Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matthew Deluz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Matthew thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

I’ve found myself being misunderstood to some degree my whole life, especially as an artist. It usually starts when people ask me what I do; I’m not a specialist in any one discipline, and my curiosity refuses to let me stay “in a box” so to speak. I compose and produce music, I play multiple instruments, I write lyrics and literature, I draw, I sculpt, I collage, I capture photography, I paint… the list goes on and hopefully will continue to grow. Ironically enough, I think one of the most common questions I’ve received as a musician and songwriter is “Why don’t you go on American Idol?” or something to that effect. I’m sure you noticed I never said I sing, lol. I don’t, yet for some reason that’s the question I always get.

Matthew, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was a sophomore in high-school the first time I tried to play an instrument (besides the recorder most of us got in elementary music class lol). One of my friends I spent most days with at that time had a ukulele, and he taught me to play “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith. I still remember how difficult it was to make those shapes with my fingers! a couple years later i got curious about guitar, and it turned out my grandma had bought a Washburn acoustic guitar before i was born and had never played it. I began teaching myself and exploring and the rabbit hole has just kept getting deeper. All of this was happening while I’m also writing lyrics and recording music with that same friend over youtube beats we would find. Much of the propelling force throughout my artistic journey has been dissatisfaction; the youtube beats weren’t exactly how I would want them, so I kept learning more instruments. My dad must’ve seen the vision because he gifted me the Maschine MK2 beat pad and software. I began making all of my beats from with that- the drums, the keys, horns, guitar. I then realized how much easier it would be to play chords out on a piano instead of that 4×4 beat pad. (If anyone reading this is interested in learning an instrument, i highly recommend piano! There is much less of a learning curve than stringed instruments like guitar, ukulele, banjo etc. in my opinion). As i look back on the last 25 years now it seems much more obvious to me that music and performing has always been my passion. My grandma has never let me forget when I would play air guitar and sing “Hanky Panky” for my daycare-mates at the Sunshine House. I remember making beats on the lunch tables and singing “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses with my friend Brad in elementary school. I still laugh about literally getting kicked out of class in middle school and high school for making pencil beats at my desk, and i absolutely remember the hundreds of freestyles and rap battles my friends and i have partaken in over the years!
All parts of my journey have lead me to where i am today; I now compose music on multiple instruments and digitally, i produce for myself and other friends/artists, i write for myself and other local artists, i make art and shoot my own photography, and i’m always learning something new. I’m beyond thankful for the quarter-century i’ve been alive and the opportunities that have found me.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Whew, lol, so on March 29th, 2022 I lost a centimeter or so of my dominant thumb, and learned very quickly how much I’d been taking that little piece of thumb for granted. Everything from writing to tying my shoes was a relearning process for a about a year, and what stressed me out the most was my fear of losing the ability to create art and play music- at least in the way I had before. Drawing and playing piano & guitar are three of my absolute favorite pastimes, and I think playing guitar is the most personal to me. It has become one of my favorite forms of meditation as an adult and the fear of losing those abilities was much more difficult for me to deal with than the injury itself, or the physical healing process. Less than a month after the injury on April 18th, another musician reached out to me about playing piano that coming May for Charlotte based legend Mavi at The Evening Muse in NoDa.
I was absolutely thrilled and terrified as I hadn’t performed live in any capacity since July of 2019, and I would be attempting to do so with just 9 fingers while I healed. Throughout the weeks of rehearsal I quickly realized I was amongst some extremely talented musicians; I knew we would put on a show to remember, and we did!
Tickets sold out four days before the show, and on May 14th we absolutely killed it for a full house in the city where I live. I have to shout out Mavi again and my bandmates Ike Byers, Walter Boston, and Te’jani for such an awesome experience and opportunity.
Life is funny, to describe it as unpredictable would be an understatement. I’m so thankful for every opportunity that brings me nearer to what I love: hearing music, playing music, and being surrounded by good friends and family.
I also have to give a huge thanks to Aaron Roebuck, A Cool Collective, and The Evening Muse for putting that show together.
Lastly, while I believe the greatest hurdles I faced were mental, I really want to thank my mother and my girlfriend Lydia for helping me recover in all ways. They literally cleaned and dressed my wound while i could not, and they supported me mentally and emotionally every step of the way.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I mentioned dissatisfaction has been a big motivator for me as an artist, and I feel that it has been a catalyst in my personal life too. I want a deeper understanding of this life, I crave a richer experience, and I yearn for a greater sense of peace and joy. Creating in all forms is spiritual to me, and my goals for this life inevitably influence every creative choice I make. Lately I find myself feeling as though so much of what being an “artist” mean’s today can be about how well one can produce/market/sell a commodity, service, or experience. I can honestly be a bit neurotic, and I often think about this kind of stuff when I ask myself, “How do I want to spend the rest of this life, however long or short it may be?”
I then have to weigh that against the fact that surviving and thriving in the society I’m in can largely depend on how much money you’re able to earn and/or retain. I feel that I need financial security to create to the best of my ability and truly explore my potential as a human being.
That makes me fearful at times because I’ve always known if I never made a single dollar from art or music, I would still be creating until I die. I believe that art in its most honest form prioritizes expression over the response of others, regardless of whether that response is physical, conceptual, or financial in nature. My main goal is to stay authentic and true to myself in each moment of this incarnation, and hopefully keep learning along the way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @matthewdeluz
• Twitter: @matthewdeluz
• Other: Matthew Deluz on Spotify, Soundcloud, and Youtube! Mateo Deluz on Apple Music (working with my distributor on amending that to match all other platforms )

Image Credits
Marcus J. Peña Squidlik Zion’s Perspective Matthew Deluz