Our obsession with Matt McKnzi seems to grow with every listen. We first featured the talented creator when he teased his upcoming EP with the philosophical and emotive single, Atlas, so when we heard that Matt was back with Roar, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Drawing us in the intimate keys and a stunning saxophone riff, Matt McKnzi opens Roar with introspective and metaphorical prose as he sings, “I used to be the life of the party, I used to sing out loud, I used to play but then until the Summer ended, Winter came, it claimed my shame…”
We connect deeply with the sentiment, vulnerability and authenticity that Matt conveys with his prose, and the atmospheric production for both vocals and instrumentation invites us to escape with the artist, as he sings in a relatable manner, “Oh how I wish that I could fly out into space…”
The pitched nuances in the vocal design are magnetic, and we love the poetic depth that Matt shares. A textured beat emerges with astral riffs, as ethereal vocal ad libs guide us further into Matt McKinzi‘s intimate universe. The final lyric, “Hear my roar, ’cause I can’t scream anymore…” is a final exclamation about fully embracing one’s authenticity, and we are here for it!
Born and raised in New England and now a Dallas, Texas native, we learn that Matt McKnzi creates in order to break conventional genre boundaries, whilst drawing major vocal influences from hip-hop and the blues. Matt confesses that Roar delves into new depths of truth and empowerment for the artist.
Matt tells us that Roar is intended as “a powerful anthem about standing in one’s power unapologetically, and defying external opinions to pursue dreams.”
We love what Matt McKnzi creates, and the stunning visuals that accompany his evocative sound. We have added the empowering and transcendental Roar to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our brand new TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream Matt McKnzi‘s wider discography including the entirety of the Ghost EP!