MP3: Matt Kiss – Hurricane

Matt Kiss is a singer, songwriter, and musician from Brooklyn, New York. Some of Matt’s earliest memories were of him singing along to Russian tunes with his parents, or banging around on the piano as a toddler. He was enrolled in piano lessons at a very young age, later gravitating to the guitar at 13.

After years of playing in a handful of young bands, Matt decided that he wanted to go his own route and dove into the world of songwriting.

Once on his own, Matt hit the ground running playing local venues throughout NYC, Brooklyn, and Queen. He competed in songwriting contests, participated in recording workshops, and even took a BMI songwriting course in 2013. Every new musical experience was an opportunity for Kiss to sharpen his skills as a writer and performer. He developed a live show as both a solo acoustic act as well as a full band outfit, performing in many NYC staples like Rockwood Music Hall, Bowery Electric, and The Shrine (just to name a few). On top of developing his solo career, Matt would often work as a session musician for several artists in the New York area. His live and studio work as a guitarist/bassist/arranger for other artists not only brought him fulfillment, but also informed his own experience and education as a musician. And it was Matt’s vast and varied musical experiences that were instrumental in the development of his own artistic growth.

If you were to ask Matt Kiss to describe his music, he would probably say “pop…with multiple influences”. The truth is, Kiss has spent a lifetime consuming as much music as you can pump into a pair of ears. His eclectic taste span from Soul, R&B, Rock, Hip Hop, Funk, and even roots genres like Country/Americana. However, Matt is more than just the sum of his parts. His style is an amalgamation of his musical influences balanced into a focused output of sound. And it’s a sound that’s simultaneously unique yet familiar; deep yet accessible. Those who have heard Matt Kiss’s music have compared it to other genre fluid pop acts like John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, and Prince. And while he admits that all these artists were big influences on his style, Matt’s musicianship and storytelling lyrics combine for a sound that is unquestionably his own.

Most recently, Matt linked up with talented producer Malcolm Fong, and the two immediately clicked. Matt’s new single “Hurricane” serves not only as a standalone song, but also previews the larger scope of his and Malcolm’s collaborative work together (coming soon).

Be sure to give “Hurricane” a listen, available now across all digital platforms.

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