Interview: Matt Stringer

Matt Stringer (L) plays New Bloomsbury Set on 3 October.

So So Gay‘s Best Bar of 2010, New Bloomsbury Set, are launching their monthly live music series, ‘An Evening With…’. They’re kicking off the series with West End performer Hana Smyth and singer and former X Factor contestant Matt Stringer. So So Gay caught up with Matt who shared his excitement about the gig and let us know what he has in store for his debut public performance.

SSG: Hi Matt! So tell us, are you excited about your upcoming ‘An Evening With…’ performance?

Matt: YES! Very excited. It’s the first time ever that I’ve done a public gig like this. For the last couple of years I’ve been really focused on recording work, doing X Factor and developing some of my own tunes, so the offers for live gigs have all been turned down before. Now, post-X Factor, I’m ready to showcase some of my work and for London to take notice. The gay community of London was my refuge when I first moved here from the countryside and the reason I call this city home, so it’s so important for me to start my career with the people that mean the most and NBS is the perfect place.

What can we expect from your set? Are we going to hear some new songs as well as covers?

The set’s going to include a real mixture of styles to showcase a bit of everything I’ve been doing for the last few years. I’m singing some jazz, some RnB, some pop and even rapping a bit! I’m focusing on covers so that we can have some audience sing a longs and some well known tunes. I’ll be covering artists like Adele, Beyonce, Bruno Mars, right through to U2 and Nicki Minaj.

That’s a pretty wide range of covers! What song in the chart today do you wish you had recorded?

Weirdly, one of my favourite songs to listen to right now is Mr Hudson’s ‘Supernova’, if you remember that from a few years ago. I would love to write a riff like that. Massive tune. Also, I think Jessie J is fantastic. The entire Who You Are album is phenomenal.

When did you first discover your love for music?

I’ve been singing since I was a kid, and had lessons since the age of about 10. Music has always been my passion, so whatever path life takes me down, I know I can always come back to something I love and find something new and exciting that makes me happy.

Who are your all-time biggest musical influences?

My musical influences are so varied, you’ll laugh at me! I grew up listening to Michael Jackson and a lot of 70s & 80s rock stuff courtesy of my Dad, so that’s definitely played a part. Now I tend to listen to RnB boys like Chris Brown, Travis Garland and Drake and my guilty pleasure, Queen Britney Spears.

You’ve been a contestant on X Factor twice. Tell us a bit about your experiences with it?

What a journey! I won’t slate it too much, as it’s helped me work with songwriters like Gary Barlow and Kelly Rowland and given me a real insight in the commercial music industry, but it has its flaws. What everyone forgets when watching the show is that it’s there to attract audiences and make money. There’s some great talent there, but it’s because of their interesting stories that are worth showing on the telly. We all slate the dramatic sob stories, but still sit there and cry… what can you do? I’ve been in the last 20 boys the last two years, missing out on a Judge’s Houses spot both times. This year I was asked to come back again and be a part of a new group, but decided to stay home. As wonderdul as its opportunities are, the X Factor drama isn’t for me.

You have quite a few photos with  rest of the X Factor cast from boot Camp. Did you get on well with the other stars from the series?

Boot Camp is a crazy week, and you really gel with the other contestants, especially in the boys category. I’ve stayed close with the One Direction boys, they retweet some of my videos, and are always keen to say hi when they’re performing in town.

Are you watching the current series? Got any favourites?

This year I’m definitely supporting Misha & Marcus – standing for the RnB! I always have to watch the show… especially when I’m on it! I had my ten seconds of fame on last Saturday’s show – at least people believe me now!

Are you glad that you took the chance and entered the competition?

I’m really grateful for X Factor in terms of what it could do for my career – especially now that I’m finally showcasing some of my stuff. The next step for me is definitely getting noticed some more in the places that count; doing as many gigs around London as I can, and keeping up with YouTube-ing and tweeting!

What have you been up to since leaving the show?

I’ve been doing a lot of work on my style and the message behind my music. All of the feedback through the X Factor was about finding my sound, and not being a slave to the music that I love and that’s where the last few months have taken me. The covers you’ll see at the showcase on Monday are all really reflective of that; nothing is as you’ll have heard it before, and it’s all in my style.

I’m spending time working on new material and working with different songwriters, including some planned work with Danyl Johnson from X Factor a few years ago that I’m really looking forward to.

You can catch Matt’s debut public gig tonight (Monday, Oct 3) at New Bloomsbury Set, 76 Marchmont Street, London. You can hear more from Matt via his Facebook and on Twitter @Matt_Stringer.