Finn Matthews, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter and producer best known for his breakout 2017 hit “Julia,” wants you to embrace what–and who–you love.
Videos by American Songwriter
Today the LA artist drives that message home with a soothing, sun-kissed single called “Into the Open,” which premieres below with an accompanying video. He also announces his aptly-titled debut album, Sunny Daze.
“The song is really about self-love in the end of the day,” Matthews tells American Songwriter of the track. “I wrote it at a transformative time in my life. I felt like I was really coming into a period where I was unafraid of the judgment of others.”
“Into the Open” is a glimmering bedroom pop/R&B number that shows Matthews delivering that hopeful message in a catchy, flowing melody. His velvety vocals and atmospheric production carry the track.
“I don’t believe we’re all hopeless / I don’t think anybody’s broken / I’m not saying that we’re all the same / but I think that people can change,” he sings in the chorus. “I was losing my focus / Now I’m no longer running from the pain / that’s how I know that people can change.”
Matthews teamed up with director Brad Wong for the video, which illustrates the song across two storylines–one about a basketball player recovering from a car accident, and the other about two female dancers who like each other but are (initially) hesitant to embrace their romantic feelings. The video follows the arc of the song.
“I wrote it from a relationship perspective, but it’s more about the introspective nature of my mind, and the way that I see things,” explains Matthews. “Basically the song starts from a place that’s hopeless and lonely, and then this person brings the best version of myself out of me and forces me to love myself. Then as the song goes on it goes from hopelessness to love and freedom. Everyone just wants to be free.”
Matthews also spoke to American Songwriter about his move from New Jersey to Los Angeles, his debut album, and his introspective approach to songwriting. Read the full interview and watch “Into the Open” below.
American Songwriter: What’s “Into the Open” about? What was the sound or vibe you were going for on the track?
Finn Matthews: The song is really about self-love in the end of the day. I wrote it at a transformative time in my life. I felt like I was really coming into a period where I was unafraid of the judgment of others–just willing to do what I love and willing to do whatever it takes to do what I love [without] really worrying about what everyone’s thinking about me.
I wrote it from a relationship perspective, but it’s more about the introspective nature of my mind, and the way that I see things. Basically the song starts from a place that’s hopeless and lonely, and then this person brings the best version of myself out of me and forces me to love myself. Then as the song goes on it goes from hopelessness to love and freedom. Everyone just wants to be free.
Tell us about the video. What was the vision for it? What story does it tell?
The vibe I wanted to go for is people overcoming challenges. I just wanted to depict different things–normal things that everyone goes through, that everyone’s going to be able to relate to. I want to inspire everyone to do what they love, and even if there [are] setbacks, just to keep pushing because that’s really the only way that anyone is going to be happy–if they’re doing what they love and what satisfies them.
With the basketball player, he’s doing everything he can to play basketball [but] he gets into a car accident. But he pushes through, and at the end of the video he’s not fully better in that he’s better at basketball than before, but he learned [to] just appreciate being able to walk and being able to play basketball.
What about the other threads of the video?
The other story is these two girls who are dancers, and they like each other and they’re afraid to say it. They don’t know what each other are going to think and they don’t know the way that everybody else is going to interpret it, so they hide it. Then–at the end of the video–they kiss and all their worries drop away and they get teleported into this beautiful open field where they can just drown in love.
Who did you work with to put the video together?
I had the concept for the video and I met with the director of it, Brad Wong, and we went through all the ideas and what would be possible, shot-wise. He made it all super easy to pull off. I’m super happy with how it went.
You have a debut album on the way called Sunny Daze. When did you write, record, and produce it?
I honestly didn’t know that I was going to be making an album when I first started making music or when I first started making these songs. I was making songs for the sake of making songs, and then I started visualizing how they all fit together. Obviously I’m writing all of it and producing it, so they’re going to have a lot of overlap. It’s definitely very cohesive. So I figured I would put it into an album and I’ve been putting on the finishing touches lately.
But the process of writing it has been super effortless. I don’t try to force myself to write anything that isn’t just coming to me naturally. All the songs that I’ve written that I’m super proud of just happened. I didn’t get a chance to think about it while I was doing it. It was pouring out of me, and I don’t really know where they come from. Sometimes I’ll write lyrics or I’ll produce or make a beat or something and I don’t know where the ideas come from–where the message that I’m trying to say comes from–but I think that with songwriting it’s super important to be aware of your subconscious dialogue.
I know you lived in New Jersey before you moved to Los Angeles. How are the two places different? Has your music evolved since you’ve been in a new space?
The environments are completely different. In New Jersey it’s a super chill vibe. I love it there–it’s very homey. But in LA everyone’s on the grind, everyone’s trying to be somebody. And a lot of people are willing to step on your toes to make that happen. So that’s become a part of what I’ve been writing about with this album–figuring out my place in all that, and trying to figure out how to navigate.
I feel like the world is going to go on with or without you, so it’s just your responsibility to find where you fit into all that. As I’ve grown up–and I’ve grown a lot since I moved to LA–I’ve been figuring out my place in society and my identity.
How does that come through in your music?
I’m a very introspective person by nature. I’m always trying to figure everything out [and] know everything about myself. It definitely comes through in the music because a lot of the lyrics that I have are talking about the way I feel about things, and kind of fighting with the logical side of the brain and the emotional side–trying to balance that.
What does a day in the life of Finn Matthews look like right now?
I’m just working on finishing this project, doing the production. I have a few more things to do vocally, but all the songs are cut and written and the tracklist is finalized. I’m super excited. It’s been a little depressing and productive and inspiring, because when you’re not around people who are grinding it’s a little harder to motivate to do those things. But I love the time that I’m getting to reflect and just see everything for what it is.
Anything else you want to share “Into the Open” or your upcoming album?
The overall message that I’m trying to give as an artist–and not just with this album, but my overall aura that I’m trying to give off–is that I want everyone to pursue what they love. I think that if you love something enough there’s always going to be a way for you to be able to do that. That’s been my journey–trying to find a way to do what I love. That’s my happiness, that’s my sanity. And everything I do is through this lens of ‘How do I make this work?’ So I want to inspire everyone to do that as well.
“Into the Open” is out today. Sunny Daze is out later this year.
