MATT MALTESE

Matt Maltese is one of those rare talents who manage to bring the coolness and panache of Sammy Davis Jr. to the stage at a young age. At just 20 years old, he released his debut record "Bad Contestant" and the video for the accompanying single "Greatest Comedian" already showed him dancing down the stairs in a pink suit. With his high baritone he sings in wide melodies about everyday life, love, politics and himself, while this big produced sound carries him through the songs. Maltese himself once described this as Brexit pop. But with his new album "Driving Just To Drive" the singer has sought a new approach and allowed himself to look back into the past. The Brit from Reading reflects on the feeling and meaning of the place where you grew up and the secret of just enjoying the moment - and shows himself as free as never before. "Driving Just To Drive" shows Maltese at his most open and calm, embracing new sounds but returning to the most organic version of himself he knows. He's always been able to find the way to make people laugh, but here he finds a way to be charming while letting his guard down. The result is something bittersweet, something deeply, authentically emotional, and gives the album great clarity and depth in its storytelling. Matt Maltese pays tribute to his roots, drawing lifelines back to his youth - and in the song "Florence" talks about a concert that changed his life as a teenager and would become a spark for his own musical development. The Englishman has allowed himself a warmer and fuller sound for the new tracks, appropriate to the very personal content, which also suits his voice quite well, without losing his sense of the well-told stories, his irony and humor. In February, you can join Matt Maltese on his journey into his past - and certainly admire his crooner qualities - when he joins us on tour. - Touring Just To Tour 2024