Singer-songwriter Matt Palmer gives pop its newest out artist
Now that everyone from Adam Lambert to Sam Smith to Frank Ocean to Melissa Etheridge have come out, maybe it has become ho-hum to talk about openly gay pop artists. But when one of them is newcomer Matt Palmer, we decided there was room for another.
Stranger Than Fiction, Palmer’s independently-released debut EP (at seven songs running nearly 30 minutes, it’s almost an LP; see review, Pop Rocks), has all the pop beats and R&B hooks to go from radio-friendly to club play, with the added benefits that Palmer sings about love for another man as frankly and passionately as anything Mariah might do. And he’s adorable, too.
We got ahold of Palmer to ask him about his influences, writing for others and why he won’t play “the pronoun game.”
Dallas Voice: When did you get started writing music? What was your big break? Matt Palmer: I started writing songs when I was 14 years old and wound up studying Recorded Music at NYU a few years later. My first break came when I won a songwriting competition in 2008. That competition led to my first publishing deal and got me started in the music industry.
You’ve said writing for others isn’t as satisfying as writing for yourself. Why do you think that is? It’s not that it’s less satisfying, there are just more rules. It’s always fun writing from someone else’s perspective, but there’s generally a sound or message that’s already established for that artist. When I write for myself, I have a lot more freedom to try new sounds and lyrical themes.
Which of the songs is the most personal to you? “Snow” and “Free” are both very personal songs about previous relationships of mine. “Free” is probably the most personal song on the EP.
You don’t play “the pronoun game” on your new disc — you talk on “Teardrops” about wanting to make love to him, not to you or that special someone. How important is it to you to be upfront about your sexuality? Do you worry it will cost you fans or will it gain you some? I think it was an important decision to make because the best music to me is honest. I’m a gay man, so if I’m going to be singing about love, I should be able to say he. I spent a long time being afraid of what people I may not even know would think of me, and I try not to do that anymore. If someone isn’t going to listen to my music because hearing a guy sing he in a song makes them uncomfortable, then that’s on them. I think many more will appreciate my honesty.
Speaking of pronouns, your version of “Only Happy When It Rains” changes the pronoun I from Shirley Manson’s original to he, which makes the song seem a little angrier than the self-deprecating original. Do you agree? What attracted you to it? “Only Happy When It Rains” is very different from Garbage’s original. I sampled a couple of lyrics and the chorus melody, but the story I’m telling in my song is very different. I grew up loving the Garbage song and thought it could be a cool sample 20 years later. I really love what Drew Scotty did with the track, and I’m happy with how it came together.
Other than Garbage obviously, who are some of your musical influences? My biggest musical influences have always been Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson and Babyface, but I am constantly listening to new music as well. I get a lot of production ideas from new records and try to match up radio-ready sounds with lyrics and melodies that are inspired by the music I grew up on.
How important is getting the right producer who knows what you are trying to do with a song? Or does a good producer take you places you never expected? It is incredibly important to find a producer who can understand my vision for a song but still bring something new to the table. The album was done remotely so the producers only had my demo and a couple of sentences to go off of when they created their first mixes for each song. After a few back-and-forths, I always wound up with a version of the song that was even better than I had initially imagined.
Any plans for a tour? Ever been to Texas? We’d love to have you. Absolutely! My family actually lived in Texas before I was born, and I’ve definitely gone back to visit. I’d love to perform there! After we wrap the “Break-Up” video, I’m going to be setting up shows, so stay tuned!
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 11, 2014.
