Today we’d like to introduce you to City Matthews. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Milwaukee native City Matthews began making music in 2007 on SoundCloud in 2014. He left the City and enrolled in college. After completing his education, he made music again after learning more about the business, this time in Memphis, TN traveling to Nashville, TN, to link up with like-minded creators. He released his official single called insecurity on all platforms in 2019. Building up his daydreamer’s supporters, he released the video to it a year later. He began releasing more singles, such as phases and content, to his YouTube page. Staying independent, he created his ep titled daydreamer, recorded in Memphis, TN, at studio plug, and released it on all platforms garnering well over 250k streams in 3 months. City Matthews is a versatile conscious artist with musical influences from J. Cole, Lupe fiasco, Cordae, currency, and Kendrick Lamar. He currently resides in Toronto, Canada working.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey to making music for me has been a challenging road. I started at 17 years old as you can say, I was shooting in the gym to perfect my craft. Being from Milwaukee, WI, the City gets overlooked by many major cities, so carving your lane in music is mission impossible. Most artists there have a sheep mindset and lack fundamental knowledge of the music industry, thus creating the same results. I say this because I know from personal experience. So far, after years of trying, I have made the sound. I traveled and lived in Memphis to network with a few engineers out there s/o to the studio plug. I traveled more around the south to get rid of writer’s block and see new things. I figured out the business and chose the independent route, which yielded me great results as my ep daydreamer has over 350k streams on Spotify, the most significant music platform artists like to be on. I did a few open mics shows in Dallas, TX, and Nashville, TN, to help with my stage presence. I don’t have a team of people, nor am I signed to an independent label. I handle everything myself, which can be a burden but rewarding.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create music as a long-term financial goal because we know streaming services don’t pay as much as shows. I specialize in switching my style from conscious to the hood to the player, depending on the instrumental playing in my headphones. I know both sides of the realities of life. I’m known for never giving up. I’m proud of doing a show in Dallas, Texas, where I got the most love and my streaming numbers on singles I released and other projects. What sets me apart is I don’t care for vanity as much as everyone else. Being able to put something out in the universe is most rewarding.
Please talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy.
What makes me happy is peace, the process of writing new songs, and my thorough understanding of the music industry. I can teach other rappers or singers about marketing streaming and how often they report their earnings by dropping singles before an album, understanding the audience. Deleting the entitlement that music is not subjective when it is reality. It is. Also, stability and the treatment I give to others’ life and traveling.
Pricing:
- $150.00 for features including Instagram story and post
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/CityMatthews
- Instagram: City_matthews
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCUne2AJ151YqgOSCAiIxh2g?sub_confirmation=1
Image Credits
Photographer : shotbyflic
