Matt Bawtree Is Just Getting Started: From Jamming with Friends to Going Solo

“One thing I tell people is to write what you connect to” – Matt Bawtree

Photo Credit: Hollie Hopson

Kent-based singer-songwriter Matt Bawtree is taking off with his solo career. After a few years with four-piece indie band South By Zero, he is embarking on a new path and experimenting with his musical abilities. With catchy melodies and infectious guitar riffs, Matt writes about themes of heartbreak, his family life and internal struggles.

During an in-depth conversation on a Zoom call, Matt speaks to us about his time with South By Zero, combating writer’s block and the navigation of his career as a solo musician. 

What’s your first musical memory?

Well, my parents are both musicians. My dad’s a cathedral organist, and I would go with him to church because I was too young to stay home. I was his page turner; it was a really nice way for me to learn how to count music and things like that. But I do remember the first time I tried turning a page, the loose music sheets just dropped all over the floor! 

So, you were heavily influenced by your family growing up then, because they were quite musical. Did you feel pressure to follow suit or was it a very natural thing for you to be like, ‘Oh, no, I’m going to be a musician. This is what I want.’? 

I think I would have felt pressure if I went into classical music, because my mum was a great classically trained singer and music teacher. She taught GCSE and A Level music at my school. And my dad has obviously done great things with his classical career. I used to play the bassoon, but I didn’t really enjoy it that much. There was no incentive for me to do it. I picked up a guitar later in my life and that was more natural for me. My parents support me with my music, even if they don’t understand it, just like I support their music. 

What music did you listen to when you were younger and has this changed as you’ve gotten older?

As a kid, you listen to everything your parents put in front of you, and that’s what I did. They listened to a lot of David Bowie, REM and Lady Gaga. I remember asking for an iPod nano for my birthday, and I think the first album I had on it was 1989 by Taylor Swift. My music taste was a combination of the pop of Taylor Swift with the grittiness of dubstep. I’d say now it’s more soft rock, which shows in the music I make. Sam Fender and Talking Heads are big influences for me right now. 

You started in the band South By Zero. Why have you decided to go solo now?

The band was a project that my best friend George and I started in school. It was all I knew in terms of music-making, and I had, and still do have, a great time with South By Zero. But it is a lot. When you’re in a band for that long and nothing happens, people start to get antsy about certain things, me included. You start to not like your songs anymore, which means no new stuff is happening. But it’s also because I couldn’t afford to live in Manchester anymore, so I moved back home with my parents in Kent. My girlfriend, who is in the band, is making music on her own under the name Carolyn, which is going really well. Our drummer, Rune, is playing for another band who are at the other end of the country. It’s difficult to keep things going at the rate it was. We’re still making music, and we did a few gigs this summer. I just wanted to keep it fun rather than running it into the ground even more. I still love those guys so much and I think we’ll come back to it at some point. It makes sense for me to put all my energy into my songs and make them the best they can be before doing that again.

How has the band shaped you as a musician?

We used to busk in Canterbury, and that experience helped me with my confidence and practising my vocal technique. Working in a studio space allowed me to develop skills in production and figure out what works best with my voice. The biggest takeaway I got from the band is that it helped me to find myself and work better with other people.

How would you describe your musical sound as Matt Bawtree? 

It probably falls under the guise of pop-rock with a tinge of indie in there. I’ve been influenced by folk music too. 

How does it feel performing live solo as opposed to performing in a band?

It’s a lot easier performing on your own. Sometimes in the band, I would start songs a bit too quick or slow, and when the tempo is slightly off, it can be difficult for the drummer to match that or get everyone back to the right tempo. Whereas if you’re playing solo and you start off too fast, you can ebb and flow it a little bit and no one notices. Playing in a full band can be quite anxiety-inducing, because there’s just a lot of things that can go wrong. 

What has the response from South By Zero fans been like to your solo stuff?

When we started SBZ, we’d make friends with the people that listened to our music on the off chance. So, people who find my stuff are mainly those that follow me anyway. But it’s really nice because they come to my gigs as well as the band’s. I still play some SBZ songs in my set. I think people who love the band want us all to do well. 

How do you try and venture out to new listeners beyond your tight-knit fanbase?

It’s all TikTok now, and that makes me feel so old saying that! I’m trying to find what videos work better. Playing support slots is also great. I’d say my strength is the ‘live’ side of things. I supported Jason Allan and Ben Rodriguez and picked up a few fans from there. I think the main way people find me is through videos of me playing on TikTok, and my live performances. If I give people context to what the song’s about in a caption, they can relate it to their own experiences.

Describe your writing process. What inspires you to write music? 

Emotions are a big way for me to channel lyrics into songs. I get inspired by chord progressions. I hum a melody over the chord progression and find words that fit, relating the emotions I felt before to the lyrics. When I’m at small gigs, I like to hear what lots of other people are playing until it becomes a music soup in your head. You then end up channelling something you didn’t know you could write. 

Would you say you lean into vulnerability with your lyrics?

I think it’s really important for artists to be vulnerable with themselves. You have to be honest with yourself. I remember writing Starting Line, a song that I initially wrote because my ex-girlfriend told me she didn’t love me anymore. I wrote the first verse out of pure anger, being like, ‘Well, fuck you then!’

I kept putting the song off because I didn’t want to admit to myself that this is how I felt. Every time I came back to it, it reignited this fire in me. I eventually finished the song because I wanted to get it all out on paper. I think if you’re feeling something and you feel like it would make a good song, I don’t think you should shy away from it. The song doesn’t have to be released in the end or anything, but it’s a good way of being able to hone your craft and listen to yourself. 

Love that! If you’re authentic with your songwriting, you’ll have more authentic listeners – people who genuinely like your stuff. They won’t just like you on a superficial level.

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Going back to my point about being relatable, if your music is going to do well, people have to connect with it. Sam Fender writes about politics or growing up in a council estate in Newcastle and has a catchy pop hook that people will sing for generations. One thing I tell people is to write what you connect to. If you connect to it, chances are a lot of people will. 

Do you suffer from writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it?

I feel like ‘writer’s block’ is a harsh term because I’m always writing melodies, guitar riffs, chord progressions or lyrics. But it can take a long while. A lot of people say you should just finish a song, no matter if it’s changed. I don’t think you should beat yourself into the ground about not finishing a song. If I continue writing a song that I think is bad, I feel a bit worthless. But if you come up with one good idea and you leave it for a few weeks in your voice notes, you can come back to it when you’re feeling inspired again and you want to write a song. Writing with other people is a great way to get out of writer’s block because you bounce ideas off each other. 

Who’s an artist you’d love to collab with?

Oh damn! I’d love to work with Mk.gee. His hook writing is so great, and I love the production of his songs. He has distorted and cool sounds within the guise of a pop track. It’s a different sound to what I’ve got, but I’d love to experiment with different sounds and see how he works. 

What’s the ultimate dream for you as an artist?

Well, Glastonbury would be sick. But really, I just want to be able to do this all of the time because I’m doing what I love. I want to tour all around the world. 

Do you have any advice for any upcoming artists who may be reading?

Always record every single idea you have, because you don’t know where they’ll lead. Keep honing your craft, keep practising the guitar, practicing the piano, playing open mics, going to venues, going to gigs and that sort of thing. Don’t be a piece of shit! Support your friends and they’ll support you. Don’t get in your own head about things, because it’s always a lot bigger in your own head than it is out there.

This November, Matt is embarking on his first UK headline tour, Spinning Out, performing in grassroots venues in Manchester, London and Folkestone with a full band lineup. You can purchase tickets here.

A huge thank you to Matt for taking the time to chat with us!