Matilda Mann - Sonder (EP) + 10 Questions

Photo Credit: Theo Batterham

West-London based artist Matilda Mann releases her new EP Sonder today via Arista Records, with new single ‘Glass Ceiling’ completing the six-track collection. Matilda, who recently supported Holly Humberstone, is currently on a national UK tour with Dodie and will headline London’s Lafayette on October 6th, tickets on sale here.

On the new single, she continues, “‘Glass Ceiling’ was written and produced with Rich Cooper (Billie Marten, Rina Sawayama, Josef Salvat) in his studio. I wrote it about a guy I knew who would always go on about being a particular kind of person, but would never actually go through with what they said they stood for. We wrote it over a couple of days and wanted it to be a kind of uplifting powerful song to end the EP.” Of her process, she continues, “As a songwriter, I’m always aware of the particular kinds of situations I get into and specifically how they make me feel. I kind of also take up the challenge of trying to imagine how others are feeling. Sometimes, I think you can feel so lonely in this world, because maybe you think nobody understands what you’re going through. So when a song can describe that for you, it can also change your whole perspective.” 

Sonder includes previous tracks ‘February’, ‘Bloom’ (recently BBC Introducing ‘Track of The Week’), and most recent single ‘Stranger (for now)’ which was written alongside Oscar Scheller and Jonah Summerfield. The EP is the follow-up to last year’s acclaimed Because I Wanted You To Know EP which has amassed over 10 million streams globally. Championed by the likes of BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, KCRW and NPR, Matilda has also supported the likes of Arlo Parks, Beabadoobee and The Staves. Last year, she was named runner-up at Glastonbury Festival’s prestigious Emerging Talent Competition, securing a coveted slot at the iconic festival.

Matilda sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

I had a very short attention span as a kid ahah. I think music was the only thing I was actually really interested in (and that’s kinda always stuck)! I always wanted to try new instruments and constantly just wrote little songs on the piano we had at home. It was never something that felt like work, I’ve just always enjoyed every aspect of music. I never even thought that I could make it as my job, so the past few years have been insane!

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

I think for the whole of 2018, I just listened to Laura Marling and The Staves. Laura Marling’s songs have just always had such an impact of me lyrically, and The Staves introduced me to harmonies and structuring songs. Over time, I’ve been super inspired by new artists, like Still Woozy, Easy Life, Lianne La Havas, Billie Marten, but I think those two will always be the foundation to my song-writing. I’d love to work with all the above. I think they’d all show me so many different ways to write and I just love the process of writing with other artists.

3. What are some of the problems you have faced making and releasing the music during the coronavirus pandemic?

One of the issues was artwork, videos & pictures.  We couldn’t meet up with anyone to film things, so my previous EP, which I released during the middle of the pandemic, was very homemade. We had all the songs ready and recorded, so I kinda just set myself on how to get the artwork for it. My mum made a little model of me, out of this fancy play dough, and we took some shots in the garden of me holding it. That’s what the artwork became. And for the video for As It Is, we just took lots of little videos of me in different angles in different rooms in the house/ local corner shop/ local park. So that whole EP feels very me and close to home, which I think makes it even more special to me.

4. How would you describe your sound?

Ahah I’ve tried to figure this out for a while. I think because I always want to change up my style of writing and make something I haven’t yet, I don’t really have anything solid that could define all my songs together. I think I’ll always be like that, as I don’t want to limit myself to just one style or genre. A couple of words my friends use are, indie cottage-core, grungey, folkish ahah.

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

There’s been quite a lot in the past few years or so! I think being support act for The Staves, Arlo Parks and Dodie has been the most challenging in the best way! I’m not a natural performer, and especially at the beginning of doing gigs, I questioned if I would ever be comfortable playing in front of large crowds (and being able to do a set standing up ahah). So throwing myself onto tour with these wonderful artists, who were performing to the biggest crowds I had done, was terrifying, but It worked, and I’m so happy that I’ve started to love playing live.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

Just write as much as you can and try and get it out online in any way you can. The right people, at the right time, will find you. Don’t be scared to put it out there, cause you never know what might happen! (Also if you get stage fright, I found learning to control your breathing just before going on and right before you start singing is the most helpful part).

7. Are there any artists on your radar at the moment that we should check out?

Yessss! So many! Luckily enough have met some amazing young artists on the up come. I adore Hope Tala’s music. It’s so unique and is so calming. Laufey is also a ridiculously cool person, who has such an old fashion sound and that just sounds so right in today’s world. My friend Maya Delilah from school is also an insane guitarist/ artist, who’s showing everyone how sick girls can be at anything they wanna do.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Will always adore Matt Maltese’s album – ‘Bad Contestant’. I just love his style of writing and how he phrases things. Also Dodie’s new album has so many beautiful tracks that really go into depth in every aspect.

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

I love photography. I think if I didn’t do music I’d do something creative still. I’d love to direct or DOP something. But in day to day life, most of my time is spent doing music or something around it ahah, but I’m not complaining, that’s my dream

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

A Capo - can’t play bar chords for shit

A guitar - can’t play bar chords but I love finding random tunings

My notes page / voice notes app.