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Interview: My Silent Bravery“My Silent Bravery (MSB) is Matthew Wade. Billboard Magazine Discoveries states, “My Silent Bravery plays like a major label signing, from its production savvy, eloquent lyrics, authoritative imaging, polished web site, a dedicated Northeast U.S. fan following (300 shows in three years), merchandising, and most important, a chockablock collection of winning songs. My Silent Bravery is destined to make major noise.”

Really, that is the perfect description of Matthew and My Silent Bravery. Now, that description comes directly from his website, but at the same time, leaves me defeated in any attempt to come up with a higher quality summarization of who he is and what his music represents.

Fortunately, I had the pleasure of going beyond just a “summary,” as I was able to chat with Matthew last week about a plethora of items, including his start into music, the influence of social media on the industry, live performances and a lot about his anticipated, upcoming album, set be released later this year.

Here is our conversation.

Mike Hallihan (MH): We finally got to connect! First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to chat with me and congratulations on all your success, you’ve certainly accomplished a lot in a short period of time, especially in and around the Boston/Northeast area that you’re from.

Matthew Wade (MW): Absolutely, it’s been fun for me and I really appreciate this as well and helping to get the music out there.

MH: So first, I want to ask you about your start into music. I recently read that you turned to music after a sports injury a few years ago in Australia. What happened and what was it like to make sure a significant career change?

MW: I’m a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason,” so that was certainly the case growing up. I was always very athletic, playing sports and I was traveling in Australia, I was 21 when this sports injury happened. I mean, I was always interested in music, but it always took a back seat. After the injury, I started to re-evaluate the sports thing. I was kind of dabbling in music, but didn’t know that I could actually pursue it as a career. I then started to pursue it more seriously. . Having the extra time on my hands that I did, I put my energy toward writing music, understanding it, creating it and putting a positive message out there. One big thing I love about music is its ability to unite people. If you ask 99 out of 100 people, you know, everyone loves music. One thing that I really try to do with my music is spread a positive message.

MH: Well that’s certainly been an effective approach, as you clearly have a very positive, uplifting energy to your music.

MW: Thanks man, appreciate that.

MH: So when you made the switch over to music, who were your main musical influences?

MW: I wrote my first song when I was 18. We had a senior project in high school where you could learn about anything that you wanted. For me, that was liberating and almost an epiphany of sorts. Up until then, in school, I was always told when I had to do, and since I was always playing sports, I didn’t always have this free time on my hands to do whatever I wanted to do. It was cool because it gave me that ability to pursue a personal interest of mine. Up to that point, aside from sports, I hadn’t had that many interests, so music gave me that opportunity. So I wrote my first song, which, interestingly enough, moving ahead years later, was my first song that got some real national attention. It was a song called “Side of the Road,” and was featured on the TV show One Tree Hill. With my love of music, my influences were all over the map. But my absolute biggest influence was Bob Marley. What I loved about him was that he had this philosophical vibe and he used it to spread a positive message to the masses. I loved that. There were other bands I was into as well. I was a big Dave Matthews fan, Pearl Jam, The Police, and John Mayer was coming out at the time, I liked his singer/songwriter vibe. Over time, as my music tastes developed, my sound has developed too, as I grow musically.

MH: I read through your impressive career highlights (which you find here). With all of your recent success, how has your personal life and day-to-day life and routine changed?

MW: It is a balancing act. Along with music, I also do a lot of volunteer work. I’m someone who loves to keep busy. I feel like every day is a gift, so I don’t want to waste it. I feel a sense of responsibility to give back to humanity. I want to take advantage of the time that I’m here, I don’t want to feel like it’s just a given. Having the injury and being woken up to that sort of thing, younger in life, it made me realize how precious life really is.

MH: Currently, you’re not signed to a major record label. Is that something you’re focused on achieving right now, or are you keeping your options open?

MW: It’s interesting. I’ve never shopped any of my stuff to a label. It’s something that I’m not “focused” on, finding a deal. If the right deal were to come along, I might entertain it. My focus has always been a bit more of a long-term goal focus and just building a fan base, one song, one day, one fan at a time. I’ve been doing this for a bit now and seen a lot of people come and go along the way and burn out. Nowadays, there are a lot of different mediums too, like American Idol, The Voice, and those kinds of things. Those just didn’t really seem to be my path. I like to put out music that I feel good about and hopefully my fans will enjoy. I release my music independently under my own label, which is called MWS Records. I certainly would entertain it if the right thing was to come along, but for now, I’ve been focused on doing it independently and I like that flexibility to do it my own way.

MH: How has social media influenced your music?

MW: Social media is a very interesting thing because today, it allows any band, regardless of how good their music is, to put it out there on some sort of level. I think in some regards, social media is an incredible thing because it allows us to communicate with people all over the world and to get our music out there, but I think at the same time, there’s not as much of a filter as there used to be, so you’re competing with a million bands for everyone’s face time. I try to look at all the positives of it. It’s been a great tool for me in terms of reaching people all over the globe. When people respond on Facebook or Twitter, I’m the one that’s actually messaging them, so you get a very personal experience with me, which is something I’ve taken pride in. I really try to do my best to answer everybody and to make them feel like they’re a part of what I’m doing. But I won’t say that it’s not time-consuming, it certainly is. As a musician, you really want to spend more time with your craft, so it does take time away from that. As I grow, I do hope that the social media stuff grows as well.

MH: So you’re set to release your fourth album called Diamond from Coal, in “mid-2014.” Could you talk a bit about the title of the album, if there was a central theme in writing it and a few words about the first single “Amazing?”

MW: I’m super psyched about the new record. The title of the record, Diamond from Coal comes from the lyrics on one of the tracks on the album called “Stop and Go.” The idea is that a diamond is formed when there’s enough pressure put on coal. For me, the coal is the hard work and persistence in chasing my musical dreams as a solo and independent artist and the music is hopefully the diamond. The title is symbolic and meaningful to me because it’s a nice combination of my spiritual side mixed with my artistic side. The album is 12 tracks. The first single, as you know, has already been released, called “Amazing.” I’ve been getting great feedback on it. That song was a little bit of a change of pace for me. I wanted something a little bit more fun and uplifting. A lot of my stuff can tend to be more serious or have a spiritual or philosophical vibe, so I wanted something a little bit lighter, but also has some of that meaningful twist.

MH: I think it’s a great song to release as an introduction to the album. As I’m sure you’ll release a couple more singles from it, I thought this track was a great way to get it started.

MW: Thanks! There’s a cool story that I’ve been sharing about that song, in that the song has sort of changed meanings for me over time. When I filmed the video for amazing, we had this one idea that we had set in our minds where we were going to have this bigger party type of vibe. The whole song is about making something amazing and having this amazing time. But when we filmed the video, there were certain challenges coming to play during the filming. There was a big snow storm and there were people who were supposed to come out that weren’t able to, so we had to pick and choose what kind of concept we wanted on the fly. We ended up changing the direction overall of the video. Because of that, the meaning of the song also changed for me. The initial idea was to go out and have an amazing night, to do it up big and party and all that, but I realized that regardless of the situation you’re in, make that amazing. When that curveball comes to you, it’s not always going to go exactly how you plan it, so when you’re in that moment and its mid-challenge, I wanted to ask, how do I make that amazing? I think people often have certain expectations and very rarely does it meet our expectations the way we hope. It’s important to be positive and be open to what life is bringing you in the moment. I think it’s about trying to take those challenges and make the best of them.

MH: And do you have a release date yet?

MW: I don’t have a release date yet, but the sooner, the better. The album is finished. I want to line up some things to make the release successful. I wanted to originally release it in March, but that didn’t quite pan out, so now I’m just weighing my options on a date.

MH: Was there a big difference in the making of this album in comparison to your previous ones?

MW: Yes. This record was produced by two guys, two top guys, actually. I picked up where I left off with the Can’t Quit record, which was produced by Anthony Resta, who was initially out of the Boston area. He’s produced acts Collective Soul, Guster, Elton John, and he’s been doing my stuff for a long time, so I did half the tracks with him. Then I ventured out West and did half the tracks with a guy named Warren Huart. Warren has worked with acts like Aerosmith, The Fray, Augustana. As a side note, subsequently, Anthony has also moved out to LA, so now they’re both out there. So this album was different because of the two different producers, and because I went out West to do half the tracks too. Working with new people and putting yourself in a new situation always opens you up to growth, new ideas and new opportunities.

MH: Obviously, you’ll be touring behind the new album. Do you think about specific locations or venues that you’d love to play?

MW: I’m pretty open to what comes up. Generally speaking, the majority of my stuff has been East Coast, so I would like to venture outside of more than just the East. That’s my goal. We’ll see what comes along. Another side of touring that people don’t always understand is just the feasibility of it and the financial aspect of going on the road and making it work, so you don’t end up in the red.

MH: Have you ever been here to Toronto? Ever played here?

MW: I have not played Toronto. I’ve been to Canada a couple of times, but I have not performed out there, so that would be great.

MH: Definitely. And not too far from where you call home. It’s certainly a great city in terms of its musical diversity.

MW: Isn’t Drake from Toronto? Is that what I’ve heard?

MH: Haha, yes he is, and he’s very proud of that.

MW: I’m a big Drake fan.

MH: Well, he does love his city and the people here love him. What’s your favorite part about playing live shows? Is it feeding off the live crowd and interacting?

MW: Absolutely. But interestingly enough, I didn’t always love the live performing. It took me quite some time to hone my skills as a live performer. A lot of the guys I play with, some of these guys have been playing since they were out of the womb! I picked up music a little bit later, so I always felt like I was playing catch up. The guys I play with are really talented guys, so for a while, it took me some time to find my comfort with it and my voice. I do still get the butterflies like most people do, but I think that’s a good thing. It makes you feel alive and shows you that you still care about what kind of performance you give. I’m at a place now where I love live performing, I love interacting with fans, before, during and after the show, finding out what they liked, what they didn’t. I love it too when they use Facebook or Tweet online to give me feedback. I really love that whole fan experience. That’s why I’m doing it, so people can enjoy it and spread that positive message.

MH: Previously, you opened for Daughtry. How was that experience?

MW: That was awesome man, a really great experience. He’s a super cool, down to earth guy. The show itself was great. It was definitely one of my favorite performances to date. I like Daughtry a lot too. I can’t remember what season of American Idol it was, but it was the first season I really watched any of those shows and I remember seeing him, thinking, this guy is going to win the whole thing. Then when he got voted off, I was shocked. It was like it was rigged. I think people could see through that. He’s one of the few artists that really made it after the show because he’s just super talented. I was impressed with his performance at the show too. His vocals were spot on and maybe even better than on record. He’s a charismatic dude, I was very impressed overall. Also, at the show, there was a band called Delta Ray, an up-and-coming national signed act, actually a 7-piece group, so they have a huge sound to them and a lot of energy. Daughtry went on the stage after this 7-piece act, him and just one other guy, and still controlled the night, which is hard to do. That was impressive to me and I’m inspired by what he’s been able to accomplish.

MH: One of my personal favorites is “Burnt Out.” I thought the video was very intriguing. I wanted to know… is that video based on a personal experience.

MW: Interestingly enough, most of my music, most of the songs I’ve written are based from personal experiences. I find, for me, I need to have that personal connection and attachment to a story, to something that I’m writing about to make it believable. If I don’t believe it, how can I expect anyone else to believe it?

MH: You also collaborated on a very popular track with Grammy-nominated recording artist Matisyahu, called “To Give.” How was that collaboration and are there any other artists you would like to work with in the future?

MW: Matisyahu is a super talented guy. I was appreciative and grateful for having him on the track. For me, that song in particular, is a very important song; it’s probably one of my most meaningful songs. I wanted to bring attention to the track, so having him on the track helped accomplish that. He was a good fit for the tune and I was very happy with how the song came out.

There are plenty of people I would love to work with; there are so many talented people. Maybe surprisingly, I’d love to work with Eminem. I’m a big fan of his work and I just think that his writing is fantastic. I’d love to get in the studio with him and do some kind of collaboration in general. And interestingly enough too, I’ll mention that I’m working on a remix album for the new Diamond from Coal album, and I’m actually collaborating with some other rap artists. It’s something that just now, I’m just starting to let the cat out of the bag a bit. I’m very excited about it.

MH: I think that would be a very interesting project. First, to hear the new album, then again in a different light. Seems like a very cool idea.

MW: Yeah, I think it’s a very cool project and I think some of the tracks are very strong. I’m pretty excited about it. It’s something unconventional and is a risk as an artist, but hey you got to take risks if you want rewards. I think people will really enjoy it.

MH: So what’s next for My Silent Bravery between now and the album release? What are you plans post-release?

MW: Right now, the immediate goal is to release the album and to tour behind it. Also, the next single I’ll be releasing is a song called “On My Side.” I’ll be releasing that as the album approaches. After the release and some touring, the next step will probably be to release this remix album, which, like I said, I feel like there are some very strong, commercial sounding tracks on there.

I do have a lot of goals for myself, I’m ambitious. I’d love to have these tracks on mainstream radio with access to millions of listeners. That’s my ultimate goal. But I also understand that Rome wasn’t built in a day, so I just take it one day at a time and hope for some opportunities to get this thing over the tipping point and take it to the next level.

MH: You certainly have a solid YouTube presence and having some of those TV spots is definitely a strong way to promote your music. Hopefully more of that will come.

MW: I’m all for that and all for collaborating with other artist, people with blogs / websites like yourself. I think it’s a joint effort nowadays, since there’s so much stuff out there. I’m very grateful when someone like you takes time to help spread the music. I like reciprocating and am always grateful for the opportunities.

MH: Alright, last question, and it’s totally unrelated to music. I know you’re a big sports guy and I wanted get your thoughts on the Boston sports scene right now?

MW: Man, I’m such a huge Boston sports fan! You know, World Series Red Sox Champs, it’ll be an interesting season, well see if we can follow it up. We had Ellsbury going to the Yanks and a little bit of a different lineup, but we still have the bulk of it to come back and do some good things. We are in negotiations with Papi, so that’s good. The Celtics are in a rebuilding process, there’s no question about that. It had to happen, it was time, but I do believe in Danny Ainge, I think he’s done some great things over time and he did bring a championship. I’m a huge Pats fan, in Bill we trust! Every season, he puts us in the position to make it far into the playoffs and possibly win a Super Bowl. I know the rest of the world hates us, but I’m a Pats fan through and through. As long as Brady’s at the helm and Bill’s coaching, I think every year we got a shot at winning the Super Bowl. I think next year we are going to be a strong team to beat again. It’s interesting how this season played out. Denver handily beat us, and then they really took a beating in the Super Bowl. I truly think that we would have given the Seahawks a much better showdown, but you know, it’s just how it goes.

MH: Well, I mean, you guys lost like seven of your best ten players and to still go 12-4 and make it to the AFC Championship game was pretty impressive.

MW: Exactly! We definitely need a little more offensive firepower. And when Gronk is healthy, it’s a whole different dynamic. Hopefully we’ll get someone else to throw the football to. I think our defense was really strong. That Denver game was tough, once Talib went out of the game, it was rough. But overall, that’s one of the reasons I love being in the Boston area, we’re certainly known for being sports nuts out here.

MH: I sense your enthusiasm and I’m sure we could dedicate an entire second interview to just sports, so with your Boston stamp of approval, we’ll wrap this up. I want to thank you again for your time, for your honest answers and for allowing us to get to know you and your music.

MW: Thanks Mike, great chatting with you! Appreciate your time and your support my friend!

Read the full article here.

NEWS TELEGRAM.COM

‘Everything Falls Into Place’ for Crystal Bowersox at Mechanics HallWORCESTER — Will singer Crystal Bowersox become the next former “American Idol” contestant to hit it big in the music business as did the likes of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, or are her 15 minutes of fame pretty much over?

Judging from her dynamic performance at Mechanics Hall Thursday night, Bowersox, an “American Idol” runner-up in 2010, has quite a career ahead of her. The concert was part of Symply Fargone Productions’ ongoing series of similar events.

It’s quite a drop from the millions of people who watched “Idol” to the 150 fans that turned out for the singer’s Mechanics Hall performance. Undaunted, Bowersox sang her heart out during a well-received set of mostly original songs.

Backed by a crackerjack band (keyboardist and mandolinist Rebecca Haviland, electric guitarist C Lanzbom, electric bassist Mike Friedman, and drummer Ben Artelis), Bowersox lit into “Everything Falls into Place.” Togged out in a little black dress and combat boots and with her trademark dreadlocks now shorn into a shoulder-length bob, she strapped on an acoustic guitar and presented her winning blend of folk, blues, rock, and country.

The singer ended up singing “Everything Falls Into Place” twice because of microphone problems on the first take. “This is a live show,” she told the audience. “We can do anything we want.”

Bowersox, a single mom with a young son, prefaced her tender version of “Home” by saying how happy she is after moving back to central Ohio to re-connect with her family. “Home is the place where the grass grows green,” she sang fervently.

In contrast, “Farmer’s Daughter,” the title track of her first album, was a dark piece about a dysfunctional family ripped apart by alcoholism. “All I ever wanted was you to be there for me,” she intoned in a yearning voice.

There were plenty of love songs during the singer’s stint on the Mechanics Hall stage. “Sunshine Brighter” had Bowersox singing about love as light. “You make the sun shine brighter,” she sang in a sparkling voice. “The light shines right through me.” This song will appear on the singer’s next EP, which is due to be released in May or June of this year.

Typically, Bowersox explored the bittersweet side of love with songs like “Now That You’re Gone” and “Til the Whiskey’s Gone.” Bowersox effortlessly swooped into the high register at the end of “Now That You’re Gone” and nailed the final note with perfect intonation.

Co-written with Austin, Texas, musician Charlie King, “Til the Whiskey’s Gone” took a more humorous approach to lovers trying to reconcile. Bowersox used a bluesy voice to describe a couple determined to solve their problems over a bottle of spirits “til the whiskey is gone.”

A common theme running through several Bowersox compositions is the sense of moving forward and not looking back. Her bluesy “Movin’ On” was just about that and had Bowersox belting out lyrics about “movin’ on.” after a failed relationship.

“Dead Weight” was in a similar vein. Bowersox was both plaintive and powerful on “Dead Weight” as she sang “if you don’t know I’ll tell you now: Don’t go beating dead horses, keep steady your course . . . if you’re holding on to dead weight, it’s just holding you down.”

Bowersox earned a standing ovation for her efforts and sang a rocking version of “Do It Again” as an encore.

Singer-guitarist Matthew Wade fronted the Worcester-based My Silent Bravery for the opener and won some fans with a half-dozen edgy originals, most of which you can hear on YouTube.

Read the full article here.

VENTS

VENTS Magazine Interview w/ My Silent Bravery

Read the full article here.

 

LOAR

My Silent Bravery Talks “Amazing,” Chris Daughtry and “Can’t Quit” AttitudeMatthew Wade of My Silent Bravery finds “Amazing” in every day moments and silver linings. His new “Amazing” music video features MTV’s Cara Maria and is the result of a beautiful real life adaptation of how “the best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.” [1] It’s not surprising that Wade was able to turn the day’s shoot into a win given that he’s a Boston based artist. From a city called Worcester pronounced (Woost’-er), the “Wooster boy” is able to dust off the dark and find the light in simplicity.

Wade has a “Can’t Quit” attitude even through what he calls the “highs and lows in the roller coaster of [his] music career.” The highs of which include performing and sharing the stage with acclaimed musicians Chris Daughtry, Delta Rae, John Waite, Kris Allen, Howie Day, Candlebox, Ryan Cabrera, Jason Castro, Teddy Geiger, Tyler Hilton, Ed Kowalczyk and Rusted Root.

“Amazing” is radio ready and subject to personal interpretation. My Silent Bravery doesn’t try to define “Amazing” for you but rather shows you that you can find it anywhere in your life. Says Wade, “One of the reasons I do music is to bring joy into other people’s lives. Going into this video [directed by Vassili Shields] shoot we sort of had one idea in mind…the idea was kind of going to be this big party video where we go around spread fliers all day and then we come into this night club scene and have this big sort of “Amazing” party. The day of the video shoot all these things sort of started to not fall into place. There was this huge storm that happened that day so all these people that were supposed to come out, you know a lot of them couldn’t make it. We had to sort of change our direction on the fly. …I think one of the things that I learned through the filming of the video is everything actually went how it was supposed to go. What became more amazing about it was the simplicity. As opposed to having this big party, you make the situation ‘Amazing.'”

Chatting with Wade on the phone, I asked him what three “Amazing” things have happened in his life that he attributes to getting him where he is today. He answers, “A lot of that is perspective. I have an amazing family, amazing friends and supporters. I have an amazing connection in terms of my spirituality, my belief and faith in God, just very blessed. In terms of music, …working with the right people. They’re able to help me in a way that hadn’t been there before.”

“I feel really great and amazing about where things are right now in my career and in my viewpoint towards that too because you know, it can be a very tough business. So, [I’m] just feeling really great about things and great about this new record,” Wade shares. My Silent Bravery’s new album “Diamond From Coal” (release date TBD) is twelve tracks and produced by both Anthony Resta (Duran Duran, Sir Elton John, NEEDTOBREATHE, Blondie) andWarren Huart (Aerosmith, The Fray, James Blunt, Korn). “I had a great experience working with both those guys, super talented in their own right, multi-instrumentalists, worked on tons of great records and you know, great people on top of being great musicians and great producers,” says Wade of his experience collaborating with Resta and Huart.

Matthew Wade’s inspirational music and optimism is contagious and as we talk I can feel myself beginning to wonder if his positive outlook is what makes “Amazing” seem so genuine and helps him obtain the incredible placements his music has gained. My Silent Bravery songs have been played on the CW’s One Tree Hills, MTV’s Real World and True Life, the Oxygen Network’s Bad Girls Club and Amsale Girls, the History Channel’s American Pickers, and Animal Planet’s Last Chance Highway.

Having shared a stage with Chris Daughtry, I asked Wade what he learned from Daughtry whom was a trailblazer for rock music in the reality TV world on American Idol. “I’m a fan of Chris Daughtry. I watched part of the season when he was on American Idol. I was in disbelief when he got voted off. …When I met him he was such a humble and great person. Really good dude. He was quick to take a picture or chat with you. Made me feel like I was a part of the night and was happy to be there. It was interesting in terms of the dynamic of the night. There was another band that was on before him–Delta Rae–they’re like a seven piece band and he followed them with him and one other guy. To me, it was pretty amazing to see him go up after this seven piece band, and if you’ve seen their live show they are very active you know it’s a big show. So it was just him and one other guy putting on this acoustic performance afterwards and I think that most people left there thinking that nothing was taken away from his performance by that huge ensemble before him. So to me I think I learned just stay true to yourself and do what your thing is. Your individual light will shine either way as long as you are trying to connect with your audience. …I think it’s just been cool to see him follow his own path. He had some other opportunities–I think he was sought out to be the lead singer of Fuel at one point, he turned that down. It just wasn’t his path. So I think it’s been inspiring for other artists to recognize that there’s ways to blaze your own trail.”

Matthew Wade is following suit and blazing his own trail. Look for My Silent Bravery’s new album “Diamond From Coal” out this summer. I’m betting it’s going to be “Amazing.”

WE ASKED MATTHEW WADE
Q: What is the last album you either downloaded or purchased?
A: Drake “Nothing Was The Same”

Q: If you had to choose one song title to describe your personality, which would it be?
A: My Silent Bravery “Can’t Quit”

MY SILENT BRAVERY & CHARITY
“I’m big on giving back not only to charity but to the community at large. My song “To Give” [feat. Matisyahu] hits home to me.” Matthew Wade supports Spirituality For Kids. You can donate here.

Read the full article here.

AMBY

nes. To know more about Diamond From Coal and My Silent Bravery, we spoke with Matthew about the influence of Beastie Boys, the new LP, and maturity and growth. Read our interview below:

AMBY: Hello My Silent Bravery, welcome to AMBY. Please introduce yourself to our readers!

My Silent Bravery: Hello there! This is Matthew Wade from MSB. Thanks for taking the time to chat!

AMBY: How would you describe your sound to those unfamiliar with your music?

My Silent Bravery: Acoustic driven pop rock with a positive message!

AMBY: You’re currently putting the final touches on your full-length album Diamond From Coal. What can fans expect to hear from the record?

My Silent Bravery: With this record I think listeners will hear what they have come to expect from an MSB record, but with an added maturity and growth. This record is different for me because it was produced by two different producers. Half the cuts were produced locally by Anthony Resta (Collective Soul, Elton John, Guster) and half by Warren Huart (Aerosmith, The Fray, James Blunt) out in LA. Resta has actually since moved to LA as well. I think that heading out to LA to record was taking the next step for me. It took me outside of my comfort zone which is important for growth.

AMBY: When is the set release date for Diamond from Coal?

My Silent Bravery: No release date set just yet, but it’s looking like this summer. I am hoping it’s this summer!

AMBY: The first single from the album, Amazing, has hit close to 80, 000 views on YouTube. What’s the story behind the song?

My Silent Bravery: The story behind that song has changed for me, a little bit, from when I initially started, which I find pretty cool. When I went in to record “Amazing”, my initial goal with that song was a fun, happy-go-lucky type of song that people hadn’t really heard as much from me. A lot of my stuff has been a little deeper, with spiritual deeper tones and heavier subject matter. So with this song, I wanted a fun, go out and have a good time type of song.

When filming the video for Amazing, the meaning behind the song changed for me and for the better. Now, to me anyway, the song is about making the most out of what you’ve been given. You have to embrace whatever comes your way and enjoy the moment without the expectation of what you have in your mind. When things don’t go your way you have to kind of think that that maybe that’s the way they were supposed to go and make the best of the situation, make it amazing!

AMBY: If you could have your music featured on any show or film, which would it be?

My Silent Bravery: For movies, I would love to have a song in a Coen Brothers film. I love how they have been able to use their soundtracks to enhance their movies.  For TV, a show like Greys Anatomy or Nashville, something with a big and loyal fan following would be awesome in terms of exposure to a new audience.

AMBY: What was the first record you bought, and do you feel that album had an influence on your music?

My Silent Bravery: The first album I ever bought was Beastie Boys “Licensed to Ill” and I still love that record!  My mom actually bought it for me as I was only 5 years old. I was doing some sort of skit at a summer camp for the song “Fight for your Right”.  It definitely influenced me and still does as I continue to fight for the things I believe in.

AMBY: Who have you been listening to lately?

My Silent Bravery: I am a little behind the eight ball on new music as I have been focusing a lot on creating music recently. A few albums that have been on rotation in my car are the latest records from Drake, Ed Sheeran, and Eminem.

AMBY: What has you most excited for the rest of 2014?

My Silent Bravery: I am really excited for everyone to hear Diamond from Coal already! Until then, I am working on getting the second single from the album “On My Side” ready to go.  I recently filmed a video for the song at Mechanics Hall, same venue where I recently played with Daughtry. I plan to tour behind the album and am working on getting some dates on the books as well!

AMBY: Lastly, what’s something about My Silent Bravery that nobody knows yet?

My Silent Bravery: Hmm. Well, nobody knows yet that I just took on a new manager who has been in the music business for a long time and has worked alongside industry greats like Clive Davis. I am excited about this and hoping this new partnership will help me get my music out there to an even larger audience.

Read the full article here.

 

PRESS WRAP UP: JULY 2014

Alternative Addiction
My Silent Bravery Releases New Video, New Album Announced for August 11th (Article)

Skope Mag
My Silent Bravery Premieres Video “On My Side” (Article)

ALTSOUNDS
My Silent Bravery Tours With Tyler Ward (Article)

Buzznet
My Silent Bravery Unveils “On My Side” Music Video (Article)

Musicnotz
My Silent Bravery “On My Side” (Article)

My Silent Bravery feat. MatisyahuHome Base: Boston, MA

Genre: Pop/rock

Categories Entered: Social Action Song

Work Submitted: “To Give (featuring Matisyahu)”

Artists Featured: Matisyahu

Label: MWS Records

Who are your influences?: Bob Marley, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, the Police, etc.

Describe your nominated work: Upbeat social action song to raise awareness to giving back to the world at large as opposed to taking from it.

Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording?: Mellatron.

Were there any happy accidents while in the studio, or did everything go as planned?: This track has some music greats on it. In addition to Matisyahu, it also features Robert Holmes on guitar (Till Tuesday) Richard Gates on bass (Patty Larkin), Jeff Calder and Anthony Resta Producer extraordinaire!

How did you raise the funds for this project? How long do you expect it will take to recoup your out-of-pocket recording expenses?: I continue to work hard and look at it in terms of a long term investment. I believe investing in your self is a great one!

Why did you choose to submit this work to The 13th IMAs?: I wanted to raise additional awareness for the song and particularly the message in the song.

What’s your definition of success and how will you know when you’ve achieved it?:  My goal is to spread a positive message to the masses and unite people through music. I don’t think I will be satisfied until I feel my music has touched millions of people’s lives and helped affect some positive change to the world so I have some work to do!

How will you leverage your IMA honors to achieve your career goals?: Not sure to be honest. But I think the song To Give is a very meaningful song with a great message and I appreciate the nomination by the IMA to help bring awareness of its message to the world.

Who’s sitting in your audience and what makes your fans unique?: I have such wonderful support from people all over the world. I am truly grateful for each and every listener and I personally respond to all my fans on my social networks and in concert to give them each a unique and authentic experience.

What is your guilty pleasure on the road? Any close calls or mishaps while on tour?:  Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng.

Who are your musical heroes & influences?: Bob Marley is my favorite. I love how he put third world countries on the map and spread a positive message of peace and united people through music.

Are there any songs you wish you wrote and why?: All the ones I haven’t written yet but I am working on it! ; )

What artists are you listening to that would surprise your fans?:  I love a lot of rap. Eminem, Drake, & Nas are a few of my favorite rappers.

How do you discover new music? Do you buy music or are you content with streaming?: I like to buy albums and listen to the full body of work when able. I know as an artist I appreciate it when people give me that courtesy.

How will musicians make a living if fans continue to expect music to be free?:  With great difficulty!

What don’t fans/audiences understand about the music industry today?: How it works : )

Are digital singles/EPs vs. full albums the future?:  Unfortunately I think so. I still prefer to release albums and have songs be part of a full body of work.

Finish this sentence: The music industry is… tough!

What do you have in the works for the upcoming year?:  Releasing a new album this summer, entitled Diamond from Coal and then touring to support the release.

Read the full article here.