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 file stuffed with soul, swagger, and self-discovery.
Stream: ‘Roxwell’ – Matilda Mann
A debut album is arguably one of the 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 at all times resonate for many 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 folks singer/songwriter with superb data corresponding to “The Day I Met You” and “4 Leaf Dream” and whereas at her core it’s her lyrics and story-telling that may at all times stay important, along with her debut album Roxwell (February 28th through 7476), the two-time Atwood Editor’s Decide and Artist to Watch introduces herself to the world not simply as a folks 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 sudden 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 trustworthy, Mann manages to scale the spectrum of what music may be whereas nonetheless creating the sonically sound world that brings Roxwell to such nice heights.
She proves she will do absolutely anything, establishing herself as a singular and fast-rising voice for her era.
Atwood Journal lately 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 dwell, and the way generally she doesn’t understand how she feels a couple of state of affairs 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 dwell!
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:: stream/buy Roxwell right here ::
:: join with Matilda Mann right here ::
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“All That Was Stated” – Matilda Mann
A CONVERSATION WITH MATILDA MANN
Atwood Journal: Roxwell is so, so good. I really like how full of an album it’s. It’s so cohesive, but additionally a whole lot of the songs are very completely different. How did you discover the sound of this album? Was there one tune that kicked it off?
Matilda Mann: I’ve by no means made an album earlier than. I’ve at all times simply written songs and I suppose the one time I felt like I used to be placing out a specific style was with my EP You Look Like You Can’t Swim. That one is all primarily folks acoustic songs, which is certainly my pleased place. I feel your debut album is form of a really huge assertion you’re placing on the planet. That is me as an artist, and I feel I actually wished to ensure I wasn’t a folks artist. I additionally love indie music, pop and folks. I simply wished to throw each form of tune that I love to do into this album, however my greatest tackle it, I suppose.
You undoubtedly 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 means. So proper now, what tune is your favourite on the album?
Matilda Mann: Possibly “See You Later.”
That is a enjoyable one.
Matilda Mann: Yeah, I feel my favourite lyrics are “Worst Particular person Alive” and I’m probably the most excited to carry out “Say It Again” and “Autopilot” on tour. I’ve by no means performed “Autopilot” dwell earlier than, so I’m excited for that.
I really like “Autopilot.” It is form of like – the ladies that get it, get it. You already know?
Matilda Mann: Sure. It’s so bizarre. I wrote “Autopilot,” “Widespread Sense,” and “All That Was Stated” multi function month after I was 20.
That’s quite a bit to really feel in a single month!
Matilda Mann: Yeah, I did quite a bit. I turned 21 and had a breakup on my twenty first, and it was in the course 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, a minimum of it’s a sample and a minimum of I at all times get higher. I feel that’s the toughest factor to recollect if you end up in a troublesome spot, is that it’s only a spot. It’s simply, it’s simply momentary. The worst feeling is once you’re like, that is my life endlessly. That’s why “Autopilot” is pleased sounding with unhappy phrases. Typically you simply gotta pretend it until you make it and till you’re pleased once more.
It is such an essential factor once you’re in these moments to recollect they’re solely momentary. You touched on “Worst Particular person Alive.” I really like the lyrics. It’s a really self-aware tune, which I really feel is a tough factor to do. Lizzie McAlpine, Gracie Abrams, and so on. are so good at this and I really feel like this tune lives in that camp. Inform me about this one.
Matilda Mann: Ah sure! I truly wrote it actually subconsciously. I wrote it after 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 perhaps you being the dangerous man. The one one I knew was Holly Humberstone’s “Antichrist.” It’s like, am I such a horrible particular person? On this relationship and on this second – I felt so dangerous. 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 wished 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 except you already know it’s not going wherever and also you’re too scared to finish it.
That is why that tune is so superb and relatable as a result of such as you stated, it is really easy to say that you simply’re not proper for me, you are a foul particular person. However to essentially be like, oh, I am not feeling this stuff too. It is simply not on the market quite a bit.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. I additionally didn’t know that’s what that tune was about till means after it was performed. I used to be actually in a bizarre form of daydreaming state writing that tune, 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 tune? After which I listened to it and I used to be like, oh….
Do you discover that that occurs the place you may not even actually understand how you’re feeling about one thing till you write it in a tune?
Matilda Mann: Sure, undoubtedly. Additionally with “Inform Me That I’m Fallacious.” I wrote it after I was seeing this man, and we weren’t relationship in any respect, however that complete tune 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 night time 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 house 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’re keen on one another.
Nicely with lyrics like “There is not any one I might relatively sit exterior with at 3:00 AM” – you solely try this once you’re in love.
Matilda Mann: Yeah, that was very a lot that tune. I fell out and in of affection a number of occasions throughout this album over the course of after 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 quite a bit occurred.
That is what ought to occur in your twenties. Classes realized.
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 tune about this.
And you probably did! I like it. I need to speak about “Dazed & Confused.” It’s so good. I really like the bass. It speaks to your vary by going from a tune like “Inform Me I’m Fallacious” to “Dazed & Confused” – they’re so completely 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 tune. It’s form of nearly desirous to be there for somebody. I really feel like life may be so overwhelming and try to be with somebody that’s the peace in your life – somebody that’s simply useful in a very relaxed means, not in a “I’ve that can assist you and right here’s all of the solutions” means.
No, I really like that. I really feel like that is how love must be, simply unstated and –
Matilda Mann: Understanding them.
Yeah, precisely. I need to ask about “Simply As a result of.” I really like these cinematic strings. It has just a little R&B to it. Inform me about that one.
Matilda Mann: Yeah! The entire strings on the album are dwell by this man known as Toby Tripp, who I wrote “Solely So Far Away” with. He’s superb. He did the entire preparations and performed the entire strings himself. We wrote the verse and the refrain of “Simply As a result of” actually shortly – inside 20 minutes. After which we have been like, candy, however the tune was a minute and 30 seconds. We wanted to make it longer and we didn’t understand how for therefore lengthy, so we left it for a yr after which we got here again to it and Jonah wished 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 ideal second.
I am glad you fought for it! That is good.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. It’s fairly a sassy tune, but it surely’s extra like there’s folks 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 received a accomplice, or I’m in love, however they’re probably not.
Yeah. It is such as you’re form 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 really like how the refrain is a construct. I really like the way it captures that lightning in a bottle feeling. I guess it’s enjoyable dwell too.
Matilda Mann: It’s truly my least favourite dwell.
Is it onerous or one thing? Why?
Matilda Mann: It’s actually, actually onerous to sing. And likewise, 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 similar time.
You could possibly do it! Possibly you simply play bass and let another person sing it – plot twist.
Matilda Mann: Sure, convey somebody as much as sing it. Really, with this tour I’m going to make use of this tune 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 fascinated by in order that I can form of slender it down considerably. After which earlier than I am 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 really like that. Individuals are going to like that.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. And likewise I really feel like, I don’t know, every time I am going to a gig, I’m like, oh, these really feel like my individuals.
Sure, undoubtedly.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. You’ve already received one thing in frequent with them being that you simply each prefer to go to exhibits. When you prefer to go to gigs and also you prefer to go and discover, you are interested on the planet. 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 tune is so particular. Love a three-girl group.
Matilda Mann: Yeah! The three woman teams are the very best. You might be all equally there. And also you additionally all have goal in a bizarre means. You every have your roles. However yeah, there’s one thing about three. I met the 2 women after we have been three at nursery faculty, after which we went to the identical secondary faculty. We grew up round nook from one another, however all of us grew up very in a different way. They’re actually good women – they do journalism and financial environmental research. And I’m like, ah, I sing. Additionally once they have been little, they have been each actually blonde, after which once they grew up, they turned brunette. To at the present time they dye their hair blonde and inform everybody that they’re blonde, they as soon as have been. So I needed to humble them. I gave them the tune, however I needed to humble them just a little bit.
After all.
Matilda Mann: However yeah, to at the present time, 20 years later, they’re nonetheless my greatest pals and at all times been so supportive.
That is so particular to have that. Nicely, this was superb – it was so nice to speak about these songs and the album. I can’t wait to catch you reside in the future!
Matilda Mann: It was tremendous beautiful to satisfy you. Thanks a lot for the interview.
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:: stream/buy Roxwell right here ::
:: join with Matilda Mann right here ::
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an album by Matilda Mann
