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 filled with soul, swagger, and self-discovery.
Stream: ‘Roxwell’ – Matilda Mann
A debut album is arguably one of the crucial necessary 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’ll all the time resonate for individuals who rely. That mentioned, it may be arduous 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 information similar 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, along with her debut album Roxwell (February 28th by way of 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 sincere, 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 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 discuss Roxwell’s creation, songs Mann is most excited to play dwell, and the way generally she doesn’t understand how she feels a few scenario 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 dwell!
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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 a number of 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 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 completely happy place. I believe your debut album is sort of a really large assertion you’re placing on the earth. That is me as an artist, and I believe 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 sort 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 various kinds of songs in it, however once more, all of it lives within the Rockwell world in a extremely cool means. So proper now, what track is your favourite on the album?
Matilda Mann: Possibly “See You Later.”
That is a enjoyable one.
Matilda Mann: Yeah, I believe 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 like “Autopilot.” It is sort of like – the ladies that get it, get it. ?
Matilda Mann: Sure. It’s so bizarre. I wrote “Autopilot,” “Widespread Sense,” and “All That Was Mentioned” multi functional 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 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 arduous to operate. However what I’ve began to note is that, properly, at the very least it’s a sample and at the very least I all the time get higher. I believe that’s the toughest factor to recollect when you find yourself 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 perpetually. That’s why “Autopilot” is completely happy sounding with unhappy phrases. Typically you simply gotta faux it until you make it and till you’re completely happy once more.
It is such an necessary 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 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 type of relationships the place it was coming in 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, nevertheless it was going to be a extremely annoying dialog the place I’ve to be a bit of shit. However it might have been a lot worse if I by no means mentioned something. I by no means assume a relationship is a waste of time except it’s not going wherever and also you’re too scared to finish it.
That is why that track is so superb 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 nasty particular person. However to essentially be like, oh, I am not feeling these items 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 means after it was accomplished. I used to be actually in a bizarre sort 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 may not even actually understand how you are 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 courting in any respect, however that entire track is what occurred. We met in January and we’d go to the pub and it might 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 dwelling 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. And so they’d be like, you fucking idiots. You like one another.
Nicely with lyrics like “There is no one I would somewhat sit exterior 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 number 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 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 like it. I wish to discuss “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 pretty 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 stored going and wrote the entire track. It’s sort of nearly eager to be there for somebody. I really feel like life may be so overwhelming and you need to be with somebody that’s the peace in your life – somebody that’s simply useful in a extremely relaxed means, not in a “I’ve that will help you and right here’s all of the solutions” means.
No, I like that. I really feel like that is how love needs to be, simply unstated and –
Matilda Mann: Understanding them.
Yeah, precisely. I wish to ask about “Simply As a result of.” I like these cinematic strings. It has slightly 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 rapidly – inside 20 minutes. After which we have 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 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 stored 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, nevertheless it’s extra like there’s those who 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 bought a accomplice, or I’m in love, however they’re not likely.
Yeah. It is such as you’re sort 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 dwell too.
Matilda Mann: It’s truly my least favourite dwell.
Is it arduous or one thing? Why?
Matilda Mann: It’s actually, actually arduous 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 might do it! Possibly 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 slightly field by the merch stand and other people can put their identify, their age, how they establish, after which the genders they’re all in favour of in order that I can sort of slim 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. Persons are going to like that.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. And likewise 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 folks.
Sure, positively.
Matilda Mann: Yeah. You’ve already bought one thing in widespread with them being that you simply each prefer to go to reveals. Should you 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 discuss “Women.” This track is so particular. Love a three-girl group.
Matilda Mann: Yeah! The three woman teams are one of the best. You might be all equally there. And also you additionally all have function in a bizarre means. You every have your roles. However yeah, there’s one thing about three. I met the 2 ladies once we have 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 once they have been little, they have been each actually blonde, after which once 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 have been. So I needed to humble them. I gave them the track, however I needed to humble them slightly bit.
After all.
Matilda Mann: However yeah, to at the present time, twenty years later, they’re nonetheless my greatest buddies and all the time been so supportive.
That is so particular to have that. Nicely, this was superb – 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 pretty 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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© Katie Silvester
an album by Matilda Mann
