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

Matys, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve completed is my last EP: drowning, the music explores a hard time in my life going through uncertainty after completing my studies and a tumultuous heartbreak. I had never gotten so personal in my music before, and I’m glad I did, it allowed me to grow as a musician and a person. I made that project with the help of friends that are very dear to me and looking back I think that music is very honest and vulnerable. I’m glad I could grow out of that period in my life and come out the other end with beautiful music.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into music as early as I can remember because I was born into a family of Baroque musicians. I decided to pick hand drums and percussion at an early age because I wanted to rebel against the more classical standard my parents had set, but they were very supportive. I eventually moved to the drumset and got into music programs in highschool and eventually completing my Bachelors degree at McGill. Through out my studies I wanted to bandlead and create. At 17 I started writing my original music. The music I wrote was heavily inspired by jazz artists and contemporary composers I was obsessed with at the time. With a heavy emphasis on crazy melodic and rhythmic ideas, my first band ”Stay Safe” was born, definitely on the more fusion side of jazz, it was a great experience to write a lot of music and try putting up shows and playing in festivals. When Covid happened, I got into music production and learned how to create using programs such as Ableton, I decided not to let the pandemic take away my fun of composing and playing and I released my first solo album ”Home-Cooked Beats”. Since then I’ve released 3 more albums and put up many shows, I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing young talent from the montreal scene. This scene that is so dear to me is full of innovation and creativity, and through out jams and festivals, I’ve been fortunate to grow with my biggest inspirations. Since completing my studies however, I’ve been meaning to create a project that is bigger than anything I’ve made before. I’ve successfully completed a crowdfunding campaign to create my next project which will be a filmed live session. The idea for this music was to bring it back to my roots and incorporate my baroque upbringing. This music has influenced a lot of my writing but for this next project, I wanted to film the whole music making process inside of a church to symbolize my own path for self expression. Having improvisational and experimental original compositions in a historically codified environment is the main conflict of my upcoming release and I can’t wait to get into the making of it. I’m so excited for the creation process and finally presenting this music to the world. You can catch my upcoming shows and activities by following me on the socials!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think something that impacts me a lot is seeing how art inspires and drives others. The same way I’ve been amazed by artists who’ve come before me if I can bring that kind of inspiration to someone in my lifetime it would mean the world. I’ve been fortunate to teach a lot and I am so grateful for the wonderful student’s I’ve been able to help and how much they’ve helped me back. When people came up to me and told me how much they liked a particular album or song I released, it’s always an amazing feeling, I am ever grateful my art can bring a positive impact in people’s lives. Every aspect of sharing art, from live performances, recordings and teaching, it would lose its meaning without the reaction of wonderful people.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I think a selfish goal of mine is to use my art as stepping stones for my creative journey, to mark different phases of my life through the art I create, and hope with each project, I grow as an artist and person. I wish to get better as a musician and composer, and create bigger and more meaningful projects as time goes on. On a broader spectrum however I want to define what jazz is in montreal. I know this scene hides a specific personality and I want to contribute to it. Montreal has a sound, and this sound needs to be recognized, I hope my music can be a definitive part of that. Jazz as an artform is ever growing and influenced by whatever context it is played in, I look at the amazing young musicians around me and I know a strong musical movement could be defined in this city.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://matyscolpron.bandcamp.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koolmatys/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bimboummatys
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KoolMatys

Image Credits

Pictures by Josh Kirshner or Nicolas Viau