Matt LeGrand is a pop newcomer, but he’s coming onto the scene hot and full of fire. “Roof On Fire” (ft. Twista) in fact is the name of his first single which you might know as a contender up for voting in the MTV U The Freshman competition where fans vote to decide which video from new artists has what it takes to enter into MTV rotation. (“VOTE EVERYBODY!!!” Matt says.) “Roof On Fire” is a whimsical and sugary club banger with smoking hot beat and a video (below) featuring some Bieber-esque choreography and a lot “young love in the dance club” heat. And while the career of this MTV Freshman is still in its early stages, Matt has a lot planned, and YE was fortunate enough to be able to chat with this fresh name in pop about the past, present, and future of his music.
Matt is a Chicago native, a city with a rich history of activity in the jazz and blues scene, a history that Matt directly benefitted from as a young music fan. In addition to blues, Chicago is common tour stop for many names in blues-inspired rock. “The first concert that I ever attended was with my mother and it was The Rolling Stones. I was 11, and my ears hurt a lot after the concert. It was that good kind of hurt though. I was completely captivated with music after that. Seeing musical veterans performing on stage gave me hope. If they were still at it, then I could do it too! Classic rock is really how I got started in music.”
Classic rock was Matt’s initial inspiration, and citing bluesy guitar god Eric Clapton as an early favorite, it was around this time that Matt became interested in creating his own music. “My mother bought me my first guitar at the age of 12. Some of my favorites then were The Rolling Stones, The Who, and U2. I always try to add guitar in my music now because that’s just where I come from.”
After getting into classic rock and learning guitar, Matt says “I don’t think I went through a day of high school without dreaming about making music my career.”
Some other influences and inspirations Matt cites are Michael Jackson, Queen, Marvin Gaye, and Kanye West. But one artist definitively rules Matt’s world. “My ultimate biggest influence is Justin Timberlake. I honestly worship everything that he does.”
So basically, he’d kill to work with JT. But who else fuels Matt’s musical fire? “I’d honestly break down if I got to work with Max Martin, Drake, Kanye, or Taylor Swift. Who am I working with next? That’s a secret. You’ll just have to wait and see!”
So what precisely is up next for this fiery pop newbie? He’s super excited to get light the fire on the next phase of his career, but he wants to get all his ducks in a row first before rushing into new projects. “Finding the right producers to work on a whole album definitely takes a little time. I’m in the middle of building an empire that is going to make an impact in the music industry. But I will be releasing singles throughout these next couple of months while I’m building the rest of my team. And touring is for sure on the list!! You can expect a lot of new stuff real soon. I am just at the start of my career! I ask everybody to be patient with me. Mark my words, there is a lot to come!”
Smart and ambitious cookie. This kid sounds like he has not only the talent, but also the tenacity and fortitude to make those dreams of a musical empire into a reality. And what of his success so far, of finding fame and reaching fans through the holiest of holy, MTV? “It’s definitely very exciting for me! Being able to see my family’s reaction was awesome. Attention towards me has for sure elevated since the competition started. And the fans [who call themselves The LeGrand Girls] are everything. Absolutely everything. Love you guys.”
If you enjoyed getting to know Matt here, check out his other single “Spring Break GRL” below!!!
