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 filled with soul, swagger, and self-discovery.
Stream: ‘Roxwell’ – Matilda Mann
A debut album is arguably one of the crucial vital 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 should all the time resonate for many who depend. That mentioned, it may be laborious 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 akin to “The Day I Met You” and “4 Leaf Dream” and whereas at her core it’s her lyrics and story-telling that may all the time stay important, together with her debut album Roxwell (February 28th through 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 nearly 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 will 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 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 discuss Roxwell’s creation, songs Mann is most excited to play reside, and the way typically she doesn’t understand how she feels a couple of state of affairs till she writes it down. We additionally talk about her experiences of affection, heartbreak, and friendship all through her early twenties, and the way she was in a position to 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 Stated” – 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 in addition 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 huge assertion you’re placing on this planet. That is me as an artist, and I feel I actually wished to ensure I wasn’t a people artist. I additionally love indie music, pop and people. I simply wished to throw each type of track that I love to do into this album, however my finest tackle it, I suppose.
You undoubtedly did that! I really feel like there are such a lot of various kinds of songs in it, however once more, all of it lives within the Rockwell world in a very cool approach. 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,” “Widespread Sense,” and “All That Was Stated” multi function month once I was 20.
That’s loads to really feel in a single month!
Matilda Mann: Yeah, I did loads. 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 laborious to operate. However what I’ve began to note is that, effectively, not less than it’s a sample and not less than I all the time get higher. I feel that’s the toughest factor to recollect when you’re in a troublesome spot, is that it’s only a spot. It’s simply, it’s simply non permanent. The worst feeling is once you’re like, that is my life eternally. 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 vital factor once 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 so forth. 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 perhaps you being the dangerous 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 dangerous. There was nothing I may 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 noticed I used to be the one who in all probability must say it. I don’t even know if he cared, nevertheless it was going to be a very annoying dialog the place I’ve to be a bit of shit. However it will have been a lot worse if I by no means mentioned something. I by no means assume a relationship is a waste of time until 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 mentioned, it is really easy to say that you simply’re not proper for me, you are a foul individual. However to essentially be like, oh, I am not feeling this stuff too. It is simply not on the market loads.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. I additionally didn’t know that’s what that track was about till approach after it was carried out. 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 understand how you are feeling about one thing till you write it in a track?
Matilda Mann: Sure, undoubtedly. 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 will 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 house and all of our family and friends could be like, oh my God, are you guys collectively? And we’d be like, no, simply hanging out. They usually’d be like, you fucking idiots. You’re keen on one another.
Effectively with lyrics like “There is no one I might reasonably sit outdoors with at 3:00 AM” – you solely do this once 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 loads 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’d write a track about this.
And you probably did! I like it. I wish 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 proficient. He got here down and so they each simply began enjoying this guitar half. And I simply went, “I’d wish to be your reply”. After which we simply stored going and wrote the entire track. It’s type of nearly eager to be there for somebody. I really feel like life will be so overwhelming and you have to be with somebody that’s the peace in your life – somebody that’s simply useful in a very relaxed approach, not in a “I’ve that will help you and right here’s all of the solutions” approach.
No, I like that. I really feel like that is how love ought to be, simply unstated and –
Matilda Mann: Figuring out them.
Yeah, precisely. I wish to ask about “Simply As a result of.” I like these cinematic strings. It has somewhat R&B to it. Inform me about that one.
Matilda Mann: Yeah! All the strings on the album are reside by this man known 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 shortly – inside 20 minutes. After which we had been like, candy, however the track was a minute and 30 seconds. We would have liked to make it longer and we didn’t understand how for thus lengthy, so we left it for a 12 months 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 stored it. And it was an amazing second.
I am glad you fought for it! That is good.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. It’s fairly a sassy track, nevertheless it’s extra like there’s those that simply wish to be in love and so they wish to be in a relationship, nevertheless it’s not essentially who it’s with. It’s simply they wish to be like, I’ve acquired a associate, 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 wish 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 wager it’s enjoyable reside too.
Matilda Mann: It’s truly my least favourite reside.
Is it laborious or one thing? Why?
Matilda Mann: It’s actually, actually laborious 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 might do it! Perhaps you simply play bass and let another person sing it – plot twist.
Matilda Mann: Sure, carry somebody as much as sing it. Truly, with this tour I’m going to make use of this track and set folks 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 somewhat field by the merch stand and other people can put their identify, their age, how they establish, after which the genders they’re excited about in order that I can type of slim 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 like that. Individuals are going to like that.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. And in addition 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 folks.
Sure, undoubtedly.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. You’ve already acquired one thing in frequent with them being that you simply each wish to go to reveals. In the event you wish to go to gigs and also you wish to go and discover, you are interested on this planet. So we may 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 lady teams are the very best. You might be all equally there. And also you additionally all have objective in a bizarre approach. You every have your roles. However yeah, there’s one thing about three. I met the 2 ladies once 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 a different 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 at the present time 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 somewhat bit.
After all.
Matilda Mann: However yeah, to at the present time, twenty years later, they’re nonetheless my finest mates and all the time been so supportive.
That is so particular to have that. Effectively, this was wonderful – it was so nice to speak about these songs and the album. I can’t wait to catch you reside sooner or later!
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