Today we’d like to introduce you to MATEO
Hi MATEO, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was immersed in the arts at an early age and found my passion for performing through musical theater. My love for storytelling took root from watching home videos of my sister performing in community theater shows like The Sound of Music.
While theater holds a special place in my heart, my love for recorded and live music has become my true calling.
While exploring my musical interests in high school I discovered organizations such as A Cappella Academy, which unearthed my genuine love for the art of collaborative music. This love for a cappella music led to me participating in groups like Calabasas High School’s Unstrumental and Legacy directed by Rob Dietz. This experience inspired my collegiate journey, in groups like Pitch Slapped at Berklee College of Music and The SoCal VoCals at the University of Southern California, where I served as President for two years.
As a developing artist, I also have worked as a session vocalist, top-liner, and award-winning arranger. I’ve performed and recorded background vocals with artists like Pentatonix, Libianca, and Trousdale. My love for songwriting manifests in styles ranging from children’s shows to K-Pop.
Bio:
Known for his commanding tone and lush harmonic textures, Mateo’s approach to storytelling is timeless. Born and raised in Los Angeles, the city has inspired him to write coming of age songs, capturing heartbreak and rebellion through an LGBTQ+ lens. His synth-pop/rock compositions are euphoric, racy, tragic, beautiful, defiant, all in one. Like the feeling you get when you know something no one else does – when you get lost in the mirror too long – when the friends you’ve grown with start to feel like strangers. Through his music, Mateo leads with the goal of providing understanding and unity to everyone he reaches.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road for me – I struggled a lot with finding my place in music and for a while thought I possibly wasn’t fit to be a musician. There were a couple years of my life where I was in a horrible relationship, didn’t focus on my self-worth, and just wasn’t creating like I knew I could.
My college journey totally transformed this, I was able to work through my relationships and establish a community that inspired me rather than tore me down. USC has been such a defining part of this, making my artistic experience feel legitimate and finding how my passions can serve a multitude of projects.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m mainly a synth pop artist, focusing on queer stories and messages with influences like Troye Sivan, Allie X, and Chappell Roan. I recently released a song titled “Miserable” on all streaming platforms, focusing on a past relationship. I found so much power while writing this song and reclaimed a lot of what I had lost during that time. I think my proudest moments are when other queer people relate to my music. Knowing that other people not only understand my struggles but may have lived through them themselves shows me that this music isn’t only helping me. It becomes bigger than just me, and that’s really when it feels the most special.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The “Miserable” music video will be out the end of June to celebrate Pride Month 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://whereismateomusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whereismateo?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
Belinda Lee
Skyler Bergman
Kris Loew
