Meet Matt Francis of Los Feliz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Francis.

Hi Matt, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story is still being written, which I love. I also love that I’m getting started a little later in my career. I recently turned 40 (hold for applause) and embraced this moment as the perfect time to fully commit to my music career.
Music has been the constant thread throughout my life. Born in the Bay Area but raised in New Jersey, I spent years honing my craft across the East Coast (Washington DC & Boston) to a brief stint in Nashville in the early 2010’s. When I moved to LA in 2014, I found myself in that all-too-familiar struggle: balancing a professional 9-to-5 while trying to carve out time for my true passion.

The pandemic became a powerful catalyst for change. It stripped away distractions and forced me to confront what truly mattered. That’s when I made the most significant pivot of my life: I began identifying as a musician first, and a career person second. My question shifted from “How does a creative life fit into my work life?” to “How would a job fit into a full-time creative’s life?” That mental reframe took a few years to fully implement, but it changed everything.

It wasn’t until summer 2024 that I felt the cohesion and themes in my songs begin to coalesce into a fully realized project. My EP “Forever, Guaranteed” (released March 6th on all streaming platforms) started as a 40th birthday present to myself—the culmination of two years of dedicated writing and deep-diving into Logic Pro. What began as a personal milestone has evolved into something much more meaningful.

I’m thrilled that this is only the beginning. I have so much more material waiting to be released in the coming months. My career now is about putting into the world everything I’ve been sitting on or hesitant to share over the last decade. I love how these songs have turned out, and so far, others have felt the same way. There’s something beautifully liberating about embracing your passion later in life—you bring all your experiences and perspective to the art you create.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been smooth—but no great story ever is, right? Those ups and downs, one step forward and two steps back moments are what make the journey worth telling.

My biggest obstacle has been internal: dealing with profound self-doubt and an identity crisis about my art. As creatives, we’re often our own harshest critics, and for years, I got swept up trying to follow trends and become this chameleon of genres. I was creating music I thought people wanted to hear rather than what was authentically me. It wasn’t until these past two years that I really started writing music true to who I am and what I genuinely care about. Once I cleared those mental hurdles, I entered the most rewarding creative period of my life—one I haven’t taken for granted for a single moment.

The practical challenges have been just as real. Balancing a career while pursuing music meant constant sacrifices: missing networking events or shows because I was out of town for meetings, having to choose between paying bills and investing in my music. Financial constraints were a major setback. I spent several years unemployed and really scraping to get by, which meant no budget for studio time or quality content to promote my work.

Interestingly, those financially difficult years had an unexpected silver lining: the abundance of free time to create. When I was trying to write while working full-time, my mindset was always pressured: “Okay, you have one hour to play… write something incredible!” Which is completely unrealistic. When time became unlimited, my approach shifted to “There are no bad ideas! Write everything!” And that’s where the majority of songs on this project were born.
Of course, external factors like a global pandemic threw in their own unique challenges. But looking back, I can see how each obstacle—whether internal doubt, financial struggle, or time constraints—ultimately shaped my sound and gave me something more authentic to say. The road hasn’t been smooth, but the bumps and detours have made the destination that much more meaningful.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a singer-songwriter and artist. I specialize in a new genre I created myself when writing these songs for my EP “Forever, Guaranteed” known as “Tough Guy Love Songs”. Taking the sincerity and vulnerability of heartbreak or new love mixed with the bravado and machismo of the songwriters I took most inspiration from: Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.

I’m proud of myself daily, for putting myself and my art out there in the world. Most artists may never even get to that part of their career or find excuses to never release what they work on. The ability to let go and put it in the hands/ears/ eyes of others is what I am most proud of. Plus I know the music I make is good and while I draw on influences, I’ve yet to hear another artist who I sound like or who sounds like me. It’s a blessing and a curse sometimes, to find where you fit in. I’ve made my own lane and am cruising right along on that path.

What sets me apart, at least to me, is that I do this to build a catalogue of music that I could one day pitch to a publishing company. I am not concerned with going viral and being the next biggest thing. I want to be my thing, with my followers and my little circle of friends and fans, constantly producing quality material and not concerned with the latest trends or fads or what others are doing. My mindset is such: I want to be a presence, not a personality.

What makes you happy?
Myriad little things in life make me happy: my niece and nephew in Brooklyn, no traffic in LA, that first sip of coffee in the morning, being mindful, practicing patience, creating. Nothing is more exciting or fulfilling in my life than when that inspiration or idea hits you from the beyond and you can write and write and write with no inner critic stopping you. I don’t like to stay happy for too long though. I need those dark days, to really value and appreciate the happiness more, to never take it for granted.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattfrancismusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattfrancismusic1
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattfrancismusic

Image Credits
Ali Vesey
John Geronilla
Shantell Cruz