English singer/songwriter Matilda Mann dives deep into the love, loss, and late-night revelations that impressed her debut album ‘Roxwell,’ a cinematic coming-of-age report stuffed with soul, swagger, and self-discovery.
Stream: ‘Roxwell’ – Matilda Mann
A debut album is arguably probably the most essential elements of any artist’s catalog.
It’s how they formally announce themselves as an artist – and it serves as their introduction to the world.
After all, artists can evolve and alter – as long as it feels natural to who they’re in that second it can all the time resonate for individuals who depend. That stated, it may be onerous to carve a gap out of a debut that’s singular.
At 25, London’s Matilda Mann has entered our airwaves as a people singer/songwriter with wonderful data comparable to “The Day I Met You” and “4 Leaf Dream” and whereas at her core it’s her lyrics and story-telling that can all the time stay important, together with her debut album Roxwell (February 28th by way of 7476), the two-time Atwood Editor’s Choose and Artist to Watch introduces herself to the world not simply as a people artist, however as an artist who can seamlessly weave collectively moments of R&B, soul, pop and rock right into a cohesive album.
With songs that pull us in and ship an surprising punch like “Meet Cute,” to tracks like “Dazed & Confused,” which just about have a Haim-like high quality to them, and “Worst Particular person Alive” which is so brutally sincere, Mann manages to scale the spectrum of what music might be whereas nonetheless creating the sonically sound world that brings Roxwell to such nice heights.
She proves she will be able to do absolutely anything, establishing herself as a singular and fast-rising voice for her technology.
Atwood Journal not too long ago sat down with Matilda Mann shortly after the discharge of her debut album for an intimate dialog about her journey to this particular second.
We speak Roxwell’s creation, songs Mann is most excited to play reside, and the way generally she doesn’t know the way she feels a couple of scenario till she writes it down. We additionally focus on her experiences of affection, heartbreak, and friendship all through her early twenties, and the way she was capable of pull from all these experiences to construct what we all know now as her debut album, Roxwell.
Matilda Mann’s UK/Europe tour kicks off in Dublin on April twentieth – Stream Roxwell and go see her reside!
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:: stream/buy Roxwell right here ::
:: join with Matilda Mann right here ::
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“All That Was Mentioned” – Matilda Mann
A CONVERSATION WITH MATILDA MANN
Atwood Journal: Roxwell is so, so good. I like how full of an album it’s. It’s so cohesive, but additionally numerous the songs are very totally different. How did you discover the sound of this album? Was there one track that kicked it off?
Matilda Mann: I’ve by no means made an album earlier than. I’ve all the time simply written songs and I suppose the one time I felt like I used to be placing out a selected style was with my EP You Look Like You Can’t Swim. That one is all primarily people acoustic songs, which is unquestionably my pleased place. I feel your debut album is type of a really large assertion you’re placing on the earth. That is me as an artist, and I feel I actually needed to verify I wasn’t a people artist. I additionally love indie music, pop and people. I simply needed to throw each type of track that I love to do into this album, however my greatest tackle it, I suppose.
You positively did that! I really feel like there are such a lot of several types of songs in it, however once more, all of it lives within the Rockwell world in a very cool method. So proper now, what track is your favourite on the album?
Matilda Mann: Perhaps “See You Later.”
That is a enjoyable one.
Matilda Mann: Yeah, I feel my favourite lyrics are “Worst Particular person Alive” and I’m essentially the most excited to carry out “Say It Again” and “Autopilot” on tour. I’ve by no means performed “Autopilot” reside earlier than, so I’m excited for that.
I like “Autopilot.” It is type of like – the women that get it, get it. You already know?
Matilda Mann: Sure. It’s so bizarre. I wrote “Autopilot,” “Frequent Sense,” and “All That Was Mentioned” multi function month once I was 20.
That’s so much to really feel in a single month!
Matilda Mann: Yeah, I did so much. I turned 21 and had a breakup on my twenty first, and it was in the midst of the pandemic in February.
Oh wow.
Matilda Mann: And I dunno if winter simply falls on me being unhappy or if it’s my birthday, however yearly I discover it actually onerous to perform. However what I’ve began to note is that, nicely, at the least it’s a sample and at the least I all the time get higher. I feel that’s the toughest factor to recollect when you’re in a tricky spot, is that it’s only a spot. It’s simply, it’s simply non permanent. The worst feeling is while you’re like, that is my life ceaselessly. That’s why “Autopilot” is pleased sounding with unhappy phrases. Typically you simply gotta faux it until you make it and till you’re pleased once more.
It is such an essential factor while you’re in these moments to recollect they’re solely non permanent. You touched on “Worst Particular person Alive.” I like the lyrics. It’s a really self-aware track, which I really feel is a tough factor to do. Lizzie McAlpine, Gracie Abrams, and many others. are so good at this and I really feel like this track lives in that camp. Inform me about this one.
Matilda Mann: Ah sure! I truly wrote it actually subconsciously. I wrote it once I was in a relationship.
Whoops.
Matilda Mann: Yep. It was a kind of relationships the place it was coming in the direction of the tip, however I felt like there have been so many songs about being dumped and about somebody betraying you and hurting you, and there’s not one about possibly you being the unhealthy man. The one one I knew was Holly Humberstone’s “Antichrist.” It’s like, am I such a horrible individual? On this relationship and on this second – I felt so unhealthy. There was nothing I might level at to be like, that is the place you fucked up, or that is the place I fucked up. It simply wasn’t working and neither of us needed to confess it. And I spotted I used to be the one who most likely must say it. I don’t even know if he cared, but it surely was going to be a very annoying dialog the place I’ve to be a bit of shit. However it could have been a lot worse if I by no means stated something. I by no means assume a relationship is a waste of time until you recognize it’s not going anyplace and also you’re too scared to finish it.
That is why that track is so wonderful and relatable as a result of such as you stated, it is really easy to say that you just’re not proper for me, you are a nasty individual. However to essentially be like, oh, I am not feeling these items too. It is simply not on the market so much.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. I additionally didn’t know that’s what that track was about till method after it was finished. I used to be actually in a bizarre type of daydreaming state writing that track, after which we broke up and two months later my supervisor was like, Hey, I actually like “Worst Particular person Alive”. What about that for the album? And I used to be like, what? What’s that track? After which I listened to it and I used to be like, oh….
Do you discover that that occurs the place you will not even actually know the way you’re feeling about one thing till you write it in a track?
Matilda Mann: Sure, positively. Additionally with “Inform Me That I’m Incorrect.” I wrote it once I was seeing this man, and we weren’t relationship in any respect, however that entire track is what occurred. We met in January and we’d go to the pub and it could shut at 11:00 PM after which we’d stroll within the January winter evening till 7:00 AM and he’d be actually chilly and I’d give him my jacket as a result of I had seven layers on. And I simply, we’d come residence and all of our family and friends can be like, oh my God, are you guys collectively? And we’d be like, no, simply hanging out. And so they’d be like, you fucking idiots. You like one another.
Properly with lyrics like “There is no one I would reasonably sit outdoors with at 3:00 AM” – you solely do this while you’re in love.
Matilda Mann: Yeah, that was very a lot that track. I fell out and in of affection a couple of instances throughout this album over the course of once I was 20. I’ve simply turned 25 earlier than the album got here out, so it’s like the primary 4 years of my twenties and so much occurred.
That is what ought to occur in your twenties. Classes discovered.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. I keep in mind strolling round with him till 7:00 AM being like, that is so silly. What am I doing? And I used to be like, for the plot, if something, I would write a track about this.
And you probably did! I adore it. I need to speak about “Dazed & Confused.” It’s so good. I like the bass. It speaks to your vary by going from a track like “Inform Me I’m Incorrect” to “Dazed & Confused” – they’re so totally different, however they nonetheless go collectively. Inform me about this one.
Matilda Mann: That’s the final one which we wrote. We wrote it in August, and I wrote it with Jonah Summerfield who did the entire album. And Noah Levine, who’s Noah Kahan’s guitarist, he’s so beautiful and gifted. He got here down and so they each simply began enjoying this guitar half. And I simply went, “I’d prefer to be your reply”. After which we simply saved going and wrote the entire track. It’s type of nearly desirous to be there for somebody. I really feel like life might be so overwhelming and you ought to be with somebody that’s the peace in your life – somebody that’s simply useful in a very relaxed method, not in a “I’ve that can assist you and right here’s all of the solutions” method.
No, I like that. I really feel like that is how love must be, simply unstated and –
Matilda Mann: Realizing them.
Yeah, precisely. I need to ask about “Simply As a result of.” I like these cinematic strings. It has just a little R&B to it. Inform me about that one.
Matilda Mann: Yeah! All the strings on the album are reside by this man referred to as Toby Tripp, who I wrote “Solely So Far Away” with. He’s wonderful. He did all the preparations and performed all the strings himself. We wrote the verse and the refrain of “Simply As a result of” actually rapidly – inside 20 minutes. After which we had been like, candy, however the track was a minute and 30 seconds. We wanted to make it longer and we didn’t know the way for therefore lengthy, so we left it for a yr after which we got here again to it and Jonah needed to scrap it, however I fought for it. After which we wrote a pre and all of it got here collectively – we’re all so glad we saved it. And it was an important second.
I am glad you fought for it! That is good.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. It’s fairly a sassy track, but it surely’s extra like there’s those that simply need to be in love and so they need to be in a relationship, but it surely’s not essentially who it’s with. It’s simply they need to be like, I’ve bought a companion, or I’m in love, however they’re probably not.
Yeah. It is such as you’re type of extra of a prop than a human.
Matilda Mann: Extra a label, Yeah.
I additionally need to ask about “Meet Cute.” It is so good. I like how the refrain is a construct. I like the way it captures that lightning in a bottle feeling. I guess it’s enjoyable reside too.
Matilda Mann: It’s truly my least favourite reside.
Is it onerous or one thing? Why?
Matilda Mann: It’s actually, actually onerous to sing. And in addition, I wrote the bass line on it, however I can’t play bass, so I can’t be that cool and play the bass and sing on the identical time.
You may do it! Perhaps you simply play bass and let another person sing it – plot twist.
Matilda Mann: Sure, convey somebody as much as sing it. Truly, with this tour I’m going to make use of this track and set individuals up within the viewers.
That is so enjoyable!
Matilda Mann: Sure – I’m going to do some actual life meet-cutes. At each gig, there’s going to be just a little field by the merch stand and folks can put their title, their age, how they determine, after which the genders they’re considering in order that I can type of slender it down considerably. After which earlier than I’m going on stage, earlier than I play meet cute, I’m going to name out two names and so they win.
Oh my gosh, that is superior. I like that. Individuals are going to like that.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. And in addition I really feel like, I don’t know, at any time when I’m going to a gig, I’m like, oh, these really feel like my individuals.
Sure, positively.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. You’ve already bought one thing in widespread with them being that you just each prefer to go to exhibits. For those who prefer to go to gigs and also you prefer to go and discover, you are interested on the earth. So we might make some good matches.
Sure. That’s going to be nice. We solely have a couple of minutes left. We have to speak about “Ladies.” This track is so particular. Love a three-girl group.
Matilda Mann: Yeah! The three woman teams are the perfect. You’re all equally there. And also you additionally all have function in a bizarre method. You every have your roles. However yeah, there’s one thing about three. I met the 2 ladies after we had been three at nursery college, after which we went to the identical secondary college. We grew up round nook from one another, however all of us grew up very in another way. They’re actually sensible ladies – they do journalism and financial environmental research. And I’m like, ah, I sing. Additionally after they had been little, they had been each actually blonde, after which after they grew up, they grew to become brunette. To today they dye their hair blonde and inform everybody that they’re blonde, they as soon as had been. So I needed to humble them. I gave them the track, however I needed to humble them just a little bit.
After all.
Matilda Mann: However yeah, to today, 20 years later, they’re nonetheless my greatest pals and all the time been so supportive.
That is so particular to have that. Properly, this was wonderful – it was so nice to talk about these songs and the album. I can’t wait to catch you reside at some point!
Matilda Mann: It was tremendous beautiful to fulfill you. Thanks a lot for the interview.
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© Katie Silvester
an album by Matilda Mann
