Hey Matt, How are you?
Hey everyone! I’m doing fantastic! Thank you!
What inspired you to try music?
When I was 11 years old, my mother bought me my first instrument, which was a bright red fender Stratocaster. I grew up listening to lots of classic rock. In fact my first concert ever was The Rolling Stones. They are easily still one of my favorites today! The idea of being able to express yourself and see that inspire others is what grabbed me. I wanted to be on a stage!
How would you describe yourself in 5 words?
Persistent, Mindful, Over Thinker, Perfectionist, and Loving
How would you describe your musical style?
I would describe it as a good feeling. I’d like people to take that away when they see me live or listen to me. I want those hearts to be on fire! I do a lot of acoustic music as well which is something I’m excited about showing more of!
What artists do you look up to right now?
I really look up to Ed Sheeran a ton! I think what he is doing is incredible! It’s so inspiring to see someone that has honed in on their craft so much. He is able to keep a stadium full of fans entertained just by himself. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing it! I also think he is one of the best songwriters that we’ve seen in a long time. I just saw Chance The Rapper for the first time at Lollapalooza. WOW! He is just a ball of fire. An amazing artist that has a powerful message! I will always no matter what look up to Blink-182. They are the reason I’m a musician today!
You just recently released your new single “All Good”. How did this song come about?
I’m so proud of All Good! We’re very glad that it is my first single! It’s kind of a funny story because the song was not intended to be for me. When my manager and I got invited to the studio to listen to songs for me to record, All Good was never on that list. As we were about to leave the studio thats when we heard All Good. The producer, just happened to randomly open it up and start working on it. I’m so glad that we caught a sound of it halfway out the door. We turned back around and asked what that was. The rest happened so smoothly! Great team that we got to work with!
How did the idea for the music video come about?
We wanted to show exactly how the song made us feel. It makes me think of sun, summer, beach, and that everything will be OK! We decided that Miami brought that vision. So down we went and did the whole video in just 10 hours!
What was it like creating the music video? Any memorable moments on set?
The shoot was so much fun! It felt so much longer than it actually was. Time seems to go slower when I’m having fun which is awesome. The week of the shoot it had been sunny every day. We were hoping we’d be blessed with the warm sun that day. We weren’t! We couldn’t believe it! We were happy though that it came out just for a bit towards the end of the day. We were scrambling ever where to get shots with the sun! One of my favorite moments was when we were shooting the running scenes. We were on the Hollywood beach boardwalk and the team rented one of those side by side seated bicycle looking things. Whatever there called lol! They rigged it up with all the equipment. It looked like the bat mobile! The camera man was hanging off the edge of it while the passenger was watching the monitor under a dark blanket. Then the driver would always make me laugh because he would be yelling saying “COMING THROUGH” I mean look, we were on a very popular boardwalk and the time was 1pm! It was so packed but we got through it and it looked exactly the way we wanted it to!
Do you plan on releasing any more new music soon?
Very excited things coming! We are planning another release. Watch out for this next one! It’s going to be a game changer in my career!
Are you planning to go on tour to promote your new songs?
Definitely! We would like to make a couple more releases first!
Whats your favorite song to perform live?
That game changing song that I’m not really allowed to talk about is my favorite! You will have it soon! All Good is so much fun as well because I get to see the way people react to it. It’s a positive song and it’s a good one to just get lost in! I also like performing an acoustic cover of Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”.
How do you prepare for a live performance?
Make sure I’m fully aware of all my cues and surroundings. I do my warm ups. Vocal and body stretching. And then when there is about 10 minutes left I zone out and think about nothing. I don’t think about my moves or my notes. I say a prayer and get on out there!
Have you had a performance that has stood out to you above all others?
I did a performance in Chicago. It was a very small intimate place. The band that was playing invited me to come up to play a song with them! We did a cover of “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones. The sound was just magical! The place was so small that I could look into people’s eyes and that just made it more special! I also did a show in Minnesota which was crazy!
Whats the feeling you get when performing live in front of your supporters?
There is nothing like live music! I feel that it is the way it’s meant to be heard. When you’re on stage you’re able to do so much more then you think! When you get up in front of people, things change. Everything changes. You get this moment of freedom. I’m completely in the present moment. I’m not thinking about if I left the laundry in the machine all wet. Nothing else but the people in front of me. That’s the beauty of it!
Does your fanbase have a name?
I’d like to think that they are my “LeGrand Girls” but they have the power so they get to choose! I don’t think an official name one has been made yet. Maybe I should ask them!
How do you want your relationship to be with your fans?
I want it to be light, fun, caring, and positive! I want them to feel comfortable coming up asking me whatever they want. I also want their support when I start to branch out in the industry and try new things! Above all I want the relationship to be real and honest!
What was the craziest fan encounter you have had?
The coolest fan encounter was when I was doing an acoustic show at an Akira store. This girl that was from Arizona was the first one to show up. She had been visiting Chicago at the time and heard I was having a show. That was just such a cool moment!
What social media platform do you use most to stay connected to your fans?
Instagram is my favorite! I’m really liking how it’s combining all the other social sites. I can now do stories and live streams! Go over to my insta and check it out! @mattlegrandofficial
What’s an average day for you look like?
I wake up, brew myself some tea, do some reading and journaling, warm up my voice, write lyrics and play my guitar, go to a yoga class, rehearse, record in my studio, work on my social pages, and then usually end the night at a dance class. Now when I’m in Atlanta it’s even more! Atlanta is where my team is now. I go pretty often to record and work on project development!
What do you like to do in your free time?
See my friends, eat tacos, rock climb, do yoga, watch movies, and catch up on Game of Thrones!!!
Whats the best thing thats come out of this career so far?
The amount of lessons that I’ve learned. Not only industry lesson but real-life ones as well. Just the reward of music itself. It’s both sad and happy. It’s a roller coaster ride and the biggest thing I’ve learned is that every step is necessary!
What’s your biggest struggle in this career so far?
Finding who I am as an artist. What makes me different? I think by saying that I’m not only speaking for myself but for thousands and millions of other musicians out there. My daily reminder is this. It’s healthy to have role models, but they should reflect our true, emerging selves, not be at the other end of the spectrum. I dedicate every day to the challenge of finding a little bit more of myself and who I can be, then I go after it with all I have!
If your life was a movie, what would be the title?
Lord of the Grammy’s: The Fellowship of the Grammy. Yes I am a LOTR nerd
Who would you want to play you?
A young (That 70’s Show) Ashton Kutcher
What goals have you set out for yourself in your career and in your personal life?
To continue to grow my entertainment company, MXM Entertainment, and eventually start a record label. My dream is to get to a sustainable place in my career and then go out a find that next artist! Personally, my goal every day is to do the best I can and just simply be a good person! One day at a time.
How has this whole music career experience been?
It’s been a roller coaster! I wouldn’t want it any other way. I know it looks like I just started my career but it’s been in the works for a while now. You have to be persistent. You can’t take your eye off of what you’re really after. Music for me was a hobby before a career and it took me a while to find that healthy balance of the two. I struggle a lot with this. There was a time when it wasn’t fun anymore, it was just work. I’m glad I have found that happy medium. It really doesn’t even feel like I’ve started my career yet in some ways just because of the way I see my future. This is such a small part of it compared to the magnitude of what’s in store!
Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
I’m going to sound like a broken record but work hard on your craft, be patient and persistent, always treat people with respect even if they’re not giving you the respect you deserve, be flexible, and just have fun with!
Do you have any last things you went to tell your supporters?
Wow I think this is the biggest online interview I’ve done so far! Thank you to all who took time out of there day to get to know me a little more! Thank you for coming on this journey with me! Thank you Teen Music Insider!
Follow me:
Instagram: @mattlegrandofficial
Twitter: @mattylegrand
Snapchat: @mattlegrand
Facebook: @mattlegrand
Watch The “All Good” Music Video Here:
