Matty Reynolds Talks "(another) hotel party"
Put on your party clothes and stream Matty Reynolds’s “(another) hotel party.” It’s your new favorite teenage anthem—endearingly catchy and utterly nostalgic. Twenty Minutes Later got the chance to ask the 19-year-old artist a few questions about his new track and more. Read our interview below.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST START MAKING MUSIC?
The first song I remember writing was in second grade. It was a joke song that me and my siblings still know the words to. As a kid, I loved humming melodies and making songs, but I never really had the guts to put them out until about a year ago when I started posting on Tik Tok. I realized that people were resonating with what I was posting and so I started posting more and more.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THE SONGS YOU HAD POSTED ON TIK TOK AND RELEASE THEM?
At first, I was just posting covers. I wanted to start showing people what I was writing and so I started posting originals. It came to a point where my songs started to do better and I realized that it was time to put something out. And so I figured something out with a kid who lived down the hall from me at school and we recorded and released my first single, “Last September.”
YOU WORKED ON “Last September” WITH A SCHOOL FRIEND AND YOU STARTED “(another) hotel party” WITH CHORDS SENT TO YOU BY YOUR SISTER. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH HER ON THIS SONG?
My sister and I are always bouncing ideas off each other. Whenever I think of a new melody or start writing new lyrics I always send my sister a video of what I’m thinking. Sometimes she’ll be like, “I played these chords on my ukulele. I think you should write something over it.” That was what happened with “(another) hotel party.” I ended up really liking what I had written over it and then I posted it on Tik Tok.
IS MUSIC SOMETHING THAT RUNS IN YOUR FAMILY?
My dad was in a band in high school, but nothing besides that. My sister and I would always sing together when we were growing up, but my other two siblings don’t do music at all.
WHAT SONGS DID YOU AND YOUR SISTER GROW UP SINGING?
A lot. “Stay.” “Jar of Hearts.” Anything that was on the radio really.
AFTER YOUR SISTER SENT YOU THE CHORDS TO THE SONG, WHAT WAS YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE?
I always have to pick out a theme before I start writing. I can’t just blindly write. I was like, “How about I write about sneaking around my parents' rules and see where that goes?”. I started with the verse and then I got the chorus idea. It just progressed from there. I finished it in about a half an hour.
DO YOU NORMALLY WRITE SONGS THAT FAST?
It depends on the song. Some songs come super easily, others will take a little bit longer.
THE SONG IS SO UPBEAT AND FUN. IS IT EASIER FOR YOU TO WRITE A HAPPY SONG THAN IT IS TO WRITE A SAD ONE?
I think it's based on my emotions at the time. If I'm in a bad mood and I decide to write a sad song, I think I thrive in that environment. If I'm in a great mood and I'm strumming chord progressions on the guitar, I’ll just naturally write a more upbeat song.
IS THE SONG BASED OFF A TRUE STORY? WAS THERE AN ACTUAL HOTEL PARTY?
It’s not. It’s all loosely based on experiences.
DID YOU EVER KEEP A BIG SECRET FROM YOUR FAMILY AND DID THEY FIND OUT?
Definitely and definitely.
CARE TO ELABORATE?
I don’t know how much detail I can go into, but lying to your parents is definitely not a good idea.
YOU’RE AT A PARTY AND YOU’RE ON AUX. WHAT THREE SONGS ARE YOU PLAYING FIRST?
Good question. “Stay High” by Juice WRLD. “supercuts'' by Jeremy Zucker. “Party In The U.S.A.'' by Miley Cyrus.
IF YOU COULD ONLY PLAY THIRTY SECONDS OF “ (another) hotel party” TO HOOK PEOPLE IN, WHAT PART OF THE SONG WOULD YOU PLAY?
The bridge with the last chorus is definitely my favorite part of the song. The whole song I tried to make as powerful as possible, but I think that last chorus really brings the whole song together.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF ABOUT THE RELEASE?
Honestly, just reading DMS and comments and seeing how other people relate to it. That’s what I strive for when I write. I’m really thankful that everyone has been enjoying the song so far and I hope everyone will keep dancing and singing to it.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO “(another) hotel party” ON STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSIC. GO LISTEN AND MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW @twentyminuteslater TO STAY UPDATED ON FUTURE POSTS.
