing, and upcoming plans as he looks to continue his endeavors as an artist with combinations of different genres, versatile songwriting capabilities, as well as his vision to succeed as an artist who focuses more on the the craft rather than the virality.

Be sure to check out the full video for “Shush” by Rahmania Astrini featuring Conor Matthews below as the full interview below.

Ethan Ijumba:
Alright, so—Conor Matthews, [you're a] rising pop/R&B blend of singer currently signed to Warner Records. Aside from that, how exactly did you get your start in music? And what exactly made you want to exact specifically pursued career into that?

Conor Matthews:
I guess it depends what start you're talking about because when I knew I wanted to do music I was 13. I had my first girlfriend at the time, and that's when I wrote my first song on the piano because I always played piano. I always, like, wrote little like ditties and stuff but that was like, my first full-length song that I like made and I wrote this song and I was like, “yo, that was funny as hell” and then from that moment, I was like, I want to do this forever. So in high school I started in sports and stuff but then I ended up quitting, So I, like, started two or three bands, played in my church, wrote songs like three times a week, and learned how to record and then that was also this when I was 13, is also the same day I said when I turn 18 I was gonna move to Nashville. So then when I was 18, I moved to Nashville and that's when I got my real start because when I was 19, I signed my first publishing deal. I was really young and I started writing country songs. I signed my first publishing deal with Keith Urban and Warner Chappell. That was my start in music and at that time, all I wanted to do was write songs throughout people. I loved writing songs and there was so much talent around me I was like, yo, just being an artist seems like I don't know I’m good at writing songs, but I wasn't a very good singer at the time.

EI:
So where were you originally from before you went to Nashville?

CM:
I'm from Chicago and I grew up, grew up born and raised in the same house my whole life and then when I made the jump to Nashville, I was lucky because Nashville was almost chiller than where I was from. So it's kind of a transition that  wasn't too crazy.  

EI:
So, initially, Chicago and Illinois in general have huge musical range from Curtis Mayfield, Earth, Wind, and Fire. Then you have your rap side of things when you have Chief Keef, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and then rock and rap makes it meets right and there between the two with it all and reflects another itself in its own way. With that being said, Nashville came to you as an opportunity, did you kind of have an apprehensiveness in terms of, this is a big change of like what I normally I'm used to, did you initially have thoughts like, is this really what I want to do I really wanna mix into this countryside of thing? How exactly was that experience for you?

CM:
It was actually funny enough it was super easy because, when I grew up in Chicago I was obviously exposed to all the amazing music culture, but in terms of my family, my dad was a farmer and he only really ever played Southern rock and country music. So when I first heard that music was an option to do as a living, the only city I even knew of was Nashville and L.A. and New York were kind of like these vague entertainment cities. But like I said when I was 18 I was gonna go, write Christian and country music like that's what I was gonna do. So the transition was super easy man, like I said I grew up with a farmer for dad and I grew up looking like corn and soybeans and shit, on the weekends.

EI:
So now that you’ve transitioned to this pop R&B sound from writing country till you finally decided I want to make my own mix of a sound. Did you still want to incorporate certain elements or did you kind of feel like that pop and R&B sound is exactly what you've always wanted to, like make music with?

CM:
I definitely want to incorporate elements, and I feel like that's what kind of separates my music from like a lot of people in the lane is because I have a background that almost nobody that does my genre has; because if they did have a pure country background they'd probably be doing country. People don't usually transition like that. So when I did it, it was really because, like I said, what I was surrounded by culturally and a lot of my favorite songs were in, like the R&B lane in particular and country music just as far as being an artist didn't feel like true to self, it felt like I love to make it, and country music remains one of my favorite genres today, but it didn't feel like me when I started wanting to do a project, and I was really inspired by, you know, the Justin Timberlake's and the Chris Brown, Tank, Usher all that shit. So all that being said, I get all the time, “oh I hear a little bit of country or Nashville in your sound”, and I think that's because I incorporate so much storytelling, in a lot of my music, I try to keep the lyrical base really solid. Even melodies and stuff that I choose are different from what someone who just grew up on top 40 music would choose to do so. 

EI:
With that being said, when you compose and create your music, do you have a specific method that you use in terms of its composition on how you go about making a song? Or do you have your own basic method? Like I start with the hook, I start with the verse, or some artists they just freestyle and see what comes to them, but do you specifically have a way of how you compose and create your music? 

CM:
It's different all the time. but I would say the most common thing I try to do, especially in the last two years, I always try to start with the hook because to me that's like the foundation of the song. Once I have the hook like versus and pre courses and bridges like I could write those in my sleep It takes me like two seconds. So for me it's the concept and then once I have the concept, it’s what's the melody that's going to get people feeling something and once I have those two things, like the rest just kind of, like it falls into place. 

EI:
So with that also being said and to segue into this next question in terms of your Balloons EP, it has that really early 2000’s and late 90’s kind of sound to it which is really appreciative towards the era. And then you have “fool’s elegy” where it contains more of that pop sound and it's more downtempo with a sadder vibe and everything like that. When you go about making a project, do you try to put yourself in a certain space and genre, when you compose music like that?

CM:
Yes, absolutely my projects are always based on seasons of life as projects and then whatever sound we end up using for it. I like when projects are a body of work so I like them all to be in a similar vein sonically, like a movie theme-wise, all that shit. Because I have so many different influences that I love, if I put them all on the same record, it would be a weird playlist of my favorite music. 

EI:
I mean, it would be cool, but it wouldn't. It would just be weird, it would just feel like you go from 2Pac to Beethoven to The Jonas Brothers and you’d be like wait what, that doesn't feel right. 

CM:
Which is kind of tnot the struggle but the process that I'm dealing with this time is I'm working on this new project right now, and I keep trying to find a way for the first time in my career combine everything that I love into one project and it's been really tricky because of how many different types of music I work on day to day. And so I've got hooks that sound completely like one thing and I've got hooks that sound like a completely different genre, so I've been trying to figure out a way to put them all into one project so that going forward, there's not a project here, project there, and another project here and more so it’s just this is my sound.  

EI:
Yeah, it's a very interesting challenge because you hardly ever see that in terms of new music genres really coming into existence, a lot of people really try to like either blend two genres or maybe three, even we've seen it when they mix like reggae with dubstep or rock and rap like being one of the biggest blends. But with that being said, do you feel that there's a specific genre that stems first when you make a song do you feel like, OK, this is definitely like gonna be categorized more as pop but not enough to consider it as just pop?

CM:
Yeah, that's tough, man. Because pop is such a broad genre if I had to say so, I'd say it probably stems, It probably categorized his pop most of time and within that umbrella, that's when it gets a little crazy on my stuff. Because like, I'll have some country, R&B hooks or some like R&B pop hooks. But for me, the struggle has been like the songs themselves, like what genre with songs and then the production obviously can help that, but the writing is so different a lot of times, depending on like what I'm feeling that day, so then I just have some like straight R&B hooks and some straight pop hooks, and just so many different combinations of them that's where the struggle comes in finding a way to make all my favorite ones of each thing that I've written fit on a project. 

EI:
Do you feel like the direction that your current project has been going though, has been good for you in terms of finding your sound as an artist and also as a songwriter in terms of broadening out different elements of what to incorporate and include musically. 

CM:
Yeah, definitely on the artist side. I think this experience is gonna be pretty invaluable for me because it's the first time I really focused on it. Usually when I'm making projects, it's like what am I inspired by right now in the moment. And this is kind of like my first time being like okay, everything that I've been inspired by, How do I put it all into body of work 

EI:
In regards to that, since you're going through a lot of different genres and a lot of different variations of music is there any upcoming collaborations that you have that you look to put out sound wise? 

CM:
We definitely got some collaborations in the work. I can't say them yet, but I'm definitely using some people that I look up to, friends, and some different artists to blend what I'm doing even more so that the fans can get the big picture of what we're trying to do. 

EI:
How exactly has it been for you in terms of working with people that you've been a fan of? And now that you have features within collaborations because I know you mentioned Tank was one of your influences of you growing up that R&B sound, and then you guys made it remix together for “Balloons”. How exactly was that moment of seeing one of your idols become one of your collaborations? 

CM:
It's honestly probably one of my favorite feelings that I've gotten in the music industry so far. It's super surreal to hear your voice with someone that you grew up listening to on the same record. And also just like knowing that they have enough respect for you and your music to work on your song it probably means more to me than anything thus far, you know, like executives being like “oh your shits amazing let's blow it up” and just managers and all these different people that are like kind of in the creative space, but kind of in the business space, and that stuff's all really dope. And that's probably like your first experience as a creative like with that rush of “oh, I could do it”. But nothing will ever compare to an artist that you love, saying they love your shit like that's just creative to creative respect and one of the best feelings in the world. 

EI:
Are there any major artists that you still one day really hope to work with in terms of a future and dream collaboration that you'd love to work also just have that added into your catalog? 

CM:
Yeah, I've got to. My number one is probably Chris Brown and my number two is probably someone like Kenny Chesney. 

EI:
So aside from that, from a songwriter standpoint because you've written songs for other artists and you have these publishing deals and such and now as an artist, you said the biggest joy is like having that creative just connect with one another and seeing, like, respect. So as a songwriter, do you feel that there's a different gratification you get rather than writing and collaborating with an artist? Such as making a song with someone that changes something for the listener?  

CM:
Yeah, being a songwriter is definitely a different feeling. It's honestly humbling when you're writing songs for other people because it really is not ever about you. You're literally just amplifying somebody else's voice and sometimes the words are yours. But even when the words are yours it's like a completely different feeling and that's one of the reasons why I became an artist is because I loved doing it and I loved helping other people like to have songs and do all this stuff. But it felt like a lot of times, like I had this big voice in the room as a songwriter.

EI:
Is there anything specifically that you've written that really you're most proud of in terms of, like, your own set catalog? Is there anything that a song for you that you kind of feel like has always been that really made songs that made you just wanna be like, Wow, this song makes me want to be an artist myself? 

CM:
There isn’t really a specific song. There’s probably 7 or 8 songs I’m most proud of. A couple off of each project and a couple off of the project I’m planning right now. As for a song that made me wanna become an artist, it wasn’t a song it was an artist. I used to listen to John Mellencamp when I was 6 or 7 years old and that was the first spark I had that made me wanna be an artist. His music sounds anthemic and fun and energetic. It made me wanna sing and write and perform to crowds. As I got older my influences got broader, but the first time I thought “I have to do this forever” was listening to John Mellencamp with my dad at 6 or 7 years old.

EI:
As far as a song that you grew up on is there any that resonates with you, for example is there a song that really made you want to be an artist in terms of someone else's song? 

CM:
I would say, in terms of wanting to write songs for a living, it was firstly that classic Nashville songwriting at the time I thought it was the artist, but really, what I was falling in love with was the writers behind the artists. And once I learned that other people are writing artists, songs, that was like, “oh I wanna be that”. 

EI:
Yeah it also feels a little disheartening when you see Michael Jackson and grow to learn how impactful Quincy Jones was for his career or how it wasn’t just Elton John but also Bernie Taupin.  

CM:
It is inspiring, though, because I was like, Oh, shit, like there's geniuses behind the geniuses, you know, like I wanna be a genius behind the genius. That's like That was like my first goal. So there are a few songwriters in particular that inspired me like Tom Douglas and Craig Wiseman. These were all like Nashville guys that wrote huge songs, and some of their songs were like “The Good Stuff” by Kenny Chesney , “Whiskey Lullaby”, and then, you know, like “The House That Built Me”. Basically anytime I hear a conceptual song that I'm like, “yo, how did they think of that”? That's probably what inspired me most to become a songwriter and then on the other end, what inspired me to become an artist was watching videos of Michael Jackson and Chris Brown and hearing it wasn't about the song anymore It was about ability when you listen to their voice and look at the way they move. But it wasn't about concepts or lyrics anymore, it was like, that's a star, you know that's like a born star. That's what made me fall in love with the idea of making my own music, the talent level that I aspire to be that talented and I'm gonna work every day to be as close to that talented as possible.

EI:
Do you feel like with that being said of how you really want to be close to that talent? Do you feel that there's anything you specifically want to be known as well as remembered for just based on your career as an artist and as a songwriter? 

CM:
So, that's funny, I've actually not thought about that a whole lot. Off the top of my head I think I think it's gotta be true to my roots, I think I wanna be known for my songs, but along with that I mean I would love to be known as like I would love to be known as another pop star that can sing-sing you know. Especially in today's era like back in the day you had to sing-sing it was like the role like get up there and sing. You know, it's like you're an artist, be an artist. Now It's like you don't really have to be good at anything to be a star. 

EI:
Oh no exactly like TikTok anthems.  

CM:
That's what I'm saying, bro it's like there's a reason why there are so many videos on TikTok that are like, what if I put my verse over this other verse? I'm like, you wanna know why that so many videos is because it's so fucking easy, bro. You write a bunch of random lyrics, you sing into a mic with too much compression and auto tune, and you put it on TikTok and people are like, whoa he does music and I'm like yeah, technically that's a “song”, but it's not music. So I wanna be an artist that brings singing back and I have a couple of good friends that are in the same mindset and I want to usher in another era of talent where talent matters more than did this terrible verse go viral? And so now I have a record deal, you know what I mean? 

EI:
Yeah It's kind of a shame because you'll see people on shows about singing such as the X-Factor, The Voice, or even like the O.G. American Idol. And these are great singers like true singers and the only way they get noticed is on TikTok and IG videos by their old performances or audition tapes and then you see the other side of these kids on TikTok, just like messing around. To where it’s just you don’t really even have to try to get fame and then those who actually treat this with a serious art form and career, they barely get the recognition that they deserve. 

CM:
But it's not people who have, like, slaved over their music for 15 years to get where they are, you know, and it's like to watch some of those people be overshadowed by something a viral or a TikTok moment...like I feel like people forgot that the reason that musicians are called artists is because you're supposed to make art. 

EI:
Yeah, I think it really died after the whole YouTube era of music. I mean, YouTube is still technically going, but at least it was something genuine to where you could build and establish a loyal fan base. Such as the early foundation we've seen artists like Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, and Dodie build a career from YouTube. But TikTok is just flipping through a magazine, and YouTube's like reading a book. There's like a video you can watch TikTo in like 15 seconds. You scroll through it you're like, “Oh, wow, this is so great, this is good, this is great, this is okay, but then you don't get the full story. 

CM:
And I will say just to clarify TikTok’s not a bad platform there's a few like incredible artists who got their start on TikTok and that's beautiful because that means they did it independently, like keep going, you know. And like, even some of these guys used over compression and auto tune like I'm not even talking about like the people who do that and created a sound because to me, like that's art. It's it. It's the get famous quickly thing, you know, like they never they never put it in the work to have any staying power.  This is winning the lottery, and now, like if you're expecting to stay around, by doing the same shit, like it's not gonna happen. Like, save the money that you get in the check, put it in a bank, invest it, because you're gonna need that soon. 

EI: 
So with the state of the music business and how it's going and we've seen it changing and everything now, right now, you're going to the process of working on the project. Is there anything we can expect within, like, a couple of months or weeks in terms of singles or just feature verses? Or just anything that your fans can anticipate. 

CM: 
Yeah. I've got a few more features coming out, probably in the next few months., Then I'm hoping, you know, don't hold me to this. But I'm hoping like the middle of spring. I'll drop my first single off the project. We're in the studio right now dialing in the sonics and what we wanted to sound like so I'm hoping by late April I'll have the first single. I wanted it to be sooner, but like I said the process has been a little more confusing than what I used to do.

EI: 
Do you take pride in more of the process or the progress of what you do? Because the process of figuring it out and finding what you need to do and what you should do? And then you see the result and it could be good or bad? Or do you kind of like the progress side where it's like I need to do this even if I may not want to but if I do this, I know that it will lead and result in getting better in terms of this. 

CM: 
No, I'd say progress because milestones are a big thing for me, you know, if I can look back and be like your voice grew this amount I would be like I'm proud of that progress. The process to me is just unnecessary work you know, it's like, hard and it sucks and it's the part of the dream that most people don't get to see all the hours you put in sucking and trying to get better.  

EI:
Do you feel there's any important pieces of advice you live by or methods that you follow in terms of improving as an artist?

CM:
You gotta always be and my rule with myself that try and follow was like I gotta always be uncomfortable. You know, if I'm not frustrated in a season, then like, I'm probably not growing that much. So, for me, even on the small stuff, Like if I'm not doing things, if I'm not working on things vocally that I can't do yet like then I know like my voice is not getting better, it's plateau. If I'm working on a new high note or I'm working on, like a lick, I can't do like I know in two months I'm gonna be a better version of myself than it was two months before, and like, that's what's important to me.

EI:
Do you feel that in terms of how you're bettering yourself and just continuously progressing, and progressing, and progressing? Do you feel that at one point in time you're gonna want to do something different and expand your versatility and go through changes like I know you mentioned how you grew up on country like, could we expect you to ever do a country album or project? 

CM:
Absolutely, particularly like leaning in towards R&B like a little bit heavier on the pop side, but as far as the actual question goes I'm definitely looking forward to doing something in country music as an artist, even if it's like a side project I would love, love, love, to take some of the songs I've written that are country music and put them out as myself I think that would be super rewarding for me. 

EI:
Do you have any specific goals that you have for yourself in your career with that going into it like if you say like a Grammy for a specific category? Or do you have any set peak and career goals that you set for yourself that you want to accomplish one day in terms of music overall? 

CM:
Definitely. I mean, a number one on the Billboard charts would be like one of them, for sure. For me, I'm less Grammy and reward-oriented like that stuff doesn't really matter to me like a lot of artists. To me, it's on my fans, like is my fan base, growing like do I have? Do I have three or four platinum multi-platinum records? It's like, Do people like my shit because, like people win Grammys all the time where no one really likes it you know. 

EI:
Yeah, it's unfortunate, but it is what it is, and the same times we live in. But at least you have that mindset where you know that being an artist is my job, but it's also my passion. It's also what you love rather than I'm just here to, like, make music and see where it goes from there. But you see it as, I love music, and that's why I make it. 

CM:
So it's definitely a healthy mindset. I do like I would encourage any young artist who's like just getting started to focus on the craft like the problem is that it's so easy these days to be distracted by everyone saying, “you gotta create weird content that goes viral” and they're not taking any time to grow. Take your time, improve yourself and I promise you, it will pay off in the end like you'll be better. You'll be better than a lot of these people because you took the time to, like, work on what you actually love.

EI:
On a final note and question, is there any big advice that you’d give your younger self about this industry and just like how you are now as a person and as an artist?

CM:
Yeah, I would say, no’s are not the end of the world they happen all the time you just gotta chill and don't take it so seriously. And honestly funny enough, just because of how the industry works, I would make my younger self be on social media more when I was in high school and early teens and learn from it to put yourself out there more. Because I grew up thinking if my songs are the best that wins, but you can have your talent win a lot faster when learning how to network, market, and having some kind of portfolio.

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For more news and updates related to Conor Matthews, be sure to follow him on Instagram and Twitter: @conormatthews