Matt Hitt, the lead singer and songwriter of Drowners, chatted about his new EP, which will be out on November 14th via Killphonic.
How did “Carried Away” come about?
I was thinking about what’s happening when you’re going down the proverbial rabbit hole and the different ways of coping when you find yourself losing the plot.
The panic and paranoia of all that logic perception stuff.
Anyways, I was trying to write a punk-y song about that and what came out was “Carried Away.”
What inspires your music and songwriting?
Most of the time it’s whatever has been ruminating in my brain as I’m walking around New York.
I find that just aimlessly wandering in Manhattan with all it’s sensory bombardment can be pretty inspiring.
How did you approach the song selection process for the new EP?
Tim (Lanham who produced the EP) and I listened to a playlist of demos I had assembled from a couple years of writing and basically picked what we thought were the best songs…simple as that really.
What’s your personal favorite song on there?
I think “I’m Sorry, New York” because, lyrically, I think I had been trying to write about my relationship with the city for a while and this is the first time I felt I had pretty much nailed it.
How does it feel to be an artist in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent)
Pretty weird, especially as I hadn’t released music for almost a decade and things have changed at a hyper-speed level.
So, it feels a bit like being the oldest person at a nightclub and not understanding how to dance.
What do your plans for the future include?
I think Tim and I are probably gonna record another EP together as soon as the touring schedule permits it.
Which artists would you like to do a dream duet with someday?
Either my fellow Welshman John Cale or, if we’re really dreaming, I’ll go with Dolly Parton please.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
I suppose it’s easy and inevitable to compare yourself to bigger artist and get bogged down in numbers etc – actually I guess that’s a good thing cos it means you consistently have a goal.
That being said, a few years ago I would’ve considered releasing music in any capacity a success. So I suppose success means having anyone you don’t know listen to your music.
What would you like to tell our readers about your new music? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
I would like to tell them it’s wonderful and they’d be denying themselves 20 minutes of pleasure if they don’t listen to it. Who wouldn’t want 20 minutes of pleasure?
To learn more about singer-songwriter Matt Hitt and his new solo music, follow him on Instagram.
