Mat Kearney prepares for next step


The biggest annoyance in singer-songwriter Mat Kearney’s life right now is the drilling coming from the elementary school being built across the street from his Nashville, Tennessee home that’s been interrupting his recording schedule.

“But it’s for kids, so you can’t really hate them. Maybe really deep in my soul,” said the easygoing singer-songwriter, laughing. Kearney’s casual, positive demeanor is just like his sound: upbeat and sonically pleasing.

Strange brew · Kearney’s sound on Just Kids sounds like a blend of Paul Simon’s peppy lyricism with Kanye West’s aggressively bold attitude. - Photo courtesy of Mat Kearney

Strange brew · Kearney’s sound on Just Kids sounds like a blend of Paul Simon’s peppy lyricism with Kanye West’s aggressively bold attitude. – Photo courtesy of Mat Kearney

Comparable to Train or Jason Mraz, Kearney’s music has been well received throughout his nine years as a major label recording artist. Armed with the ever-present hat he calls his “Superman cape,” Kearney has cracked the Billboard Top 40 with top 20-hits five times over the years. A seasoned veteran with an unusually constant career, Kearney plans to take his music in a totally different, beat-driven direction with his upcoming album, Just Kids, which he hopes will surprise people on first listen.

A preview of this new sound, the single “Heartbeat” released on Nov. 3, pulls inspiration from dance-driven beats of the ’90s backing a simple, clear tune.

“Sometimes it’s fun to write a simple love song,” Kearney said. “Heartbeat” came as a surprise to the artist, written sleepily after he had just played a show. The last song written for the upcoming record, ”Heartbeat” is a personal favorite of Kearney’s and a good indication of what’s to come.

“Textures of the ’80s and ’90s are at the core of the record, and a lot of it is beat-driven with a hip hop influence,” he said.

Kearney felt he segued in this new direction with his previous work as well. His 2011 hit single ”Ships in the Night” pulls a strong beat and spoken word sound from hip-hop influences. Kearney describes the overall sound of Just Kids as what it might sound like if Paul Simon and Kanye West made a record together.

“Every album is a gateway into the next one. ‘Ships in the Night’ was a really special song. Creatively, it really spoke to me and continued to speak to me,” he said.

Despite the potential dissonance created by melding peppy ’70s folk singer Simon and aggressive, bold rapper West, the idea strikes a strong inspirational chord with Kearney. He thinks many singer-songwriters are writing for a time that has passed, with a nostalgic tone, and wants to be in the present musical scene.

“Hip-hop is people talking about today. This is happening right now, and that’s super inspiring to me,” he said. “Hip-hop today is the modern day folk.”

Incorporating a spoken word style of delivery into his music has allowed Kearney to combine storytelling from his songwriting background with the vibe of modern songs, citing Kendrick Lamar and Drake as inspirations.

This mashup mentality is also present in his latest music video for the song “Heartbeat,” which has been getting buzz for its technique: it’s filmed in a single take by a drone over the L.A. River. Though viewers wouldn’t expect Grease-style dancing and pastel happiness from a traditionally acoustic and mellow artist, both are present in the pleasant video.

Kearney seems to be intent on doing the unexpected in order to break out of the mold of the singer-songwriter that he has so comfortably held for many years.

Kearney further distinguishes himself from the pack with his take on streaming services amid the Spotify controversy brought into the public eye by Taylor Swift. Swift made waves in the music world in the last few weeks by first keeping her newest album off the popular streaming service and then pulling her entire discography from Spotify.

Jokingly, Kearney posted an photo on Instagram a week ago with the caption: “Hanging at @spotify today! #feelingthelove #nyc #sorrytaylor #sorrynotsorry.”

He is quick to clear the record as to his thoughts on Swift as an artist and friend.

“I love Taylor [Swift], and she’s been super supportive of me,” he said. “For me, it’s different than if you’re the biggest artist in the world.”

Kearney lists Spotify as a huge aid in his career by helping get the word out about his music and build a loyal fanbase that follows his work and attends his shows. He attributes his financial stability to writing and touring rather than pure record sales, and Spotify has helped build his reputation. Around the time of the release of his 2011 album Young Love, Kearney said that interest in the album on the streaming service was second only to the Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration album Watch the Throne.

This level of success is unexpected, and the affable singer said he feels incredibly lucky to continue to produce and pursue music. The awe he feels is reflected in Just Kids, which pulls inspiration from the formative years of middle school and high school, when “you just did what you loved.”

Kearney advises young artists looking to make a marketable and sustainable career out of music to not only find their own voice, but also be self-sustaining in terms of musical programs such as GarageBand or Logic. Kearney said he recorded and mixed half of the upcoming record himself on his laptop, while on the road.

“A beautiful renaissance we’re seeing in music is kids making music in their bedrooms,” he said.

Kearney emphasizes having a hand in the full production of any work, as he did with Just Kids, which he says just might be his best album to date.

“At the end of the day, if you can make a record that your friends want to play for their friends, that’s success.”