Today we’d like to introduce you to Sitch.
Hi Sitch, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi, I’m Matthew A. Wright aka Sitch, and I am an R&B/Pop-Soul singer, dancer, artist, and entertainer originally from Fayetteville, NC. I started pursuing music independently in 2015 and since 2019, under the “Sitch” pseudonym, I’ve gotten to perform and travel across the country, eventually leading me to California.
So here’s my creative rundown: I started drawing and singing as a little kid; my dad was a great artist and my mom has musical genes. I was in my church’s youth choir at 8 years old, I was in the chorus at school, went to Honors Chorus and Governor’s School for choral music, and was essentially a human jukebox as much as I listened to the radio.
In my junior year of high school, I took dance for the first time (I was trying to drop a computer class and that was the only option, so I finessed). I had no idea what I was doing outside of what I could visually pick up, but took a stronger liking to it than I expected! Tl;dr: by my sophomore year of college, I was a graphic design major who was in two dance groups and was releasing self-produced music independently.
I always knew music was something I wanted to pursue and I was fortunate to have the design and dance chops under my belt to really “do it all” if I had to as far as mixing tracks, designing artwork, and choreographing performances. That was how I had to get my start as an independent artist because who had money? Not I! So when the going got broke, the broke got creative!
For real though, it pushed my craft and my drive to be a true performer, because I couldn’t “purchase” my persona. By the time I graduated and started working full-time as a designer, I decided to start really investing in my music side-hustle and work to put it at the forefront. I started booking studio time, found local open mics like Carolina Waves (shout-out Mir.I.Am), and adopted the stage name Sitch in 2019 to basically relaunch my music pursuits.
I released my album, LaJane Doe, in 2020 during the “pan dulce” (available for streaming), and got signed to management under 4 Phones Ent. In 2021, and have now held my own concerts, opened for artists like Chrisette Michele, collaborated with artists coast to coast, and more.
And here we are!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Smooth roads seem to be few and far between, haha! I have definitely had my fair share of struggles. For one, I went through that growing pain of production. Obviously, as a music artist, you want radio-ready material. Starting out, I couldn’t afford professional studio time, so I was left to my own devices building my music from the ground up, idea-to-master.
TO BE FAIR, it was very decent for what it was worth, but it took years before I could afford to work with an engineer to put out high-quality stuff. I didn’t have mentors or guides to show me those ropes, so I did the grunt work of finding those resources myself. Solidifying a fan base was (is) a unique challenge too, especially for me starting out, because even though I did music all my life, I didn’t start really pushing my own music until college.
BUT, in college, I was super heavy into Dance instead of stuff like theatre or the a capella groups (I missed the auditions…), the places that would’ve made people go “Oh look he’s a singer”, haha. So when I started releasing music and performing, all these folks were seeing the dancer who can sing, instead of the other way around — so that was tough.
Last, I think my identities and experiences have presented some interesting challenges. I am a cisgender, bisexual, college-educated Black man pursuing music. I try to live by the mantra “Be Unapologetically You,” so I always questioned, how do I “show up” as an artist as a ____ person? How sexual or explicit do I have to be to “prove” the spectrum of my orientation? Should I switch up my choreography so it’s not “too femme” so people don’t make assumptions about me?
Am I marketable to certain audiences if I don’t curse or smoke or have abs? LOL. If I show up as just who I am… is that good enough? I’m grateful for all of that, though, because it made me pull up and sharpen my skill and hone my craft so I can just reach that goal of being undeniable in every avenue.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an all-around entertainer: a singer, dancer, and artist. The music I make is primarily R&B/Pop-Soul, but I love bringing a range to my sound. I like music that can make you dance, make you think, make you feel, and just make you enjoy listening. I don’t like to put myself in a box and I think folks to listen to my music would agree.
My music also carries a message; I like writing about things a lot of male artists (particularly) don’t address as much, like vulnerability, insecurity, empowering women, etc. As a performer, I try to give you a show every time. I love adding choreography, coordinating lights and visuals, or giving drama/theatrics.
I want people to have more of an experience than just watching someone sing a song they’ve never heard before, and that’s what sets me apart. The energy I bring to a stage is fresh, exciting, and intentional. I’m also known for my jerseys!
I like wearing my Sitch jerseys when I perform and I wear them because “Sitch” is derived from my fraternity nickname “What’s the Sitch” and the jersey reinforces the value of having a team behind you, even if you’re on stage by yourself.
I never forget that everything I do now is because I had a village backing me, and I’m most proud of that value.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was an off-beat kid. I was the boy who didn’t want to play sports (because why, I thought, would I volunteer to be stampeded once I caught a ball?), I carried a ream of printer paper with me at all times because I’d be drawing and doodling incessantly, and I loved Sailor Moon, Golden Corral, and Beyonce.
I was an outgoing and charismatic preteen/teenager but had to grow into that from being a naturally reserved kid. I was super smart. Like, incredibly advanced on paper for my age, and I attribute that to my mom emphasizing education so much. I didn’t see myself as super popular but I was talented, excelled academically, and knew how to read and work a room, so that helped me a lot socially.
I was also bullied and teased and stuffed because I was so atypical. Of course, smart kids often get picked on, but I was also chubby, had a high voice, and had feminine mannerisms/tendencies (I’m the middle child with two sisters, what do you expect?), so it was no cakewalk growing up for me. I loved music but listened to 90% female artists. I kinda knew how to dance but it was party dances and teaching myself Ciara’s music video choreo — y’all remember that tutorial CD she put out?! YUP. CHRISTMAS GIFT. So yeah, as much as I was praised for my interests, I was knocked down all the same.
Lastly, when I was 19, my dad passed away from cancer. He was the most consistent male role model in my life. He was such a crucial part of my development as a man and someone I constantly think about today as an artist. I include this in the “growing up” story because I felt like I had to mature exponentially following his passing. My values, priorities, and outlook on life, all had to shift and become more intentional.
I had my mom and sisters to look out for as the “man of the house” in a lot of ways. Losing a parent at such a young age is obviously not typical for most people but it definitely was a pivotal point in my formative years.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sitchofficial.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sitchofficial
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/sitchofficialmusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sitchofficial
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/sitchofficialmusic
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@sitchofficial
Image Credits
Dalvin Nichols, 8-Bit Photography, and David Nguyen
