Since breaking on to the music industry several years ago, Matthew Nolan has made a powerful and positive impact, with his phenomenal song-writing capturing emotive and deeply personal lyrics that resonate with listeners and are reflected in his exceptional vocals, amassing almost twenty million streams on his original music on streaming platform Spotify. He was a former member of band Since September, which disbanded earlier this year, but he is now focusing on his solo career and writing songs for other artists, and continues to go from strength to strength.
Here at The Lowdown, we recently had the opportunity to speak with Matthew Nolan about the release of his recent singles, the advice he gleaned from Little Mix, what it's been like to be writing for other artists, what 2023 has in store for him and more. Keep reading to check out what he had to say!
Having recently released singles 'Do It Again' and 'Dear The Old Me,' he said that it 'feels nice to have music out,' following on from his time in the band Since September. "I was in the band for around two years, which was a very special time. We were releasing music, but solo music has always been a passion of mine, and it was good to release again. It was nice to go back to that. It was a slow start, but I'm getting back into it now!"
Over the past few years, he has also become renowned for his personal, relatable and vulnerable song-writing. "It's like a diary entry, if it can be compared to that. It's very honest." Many of his songs have also been used as syncs, including on this year's series of the ITV reality TV dating show 'Love Island.'
When speaking about his recent single 'Dear The Old Me,' he explained that the single was written at the beginning of the first lockdown. "I was getting some stuff off my chest. I didn't even know if it would even be heard, because at that time, I didn't know what was going on in my career and in life."
Aside from releasing his own music, he has also been involved in writing tracks for other artists. "I really enjoy it, because it gives me a lot to focus on and it helps me grow as a writer, because that's where my passion lies compared to the other aspects of music. It's exciting! It's good to be able to mix with people who are doing amazing and learning from everyone else as well. Up until I was writing for other artists, I was writing on my own, because all my solo music is me and my friend from home. I get to hear other people's stories, so it really helps me to grow as a writer and as a person!"
At the beginning of the year, Since September supported Little Mix on their arena tour across the UK and Ireland, following on from the four-piece winning 'Little Mix: The Search' back in 2020. "It was one of those bucket list experiences. It was so nice to be able to play those big venues. The most magical thing was that it was kind of how you would have expected it. We were on the road for seven weeks, playing for thirty minutes a night. You play for a handful of hours over those weeks, but it's much more than the on stage performance, which I found very valuable. I learnt how it was to be on the road. If I never got the chance to do that again, I'd be happy, because it was great! I was glad to be able to do it once, because I think everyone who does music would aim to do that at some point, so I'm glad I got to do it so early."
The main piece of advice that Little Mix gave him was to be himself. "The first day we met Little Mix, they said that the reason they got on so well on 'The X Factor' was because they were real people and didn't become divas, and they also told us to be nice to everyone."
He is set to head back home to perform his debut headline show in Ireland later this month, at Sally Cinnamons Bar in Drogheda - something that he is looking forward to! "It's going to be special to go home. I used to run an open mic night in that pub. I don't get home nearly as much as I'd like to. It's going to be a nice way to bring everyone together. It's so close to Christmas, so it'll be a good excuse to see everyone and have a beer!" You can buy tickets to his headline show here.
He derives inspiration from artists that include Lewis Capaldi, while also acknowledging that he listens to a variety of music. "I listen to a lot of hip-hop, so I try and bring that into everything I do, whether it's with melodies or stuff, and I find that it comes in handy. Being a fan of music is my biggest influence!"
However, he admits that music wasn't always his passion. "I gained a passion for it when I was sixteen/seventeen, which is quite late, but I always wanted to be a footballer. There was no chance of being a footballer!"
Thinking ahead to his biggest goal when it comes to his music, he explained that he wants to become renowned for writing good songs. "I want to go on writing camps, write with big artists and write songs that are on the radio for other artists. That is a short-term and long-term goal of mine."
2023 looks to be an undeniably exciting year for him. "I've got some big songs that are coming out I've written for major label artists. It'll be nice to get my name on some major label songs for the first time. I'll be releasing music as well. I put songs out when they're ready. I do this for enjoyment. I would rather focus on the song-writing for now!"
Taking the time to thank everyone who supports him, he said that he has appreciated more so than ever the support he received. "Music is the most powerful thing in the world. I've found that since being in the band, we did have a lot of fans, so thank you!"
Matthew Nolan's new single 'Do It Again' is out now and is available to purchase and stream through all major music purchasing and streaming outlets. You can check his music out on Spotify by clicking here.
Words & Interview: By Rachel Dempster
Image Credit: Nicholas O'Donnell