For Matt Corby finding success was never the end goal – it was what to do with it when you finally got there.
The Australian artist tried various paths before achieving his breakout moment, and since then he's never looked back.
Soulfully astute pop that dares to ask questions, Matt Corby's work is accompanied by a willingness to uplift those around him.
Fellow Australian artist BLESSED is the latest to benefit from this, with the songwriter signing to Matt's label Rainbow Valley Records.
Two bold artists with singular approaches, Clash got Matt Corby and BLESSED on call with one another to chew the fat.
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Matt Corby: I wanted to kick off with something I admire in you a lot, and something I don't think I'm very good at myself. You're really quite prolific, and I feel like you work at that. Right? I think you're naturally musical all the time, but I think you're driven to create, you've made a conscious decision to hone your craft that way by continuously working on songs. And maybe for people that might be reading this, they don't know exactly what I might be talking about just yet, because there's so much music to drop. But I wanted to ask you about the importance of being prolific as an artist, and if it's something that's a conscious decision or not?
BLESSED: I think, for me, I'm just inspired by my favourite artists, and like all my favourite artists, not even just musicians, like Jean Michel Basquiat is my favourite painter. And he was super prolific, just listening to podcasts about him, with people that knew him or documentaries about him – he painted a ridiculous amount of paintings in a very short amount of time. And then he died. I feel like as artists, we have so much to give to this world, so why not give 110% of yourself in your art. But not just be like, 'oh, this is the only thing that I'm here to do'. We're here to spread love and learn and ascend, you know, spiritually and stuff. But in terms of just music itself, I feel like, my purpose is to let out as much as I possibly can in whatever amount of time I'm here for because life is so short. And it could end tomorrow. Like, that's kind of how I see it.
Matt Corby: I think it's a great philosophy to have. I think a lot of musicians or a lot of creative people just in general do exist in this fear of failure all the time. And having to put out work is like you're facing that fear – or having to even complete things. A lot of people struggle to finish stuff, it's always 'you're working on it', or something like that, so it's really great that you take that on, I admire that. I think it's awesome man. Let's talk about 'NO CHANGES' just for a sec, because it's one of the many songs that you've created in the last little while. 'NO CHANGES' has been in the works for a while though, hasn't it?
BLESSED: Yeah, 'NO CHANGES' has been works since 2020. And then got completed in 2021. And, literally the final piece was your vocals, and the background.
Matt Corby: Haha. That's it's probably just because I'm a slacker, taking ages.
BLESSED: Haha, nah, it had to be. It was like the final piece of a puzzle. You know what I mean? Like you're looking for that piece. You don't know where it is, and then you find that fits perfectly.
Matt Corby: That's awesome. And you produce that yourself?
BLESSED: Nah, nah. So I produced it with three other producers.
Matt Corby: Oh, cool.
BLESSED: I started it myself, I started off but I felt like the drums that I did weren't hitting hard enough. So I got this kid, Liam Thomas to help me out with the drums, he added so many percussion textures to it. And then I worked with another producer, Steven, who added almost like the Afro kind of swing to it, which is so random because he's not African at all, but he knew exactly how to hit that pocket perfectly. Then also, the guitarist, Chunky, who did the main guitar loop from it. I usually work on my music by myself, but this was one of the first times that I really collaborated with different minds, and different talents to bring something special together. And that's why I feel like, you know, just like I was just saying before, you adding that final touch to it – it's so many different experiences and, feelings and just personalities coming together on this one song, and it makes it so great in my eyes. And I guess, for whoever's listening, hopefully in theirs too.
Matt Corby: Yeah, that's awesome man. Collaboration is kind of the next topic anyway, which is was a good segue. I sorted wanted to talk about your time up here, when you came up and hung in studio with me and Al, and what that was like? How different it feel to other hip hop sessions that you would do? Or even just working on your own?
BLESSED: Yeah I mean, it was completely different. For me, the craziest thing is, like, I knew I was gonna work with you. Back before I didn't know you, before you even asked me to be on your tour, I just knew, and I was like, 'I'm gonna work with this guy one day'. It was surreal because I was at your place, I mean, your property, your studio in your home, like you welcomed me in. And from that, the energy was already set, right. You're just an easy person to talk to, easy person to get along with, easy person to work with, musically. Because, just like… you already know, you're not human, I don't think you're human.
Matt Corby: Hahaha. Oh man.
BLESSED: And I feel like Alex was like the rock in that, you know what I mean? You were floating away, I was floating away, and Alex was kind of like the centrepiece bringing us back to Earth. I've definitely never had sessions like that before, where everything's flowing so naturally, and so quickly, as well. You were just as eager to work on music as I was. And we'd wake up in the morning, and the first thing I'd say is like, 'do you want to jump in the studio'? And you're like, 'yeah', you know what I mean? You'd have a coffee in one hand, a joint in the other, and you'd jump straight in. That's the energy, I'm ready. Other sessions it's kind of like, we'll clock in at 'so and so' time, you know what I mean? And then you'd clock out at 'so and so' time. So for me, it was definitely different. It was different, but it felt like I've been there before. I felt like, that kind of like deja vu feeling where it's something that you're so engulfed in, yet it's so naturally happening, but it's familiar at the same time. That's the word familiar.
Matt Corby: Man, that's awesome. That's great. Yeah, it felt like that for me, too. It's crazy like I would just pull up a little piece on the piano, and be like, 'I feel like this has got some flow and, I'll just take the beat away', I'd use some imagination. And you'd already be pen to paper, walking around the room already pacing. And, you know, there was barely any music happening at all. But I think you have that ability to hear things so fast. And you'd be like, the potential is all the way over there, or over here, and be like, 'what am I going to decide'? I can see your mind just working. That's the shit, that's the pure stuff. That's why I love making music too. I think when you're in that flow, you're really making stuff that is feeling toned. And that kind of energy does really snowball in a day when you're trying to create stuff. I think it really does dictate the content of what you make. Sometimes you do things totally outside yourself that you're like, 'fuck yeah, I'm so glad I was there that day', you know?
BLESSED: Exactly. Yeah.
Matt Corby: Good times, man. Really good times. I want to talk about, if it's okay, and you might not know that I've known about this – I don't even know if it's secret or not? BBGB?
BLESSED: Haha, yeah. The boys!
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Matt Corby: If you're okay to disclose, who is involved, may I ask?
BLESSED: Oh, well, I think that's the tricky part.
Matt Corby: Haha, you don't want to be official about it?
BLESSED: Yeah, but like, it's a movement. You know what I mean? It's a movement of, I guess the diaspora of young African Australians. And just like, Australians in general, coming together to make music that isn't… I don't know, I don't know what to say, it's just like, I don't want to be like music that's not drill, but like music that's not popular. Music that the kids aren't looking for right now. Music that's expressive, music that's culture orientated. I guess I didn't really answer the question.
Matt Corby: Nah that's cool. Because I think that's where music needs to get back to, you know what I mean? I think a lot of the time, musicians are trying to make music that they hope other people are going to like, they're not making music that they hope they're going to like, a lot of the time. There's always this sort of weird weighing up how the music will be received? Not, how am I going to feel when I plan for someone? Am I going to be like, 'man, I'm so proud, I work so hard, and this is potentially pushing my musical limits of what I'm capable of, right now'. And I think you're right, I think a lot of people do go through the, 'oh we can just do some Splice and throw some bars and, here's a hook and song done'. And sometimes that's great, but I think if you're not searching and being innovative, and it's not coming from a place of like – I put myself in this position every day to make music, so I should be the one at the forefront, trying to find something new and exciting, and something that I truly love. Because I think if I love it, or if you love it, even though it might take people two years to catch up to it in the general public that are still so stoked on it.
BLESSED: Yeah.
Matt Corby: I don't know, if that makes sense, I got on a rant. You just got me going, that's good haha.
BLESSED: That's exactly how I feel. And even with the BBGB boys in general, like I said, it's like it's a movement, but I'd say at the forefront of the movement is myself, B Wise, Manu Crooks, Lil Spacely and Kwame. And that's just not saying, we're this rap group, and we're trying to take over the world, it's saying that we want to start something that we haven't seen.
Us growing up in Australia, we hadn't seen for us, you know, I mean, we've seen like the Aussie hip-hop guys be able to create something so distinctive to Australia, and so resonant with Australia, and Australia wide, from the rural cities to the big cities. But for us, we grew up looking at the Americans or the UK artists, and we want to create something here for, you know, kids like us to look up to and be inspired by to create their own. To be like 'oh, these guys down the road are doing it so I can do it', you know, I mean? Like, 'I could pick a mic, or I could throw a party, or I could throw an event, or do a pop-up or create clothing'. Whatever creative outlet you do have inside, we kind of want to be the ones who inspire that and spark that aspiration, I guess…
Matt Corby: Dude, I love that so much. It's so important.
BLESSED: Yes sir.
Matt Corby: It's awesome. Man. Well, that's sort of all I wanted to ask you. I feel like I don't want to take up any more time. We're all busy, busy, busy people.
BLESSED: Yeah, even though I'm in my bedroom. Haha!
Matt Corby: Same same.
BLESSED: Haha, same same. For real man.
Matt Corby: I can't wait to have.. well I've heard it all, because you're apart of the Rainbow Valley Records team, and we have the absolute privilege partnering with you, and getting your music out there, but I'm very excited for everyone else to hear the next batch of music that's coming from you.
BLESSED: Man me too, me too.
Matt Corby: Thanks for your time! And thanks to CLASH Magazine.
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Photo Credit: Matt Johnson
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