Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matthew McMenamy. 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. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
In high school, we had to make these “four-year plan”s our freshman year around what we thought we wanted to do post-graduation. I had planned my entire curriculum around me being a professional freelance photographer, because I was super passionate about it at the time and had been taking pictures for years. I wanted to be behind-the-scenes, behind the camera, capturing the beauty, not be apart of it.
Anyway, further on in the school year I’m in class and I hear my friends whispering about the musical that my high school was putting on, until one of them turns to me and goes “Oh my god you HAVE to audition!”. My first answer was “Uh, hell no. Why would you think I would ever do that?” (I was a really kind guy). I had never done anything like that before so I wondered where that came from.
The day goes on and I can’t stop thinking about these auditions. So at 3:15, the time of the final bell, I go down to the arts hall and proclaim I want to audition. I am full with anxiety, I didn’t know any of these kids, most of whom have spent their whole lives performing and singing and dancing. Then here comes “Mr. Photographer” trying to do the same thing just as well.
To make an already long story shorter, I auditioned for Prince Charming (the musical was Cinderella) and got Ensemble peasant and knight. Humbling. But it was in that audition that I fully became aware of how much I loved to perform. I knew that theatre probably wasn’t the end goal for me, but it was in the audition prep where I realized I would love to sing and play for people for the rest of my life. I had already learned the guitar before this, but I was always scared to do anything musical in front of anyone. If I hadn’t gotten out of my comfort zone that one time, I probably wouldn’t have got to where I am now.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Firstly, I am a songwriter. I think everything after that happens naturally: being an artist, producer, and so forth. I’ve always loved the craft of songwriting and the process of making music. Nothing tops it for me. It’s like a big puzzle I make up in my head and I love getting to put all of the pieces together. And then seeing this big “puzzle” resonate with people and for my music connect emotionally is more than I could ever ask for.
I think a major thing that sets me apart from a majority of artists right now is my self-sufficiency. When I really got into music and knew that this is what I wanted to do, I was super impatient. I didn’t want to have to wait or rely on anyone to come in and sing on a song, or play a bass/guitar part, or have to find a producer that was good enough to capture what I was trying to do. So I just learned how to do it all myself. My step-dad always had this philosophy that I used to never understand but now I’m really glad I grew up with it: Never rely on anyone for something you can just learn to do yourself. I am the one writing, producing, singing, and playing instruments on my songs (besides the drums, I have an awesome guy for that).
I have an upcoming single called “F*ck My FOMO” that I feel like encompasses all of that. All of the production, most of the vocals, instrumentation, mixing/mastering is done by myself.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Originally, a majority of my drive and ambition came from proving people wrong. In a small, traditionalistic town, there isn’t a lot of support or understanding for creative endeavours. I wanted to leave so badly. And I have example after example of doubt from everyone around me.
When I was 10 or 11, Katy Perry was playing on the radio in my moms car. I think it was “Hot N Cold” or something, and I turned to my mom and was like “I think it would be so cool to do this! And be on the radio!” and my mom was like “Yeah, but you know there’s a one in a million chance that that could happen right?” (I need to note that my mom is very supportive and understands what I’m trying to do, she is just a realist). I never really thought about doing it again for a long time. I’m not sure if she knows about that story or not, but it’s not her fault.
When I first was learning the guitar in 8th grade, all of my friends were like “Yeah okay, good luck with that”. Then I learned in 3 months playing 6 hours a day until my fingers bled. Same thing happened when I was learning the piano, everyone was like “Yeah okay you learned the guitar, but I doubt you can do both”. I stayed up till 3am most nights learning my scales and chords and different pieces. I told my friends I wanted to be a songwriter and artist and all 4 years of high school I got doubtful looks. Up until I moved out to LA for songwriting… then everyone’s story changed to “Oh my god you’ve always worked so hard, I’m so proud of you!”. DM’s like that always make chuckle if they’re from the same person who doubted me.
Anyway, that was always the drive. Proving people wrong and moving out of my small town and doing something “bigger”. But I said “originally” because the thing driving me now is almost a 180 from what it was. The people around me are my biggest inspiration, and my biggest drive. The fact that my friends now are incredibly talented artists and musicians and songwriters is something I had always dreamed of back home.
I’m not proving anyone wrong anymore, I’m proving to myself that I belong with my peers.
Yes, a major drive for me is still not wanting to move back home and an intense desperation to make music work out here in LA. But at the heart, if it weren’t for my circle of people, I wouldn’t be half the musician I am now.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
My next single, “F*ck My FOMO”, was something born out of resilience I think.
I wrote the song around a year ago, after I missed out on a Halloween weekend with my friends. The opening line of the song is literally “I missed another Halloween, took another shift to pay my rent”. I have been working an RA job and also as a barista at a local coffee shop, which has taken a huge chunk of time just to be able to be out here. Those 2 jobs combined with trying to put in the time into songwriting and my artistry caused (and still causes) me to take a lot of social sacrifice. I don’t go to many parties, I don’t go out with my friends very often. I tend to be a hobbit-man because my number one priority is music.
However, being a young college student and watching my friends and peers go out, have fun and party… Obviously I’m gonna feel some type of way about that. A lot of the time I feel like I wasting away my youth putting in all my time trying to make this big idea work. I look at friends back home going to more traditional 4-year universities and having the time of their lives and think to myself “am I missed out on a crucial part of my life?” But that sacrifice is a love-hate relationship.
I think a lot of young people just graduating college or even high school go through this. We all graduate or start going to college and the world expects us to be totally independent and work hard but also, “don’t waste your youth, go out and make mistakes!”. That”s a hard line to navigate as a young person. So I’m hoping that this can resonate with people that might be going through something similar.
I’ve since came to terms with all of those emotions, and I’m ultimately grateful that I’m pursuing a path that isn’t traditional. I’m in love with the process and with the growth of my career, and I think if I were to be anywhere else I wouldn’t be half as happy. I still have my youthful moments and I go to parties and have taken time to live my life, because if I don’t do that, what life is there to write about?
Contact Info:
- Website: matthewmcmenamy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewmcmenamy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.mcmenamy.98
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mcmenamy-4a0887234/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewmcmenamy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxDPs8utumNMbS5qvYNgRrA
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewmcmenamy
Image Credits
Photography: Luke “SULU” Supelak