Intervgiew with Canadian Artist Alanna Matty
By Mick Michaels
The Cosmick View: Hello, Alanna and welcome to The Cosmick View/MBM Ten Pounder! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us!
Alanna Matty: Thanks so much for having me!
CV: Describe your definition of the band’s sound and style and how does
that definition uniquely describe the music?
Alanna: My music is very introspective and personal, which creates a tendency for it to be easy to relate to. I’ve got an indie-folk/Dream Pop style that seems to suit the subject matter perfectly.
CV: Today, everyone talks about artist and audience connection. Is such a
level of connection actually achievable for an artist and if so, how have you
made the connection to your fans?
Alanna: I think artists need to create honest connections with their audience, because it creates a loyalty and genuine connection. I started live streaming music in 2019 and have used that platform to speak directly with my audience, to the point where we’ve actually not just created a fan base but a genuine community. They’ve supported me more virtually than I ever experienced playing live shows where you’re constantly separated from the crowd. Breaking down those walls as much as possible really opens the door for support, both financially and even emotionally when it comes to hyping new releases or revealing new songs.
CV: So, then it’s safe to say that fan interaction is an important part of your inner culture as an artist?
Alanna: Yes absolutely….
CV: Can an artist truly interact with their fans and still maintain a level of
personal privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal
space” in your opinion?
Alanna: Any artist or public facing person has to have multiple personalities for different situations. Even though I’m very easily accessible as an artist, I maintain my performer persona when dealing with the community/fanbase at large. They know pieces of my personal life, but only as much as I want or need to share in certain moments. Sharing enough that they feel connected, and yet not so much that you feel exposed is definitely a balance, but one that I feel is very important. I think the days of revering these haughty separated artists is coming to a close. People want to celebrate normal people, and I think platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Twitch are proving that to be incredibly true.
CV: Is music, and its value, viewed differently around the world in your
opinion? If so, what do you see as the biggest difference in such multiple
views among various cultures?
Alanna: I would say it’s different around the world, but less in its value and more in how excited people are “allowed” to be about it. I have a lot of people in South America who absolutely love my music and will send lovely and respectable messages to me about how excited they are about it, whereas people in North America are much more reserved about their music tastes and opinions.
CV: Do you feel that an artist who has an international appeal, will tend to
connect more so to American audiences? Would they be more enticed or
intrigued to see artists over indigenous acts because of the foreign flavor?
Alanna: I think there’s the potential, but I don’t think it has to do with it being foreign or not. It’s not like a food that they necessarily have a preference for; if they like a style of music I don’t think they’re going to be more into a certain band that is playing that style just because they’re not American…or because they are. Here in Canada we have a lot of international bands and multi-lingual musicians that get radio play and come to tour, but they aren’t popular just because they’re not from here. It’s more about “is this good music” and if the answer is yes, then they’ll probably do well.
CV: Has modern-day digital technology made everyone an artist on some
level in your opinion? Have the actual lines of what really is an artist been
blurred?
Alanna: Was there ever truly a definition of what it means to be an artist? I think if you want to be an artist, be an artist. That won’t mean you’re successful, nor that you’re owed attention or success, but if that’s what you think you are then that’s great. The technology we have now makes it much easier for people to learn skills…even artistic ones, and I think that’s amazing. People have an easier time creating and sharing their works, and while most of them won’t find “success” in it, having that open access to information and art sharing is pretty incredible.
trends and one who sets them?
Alanna: Anyone who sets a trend has done it entirely by accident, and any that is following them is probably doing the smart thing by trying to also capitalize off of that luck. As long as you’re doing so genuinely, I say follow as much as you want. If a trend connects with you and you can iterate on it in a meaningful way, that’s great. If you can start a trend in a similarly authentic way then that’s the best case scenario, but the internet latches on to the strangest things so it’s hard…if not impossible, to predict what will ‘go viral’ and what will fall flat.
CV: Has music overall been splintered into too many sub-genres in an effort
to appease fan tastes in your opinion? And has such fan appeasements, in
actuality, weakened music’s impact as a whole by dividing audiences?
Alanna: Genre has always been a frustrating thing for me, because it forces you to put yourself in a box in order to be appealing to a subset of people. I think having sub-genres makes it easier for people to find their niche; for example I like rock music, and even metal, but I don’t like thrash metal or screamo, so having sub genres helps me find bands I actually like without being turned off of “rock” as a whole. Thinking that you’re dividing an audience by introducing sub-genres is foolish in my opinion, because if they didn’t like the music in a genre they were introduced to then they wouldn’t be part of that audience anyways. If anything, having genres like “dream-pop” or “indie-folk” or even “pop-rock” brings people together and creates intersections between genres creating a large audience than splitting it between the two. Side note: I don’t know anyone who only listens to one genre only; if you’re into music, you’re probably listening to a range regardless of the genre.
CV: What can fans except to see coming next from you?
Alanna: I just released my second single of the year entitled “The Beginning”, it’s a lighter take than I normally do, but you can’t be so introspective all the time, haha
CV: Thanks again Alanna for taking some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated.
Check out Alanna at:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2GdMR6xZP1sk4hdzgkZWXv?si=0abc2343701345af
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alannamatty
Instagram: https://instagram.com/alannawmatty
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/alanna_matty
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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.
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