Life & Work with Matthew Jude

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Jude.

Hi Matthew, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
I don’t come from a family who ties to music or the industry. I am actually the only musician I know of in either side of my family, and I found music by chance. 

When my sister turned 18, she moved out of the house and left her kid-size guitar (that she had never played) in her closet. I found it and found a little book of chords with it and began teaching myself guitar. I also taught myself piano, as best I could, and started playing and singing my junior year of high school. 

That seems so long ago now, that I can’t even remember really when my first show was, but slowly I started making connections and started releasing music. 

I released my first album of original music working with producer Mike Shapiro and it was my first time in a major recording studio. It was crazy to have top-tier studio musicians playing on songs that I had written myself, too! 

After that, I began performing in a pop duo called Honey and Jude, and we recorded our album with producer Andres Torres, who produced Despacito shortly after. Honey and Jude was a lot of fun, and we got to perform in a lot of cool places! 

More recently, I have been working on my own solo project and released another album of original music in 2020, when we all literally thought the world was ending. I’m continuing to write and plan for more new music soon! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I always kind of felt like I have been a step behind everyone else all the time because I didn’t come from a musical background and had to teach myself and make my own connections, but I’m very grateful for all the opportunities that have presented themself to me. In a way, I feel like having to fight for everything has given me a better understanding of what it is to build a career in this industry. 

It hasn’t always been easy along the way. I suffered some setbacks having been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was 21. Learning how to be a musician with Crohn’s disease and maintaining a busy schedule is a whole other learning curve. 

I had to have emergency surgery twice because of it, where they cut through your abdominal muscles, and you basically have to rebuild them in order to talk, move, sit up, much less sing. I remember that, while in recovery, I gave myself a goal to be able to attend American Idol auditions, even if my voice wasn’t perfect. I achieved that goal, attended the auditions, and actually made it much further than I ever expected. 

It was less about the outcome and more about the resilience I learned. Overcoming physical challenges is difficult, but sometimes, overcoming the mental obstacles can be even harder. I’m very fortunate. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most known for my voice as a singer. I have a unique quality to my tone that people often find difficult to describe, although I enjoy watching them try! 

I am also a songwriter and written my own music as well as songs that have been used by other artists as well. 

My style of music is kind of pop alternative (whatever that means). I take inspiration from artists like Bleachers, The Cure, Troye Sivan, and more. I realize those are three drastically different artists, but somehow it seems right. 

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My motto is “never be boring.” The first producer I ever worked with gave me the best advice that I have always carried with me. His name was Mike Shapiro; he was a legendary drummer and accomplished producer. 

He told me, “Don’t ever be vanilla ice cream.” He went on to explain how everyone kind of likes vanilla ice cream. It’s not really offensive to anyone. But there also aren’t people out there who are like, “Wow, I love vanilla ice cream.” Most people get vanilla ice cream because it’s what’s available. 

He said, “Be like pistachio ice cream.” There are a lot of people out there who don’t like pistachio ice cream, some that hate it in fact. But the people who love pistachio ice cream REALLY love it, and when they get ice cream, they will never get anything other than pistachio ice cream. 

The point was that not to give into the temptation of being palatable to the masses. Find your unique angle, stick with it, and the right people will find you. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @matthewjude
• Other: https://tr.ee/x6pTzWMy5L