Andrew Matarazzo: Love life and new beginnings
DECEMBER 8, 2022 → WORDS ADRIÁN GOMIS EXPÓSITO
The multifaceted Brazilian creative Andrew Matarazzo –actor, musician, writer, and creative director– is so immensely talented that his career hasn’t stopped expanding. We have seen his acting skills in productions like the MTV show Teen Wolf, the Netflix movie He’s All That, and other really impressive projects, but Matarazzo decided to open his creative wings to venture into other disciplines like music, feeling even more fulfilled when firing off all his cylinders.
Having such an intense burning desire to always be creating, he presents his latest song Past Lives, which talks about meeting someone new and focuses on the bright side of relationships, changing the perspective of his previous songs centered on heartbreaks. Matarazzo opens up with Sicky about the deep meaning of his new song and his love life, showing the most intimate side he’s never revealed before, talking about his view on dating and the personal growth experimented throughout his life and experiences.
BEFORE DIVING INTO YOUR PROLIFIC CAREER, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY ASKING YOU ABOUT YOUR ROOTS. COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR ORIGINS AND YOUR PERSONAL STORY, PLEASE?
I grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil before moving to Miami with my parents and siblings. I’m the oldest of five so my house had a lot of different personalities in it, and I loved that, but I didn’t love living in Florida. I had my heart set on studying abroad so I auditioned and applied for a Shakespeare program in London which I ended up attending for a year, and that was really the start of my shift into respecting the craft of acting in a different way and my drive to end up in LA to pursue it professionally.
AS A MULTIFACETED CREATIVE, YOU’VE VENTURED INTO MUSIC, ACTING, WRITING, AND CREATIVE DIRECTION. WHAT PUSHED YOU TO PURSUE A CREATIVE CAREER IN ALL THESE FIELS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
I inherently have such an intense burning desire to always be creating something, so naturally, I developed so many different mediums for that. I used to be really set on only pursuing one thing – acting – because I didn’t want to lose focus on that, but I think, in part during the pandemic, and in part, because I just needed different types of fulfillment, I realized that all these different avenues bleed into each other and I’m a better artist when I’m firing off all cylinders. I’m more focused as an actor when I’m making other forms of art.
REGARDING YOUR ACTING FACET, YOU’VE APPEARED IN THE MTV SHOW TEEN WOLF, IN ALL RISE FROM CBS, AND IN THE NETFLIX MOVIE HE’S ALL THAT, AS WELL AS IN MANY OTHER TV SHOW AND SERIES. HOW HAS YOUR JOURNEY AS AN ACTOR BEEN FROM WHEN YOU STARTED TO WHERE YOU’RE NOW? HOW HAVE THESE ROLES SHAPED YOUR ACTING SKILLS?
When I ended up in LA, it was actually hard for me to readjust to the way things worked in TV and film when I was coming out of a very experimental and intense classical training background. I was suddenly told to throw away all those tools and learn new ones. It took a long time to get my footing again. I’ve been in LA for many years now and I’ve been through and seen so much, and I still feel like I’m figuring it out. But I’m so much more at peace now with putting in the work and going with the flow, no matter the results. My favorite part about playing a role is how you learn so much from so many different points of view when you’re looking at and thinking through the minds of other people. I take something away from every role. That part is really cool.
ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT YOU IS THAT YOU HAVE DIRECTED, PRODUCED, AND CONCEPTUALIZED ALL YOUR MUSIC VIDEOS, WHICH IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. HOW’S THAT PROCESS OF DOING EVERYTHING YOURSELF? HOW DO YOU DO IT?
I think because I’m so detail-oriented and get so passionate about my visions I can’t help but take the lead and get involved in every aspect of creating it. At first, it came out of necessity, feeling like no one will work as hard for you as you do - but then, I realized I really enjoyed taking the lead and working together with other artists to create. It’s so rewarding.
SOME OF YOUR ORIGINAL SONGS INCLUDE OMERTÀ, NEW YORK, DON’T SAY LOVE, AND IF I MOVED AWAY. HOW MUCH OF YOU HAVE POURED INTO THESE SONGS? WHAT DO THEY TELL ABOUT YOU AND YOUR STORIES OR WHAT DO THEY TALK ABOUT?
Songwriting is such a special art form. It’s reliving or retelling emotions and experiences within you that sometimes can’t even be put into spoken word, but somehow music and lyrics paint the picture perfectly. I try to only write when I need to say something or get it off my chest, so the lyrics are always genuine to what I’m going through. I find so much closure when I take emotions bottled up in me and put them out in the form of a song.
WITH YOUR SWEET AND MELLOW VOICE, WHICH I HONESTLY LOVE, YOU ARE PRESENTING A NEW SONG NAMED PAST LIVES, WHICH I BELIEVE TALKS ABOUT MEETING SOMEONE YOU’VE BEEN MANIFESTING ALL ALONG. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT IT, PLEASE?
I’ve been lucky to experience being in love, and I think I was ready to make a song about that part of a relationship instead of the heartbreak parts. Past Lives really came about when I thought to myself, “I can’t wait to meet my person”. I manifest and think about them a lot, and I don’t even know them yet, so the song was written from the perspective of finally having them in my life, and what that feels like. The lyrics are what I imagine I’d sing to them.
AS YOU SAY, YOU’VE HAD A ROCKY LOVE LIFE AND A LOT OF YOUR SONGS TEND TO BE SAD, BUT THIS ONE HAS A HAPPY TINT TO IT, AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN FROM LOVE AND PEACE. IF I MAY ASK, AT WHAT POINT IN YOUR LIFE AND LOVE LIFE ARE YOU NOW THAT HAS ENABLED YOU TO WRITE THIS SONG?
I’m thinking about dating so differently now. I’m a lot more aware of who I’m and what I want long-term, and there are certain things I won’t compromise on. I’m trying to invest differently. I want a teammate and partner for life, so I’m making sure to tread more carefully and really return the energy I’m given.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST PART OF DATING? DO YOU FIND IT EASY TO MEET SOMEONE NEW AND FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE NEW EVERY TIME?
Obviously, we carry our experiences onwards, so with each new love interest, the experience is different. I don’t think LA is a very love-life-friendly place. Everyone describes what they want, but when it’s in front of them they push it away. It might be like that in most big cities, but here there is a lot of emphasis on things that are ultimately not important.
I’VE HEARD YOU PRACTICE A LOT THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION. WHAT’S THAT ABOUT AND WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS PRACTICE?
I’m huge on meditation and manifestation. Everyone practices that differently, but for me, I tend to have small rituals that ground me in a state of peacefulness where I can have a dialogue with the universe and reconnect with what I’m trying to achieve, attract, and what I’m grateful has already come. Even if you take the spiritual side out of it, it’s so healthy to have a quiet moment to touch base with yourself.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT FUTURE PROJECTS, WHETHER IT BE ACTING, MUSIC, WRITING, OR ANYTHING YOU’RE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? WHAT MOTIVATES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE?
I have almost too much going on right now, but taking it one step at a time. A lot of my biggest goals were achieved this year so I’m really excited for what’s to come. I’m driven by how much I want to achieve in my life and knowing that there are still some of the best people I will ever know out there that I haven’t met yet.
Andrew Matarazzo:
Love life and new beginnings
DECEMBER 8, 2022 → WORDS ADRIÁN GOMIS EXPÓSITO
The multifaceted Brazilian creative Andrew Matarazzo –actor, musician, writer, and creative director– is so immensely talented that his career hasn’t stopped expanding. We have seen his acting skills in productions like the MTV show Teen Wolf, the Netflix movie He’s All That, and other really impressive projects, but Matarazzo decided to open his creative wings to venture into other disciplines like music, feeling even more fulfilled when firing off all his cylinders.
Having such an intense burning desire to always be creating, he presents his latest song Past Lives, which talks about meeting someone new and focuses on the bright side of relationships, changing the perspective of his previous songs centered on heartbreaks. Matarazzo opens up with Sicky about the deep meaning of his new song and his love life, showing the most intimate side he’s never revealed before, talking about his view on dating and the personal growth experimented throughout his life and experiences.
BEFORE DIVING INTO YOUR PROLIFIC CAREER, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY ASKING YOU ABOUT YOUR ROOTS. COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR ORIGINS AND YOUR PERSONAL STORY, PLEASE?
I grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil before moving to Miami with my parents and siblings. I’m the oldest of five so my house had a lot of different personalities in it, and I loved that, but I didn’t love living in Florida. I had my heart set on studying abroad so I auditioned and applied for a Shakespeare program in London which I ended up attending for a year, and that was really the start of my shift into respecting the craft of acting in a different way and my drive to end up in LA to pursue it professionally.
AS A MULTIFACETED CREATIVE, YOU’VE VENTURED INTO MUSIC, ACTING, WRITING, AND CREATIVE DIRECTION. WHAT PUSHED YOU TO PURSUE A CREATIVE CAREER IN ALL THESE FIELS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
I inherently have such an intense burning desire to always be creating something, so naturally, I developed so many different mediums for that. I used to be really set on only pursuing one thing – acting – because I didn’t want to lose focus on that, but I think, in part during the pandemic, and in part, because I just needed different types of fulfillment, I realized that all these different avenues bleed into each other and I’m a better artist when I’m firing off all cylinders. I’m more focused as an actor when I’m making other forms of art.
REGARDING YOUR ACTING FACET, YOU’VE APPEARED IN THE MTV SHOW TEEN WOLF, IN ALL RISE FROM CBS, AND IN THE NETFLIX MOVIE HE’S ALL THAT, AS WELL AS IN MANY OTHER TV SHOW AND SERIES. HOW HAS YOUR JOURNEY AS AN ACTOR BEEN FROM WHEN YOU STARTED TO WHERE YOU’RE NOW? HOW HAVE THESE ROLES SHAPED YOUR ACTING SKILLS?
When I ended up in LA, it was actually hard for me to readjust to the way things worked in TV and film when I was coming out of a very experimental and intense classical training background. I was suddenly told to throw away all those tools and learn new ones. It took a long time to get my footing again. I’ve been in LA for many years now and I’ve been through and seen so much, and I still feel like I’m figuring it out. But I’m so much more at peace now with putting in the work and going with the flow, no matter the results. My favorite part about playing a role is how you learn so much from so many different points of view when you’re looking at and thinking through the minds of other people. I take something away from every role. That part is really cool.
ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT YOU IS THAT YOU HAVE DIRECTED, PRODUCED, AND CONCEPTUALIZED ALL YOUR MUSIC VIDEOS, WHICH IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. HOW’S THAT PROCESS OF DOING EVERYTHING YOURSELF? HOW DO YOU DO IT?
I think because I’m so detail-oriented and get so passionate about my visions I can’t help but take the lead and get involved in every aspect of creating it. At first, it came out of necessity, feeling like no one will work as hard for you as you do - but then, I realized I really enjoyed taking the lead and working together with other artists to create. It’s so rewarding.
SOME OF YOUR ORIGINAL SONGS INCLUDE OMERTÀ, NEW YORK, DON’T SAY LOVE, AND IF I MOVED AWAY. HOW MUCH OF YOU HAVE POURED INTO THESE SONGS? WHAT DO THEY TELL ABOUT YOU AND YOUR STORIES OR WHAT DO THEY TALK ABOUT?
Songwriting is such a special art form. It’s reliving or retelling emotions and experiences within you that sometimes can’t even be put into spoken word, but somehow music and lyrics paint the picture perfectly. I try to only write when I need to say something or get it off my chest, so the lyrics are always genuine to what I’m going through. I find so much closure when I take emotions bottled up in me and put them out in the form of a song.
WITH YOUR SWEET AND MELLOW VOICE, WHICH I HONESTLY LOVE, YOU ARE PRESENTING A NEW SONG NAMED PAST LIVES, WHICH I BELIEVE TALKS ABOUT MEETING SOMEONE YOU’VE BEEN MANIFESTING ALL ALONG. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT IT, PLEASE?
I’ve been lucky to experience being in love, and I think I was ready to make a song about that part of a relationship instead of the heartbreak parts. Past Lives really came about when I thought to myself, “I can’t wait to meet my person”. I manifest and think about them a lot, and I don’t even know them yet, so the song was written from the perspective of finally having them in my life, and what that feels like. The lyrics are what I imagine I’d sing to them.
AS YOU SAY, YOU’VE HAD A ROCKY LOVE LIFE AND A LOT OF YOUR SONGS TEND TO BE SAD, BUT THIS ONE HAS A HAPPY TINT TO IT, AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN FROM LOVE AND PEACE. IF I MAY ASK, AT WHAT POINT IN YOUR LIFE AND LOVE LIFE ARE YOU NOW THAT HAS ENABLED YOU TO WRITE THIS SONG?
I’m thinking about dating so differently now. I’m a lot more aware of who I’m and what I want long-term, and there are certain things I won’t compromise on. I’m trying to invest differently. I want a teammate and partner for life, so I’m making sure to tread more carefully and really return the energy I’m given.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST PART OF DATING? DO YOU FIND IT EASY TO MEET SOMEONE NEW AND FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE NEW EVERY TIME?
Obviously, we carry our experiences onwards, so with each new love interest, the experience is different. I don’t think LA is a very love-life-friendly place. Everyone describes what they want, but when it’s in front of them they push it away. It might be like that in most big cities, but here there is a lot of emphasis on things that are ultimately not important.
I’VE HEARD YOU PRACTICE A LOT THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION. WHAT’S THAT ABOUT AND WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS PRACTICE?
I’m huge on meditation and manifestation. Everyone practices that differently, but for me, I tend to have small rituals that ground me in a state of peacefulness where I can have a dialogue with the universe and reconnect with what I’m trying to achieve, attract, and what I’m grateful has already come. Even if you take the spiritual side out of it, it’s so healthy to have a quiet moment to touch base with yourself.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT FUTURE PROJECTS, WHETHER IT BE ACTING, MUSIC, WRITING, OR ANYTHING YOU’RE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? WHAT MOTIVATES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE?
I have almost too much going on right now, but taking it one step at a time. A lot of my biggest goals were achieved this year so I’m really excited for what’s to come. I’m driven by how much I want to achieve in my life and knowing that there are still some of the best people I will ever know out there that I haven’t met yet.