Mattmac, A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, artist, and producer, Mattmac, has been widely recognized as an innovative leader in the Canadian Trap-Pop music scene. His music is both engaging and impactful, often discussing relatable themes that include community, overcoming hardship, mental health, and more. Uniting the sound of Pop, Trap, and Hip-Hop, Mattmac’s story is one of triumph in the face of challenge. From the Garden Hill First Nation nearly 500km north of Winnipeg, the Oji-Cree artist was born blind and credits music with helping him process and overcome hardships. Through N’we Jinan, an Indigenous mobile production studio that visits Indigenous communities across the country to teach music production, Mattmac’s interest in creating music was piqued and he began exploring the technologies needed to bring his creativity to life. Prior to the release of his debut album in 2020, Mattmac had already worked with Grammy and JUNO Award winning artist, Nelly Furtado, performing at We Day and Indigenous Day Live. Along with winning the 2023 CBC Searchlight contest, 30+ million streams across platforms, and national appearances across Canada in Billboard, CBC, Exclaim! and more, Mattmac is a multi-award winning artist, whose achievements include a Broadcast Dialogue Emerging Artist Award, Rap/Electronic Album Of The Year at the Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards, Album of the Year from the International Indigenous Hip-Hop Awards, and Canada’s Walk Of Fame RBC’s Emerging Musician Award. In advance of his highly collaborative third studio album, Mattmac has teamed up with Stella Standingbear, one of the leading Indigenous female Hip-Hop artists in the United States to create “Imposters”, a melodic Trap-Pop song about the feeling of inadequacy and insecurity as they navigate their rising awareness in the public eye, while also encouraging their communities to work hard in pursuit of their dreams. “Imposters” will be released on Friday, May 17 2024.
The video for “Imposters” features both Mattmac and Stella Standingbear, who invited the local community to join them at various locations across Winnipeg.
About “Imposters”:
Fusing a vibrant Pop melody with a pulsating Trap rhythm, Mattmac and Stella Standingbear’s “Imposters” is a contemporary anthem, offering listeners a surge of energy and empowerment that resonates both personally and communally. As they reflect on the challenges faced amid their rising careers, Mattmac and Stella Standingbear share their experiences of self-doubt and feeling like an imposter, navigating through the tangled emotions with finesse. From its dynamic introduction where the crackling sound of a radio flickers between news clips, the song grows into a bright, catchy, and infectious beat, ebbing and flowing throughout the song to mirror the intensity of the emotions conveyed in the lyrics. With each verse, the artists weave a narrative that not only speaks to their personal struggles but also extends a rallying cry to their community, encouraging resilience and perseverance. Amidst layers of sound, “Imposters” delivers melodic synth elements juxtaposed against a deep bass line, creating a rich sonic texture. Mattmac and Stella Standingbear’s remarkable synergy is on full display as they navigate the song’s complex tempo, effortlessly synchronizing their delivery with the pulsating rhythm. Rooted in their lived experiences, “Imposters” serves as a testament to their resilience, acknowledging the hurdles they’ve faced while offering a beacon of hope to all who listen, encouraging them to confront their own challenges with courage and determination.
Quote: “We’re out here breaking barriers and countering stereotypes, and just doing our own thing. Sometimes what we do can be misunderstood or surprising, so the haters are still going to hate, but that doesn’t prevent us from finding our own way to rise to the top. We want to show our people that you can go for this life if you want it.” – Mattmac
Tour Dates:
May 15, 2024 – Maskwacîs Bear Park – Maskwacîs, AB
May 23, 2024 – Blood Tribe Health Fair – Standoff, AB
June 1, 2024 – Voices In The Circle at Farquhar Auditorium – Victoria, BC – Tickets
July 5, 2024 – Northern Lights Festival Boréal at Grace Hartman Amphitheatre – Sudbury, ON – Tickets
July 6 & 7, 2024 – Mariposa Folk Festival – Orillia, ON – Tickets
September 20, 2024 – Beyond the Beat, Music of Resistance and Change at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights – Winnipeg, MB
Biography:
Blind music producer and recording artist Mattmac has harnessed his melodic pop-trap beats and inspiring story, quickly establishing himself as ‘one to watch’ on the national music scene. The Garden Hill First Nation born, Winnipeg based artist has more than 30 million + streams across platforms, and critical acclaim across all major media outlets such as CBC, CTV, Virgin Radio, and more. With two award winning albums under his belt, Mattmac has amassed a long list of accolades early on in his career. His achievements include winning the CBC Searchlight 2023 contest, an International Indigenous Hip-Hop Award for 2023 Album Of the Year, Canada’s Walk Of Fame RBC’s Emerging Musician Award Winner in 2022, Rap/Electronic Album Of The Year at the Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards in 2022, and a Broadcast Dialogue Emerging Artist Radio Award in 2021. He has twice hit #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown and has reached the top 50 on the Mediabase charts. His music has been featured across Spotify editorial playlists which include “New Music Friday Canada”, “Northern Bars” & “All New Hip-Hop”.
He debuted his entry to the music scene in 2016 when N’we Jinan, a traveling music studio program, visited his community and invited him to collaborate on a project. Pulling inspiration from his personal story, they created a song and video titled “Help You See” which received over 250,000 views on YouTube and Facebook. From there, Mattmac has connected with International artist Nelly Furtado and performed alongside her at Indigenous Day Live and We Day Canada Day in 2017; they continue to work together. Mattmac hopes to continue to use his platform to inspire others to know that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.
