Interview: Matt Goss
6 min read
Matt Goss is no stranger to success. Having won over millions of fans back in the eighties with his leather jacket wearing When Will I Be Famous? boyband, Bros, which he shared with fellow musician Craig Logan and Matt’s twin brother Luke, Matt was infected with the fame bug from a very young age. Since his time in Bros, Matt has gone on to become one of the most successful modern-day crooners of the past 10 years and has even earned himself a coveted spot in Las Vegas with residency at the famous Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip.
With a brand new album, Life You Imagine set for release in the U.S over the coming weeks, we spoke with Matt about the inspiration behind the new record and performing at one of the most iconic venues in the world, an opportunity that has been shared by many of the greats in the music industry over the decades. Here is what he had to tell us:
Brendon Veevers: How are you today Matt and where in the world does our interview find you?
Matt Goss: Good, thank you. How are you, and where do these answers find you? I’m currently en route to Bangkok to play a show and do some filming.
BV: You have just recently released a brand new EP in the U.S titled I Do. What has the response been toward I Do so far?
MG: I personally know of three weddings that have taken place to this song, and I’ve been told of many proposals to it all over the world.
BV: It has recently been announced that an album is to follow at the end of April called Life You Imagine. Can you tell us a little about the collection and what fans might be able to expect with these recordings?
MG: This album took two-and-a-half years to record. The album is full of glamour, soul and swagger. People tell me the album is like a movie.
BV: Is there a favourite track for you on the collection that you can tell us about? Any single song that resonates more than others and if so, what about the track makes it a favourite for you?
MG: Mustang is my favorite because it’s about my true definition of love in a smoky, empowered kind of way. And the song “Formality,” which is one of the most painful songs about how the end of a relationship is a formality between two people that love eachother.
BV: What would you say inspired you the most during the writing and recording process of Life You Imagine?
MG: Everything in my heart. I think you have to be truthful when writing songs. You have to allow your soul to undress until the naked truth find its way onto the page.
BV: With such a diverse and hugely successful career in music, was this the life you imagined or has each stage and achievement been a surprise to you?
MG: I think in life we are constantly given choices of left turns, right turns, straight ahead and unfortunately sometimes backwards. If you find yourself going backwards, immediately do a U-turn and don’t look in the rear view mirror when facing forward.
In regards to my career I think I’ve experienced all of them. That’s what makes it exciting: the beautiful unknown.
BV: You are being featured as the next HSN Live Artist with an exclusive concert on April 20th. What does it mean to you to be an HSN Live Artist and what can we expect in terms of the songs you will be performing?
MG: I’m very honored to have a national TV special on HSN. Please tune in on April 20th for a beautiful, glamorous, special time.
BV: Are there any plans to head out on the road to promote the album at all this year?
MG: Absolutely. Performing live is the only reason I still make music. I want to connect with an American audience with all of my heart.
BV: Your residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has been a huge accomplishment in your career. What has the experience been like for you to be playing every day in the same venue as some of the biggest recording and performing acts in history?
MG: It’s an incredible honor and really is a testament to sticking with what you really love. Music has taken me all over the world, and having my own showroom and bar in Vegas is something I’m extremely proud of and humbled by.
BV: What appealed to you the most about taking up the opportunity to have your own Las Vegas residency?
MG: Being on the road for many years takes an extraordinary amount of moving parts. Playing in Las Vegas is like doing a mini-tour every week – 40 million people a year go through that town.
BV: It is one thing keeping performances fresh for your fans who come along to see your show but how do you keep performances and playing the same shows fresh for yourself as the artist?
MG: The difference with Vegas as opposed to playing my own concert on the road is that some of my audience have read the reviews and heard about the show and want to see what it’s all about. So it keeps me on top of my game it gives me great pleasure to bring a room to life.
BV: Did you get any advice from other past or present resident performers before taking up the opportunity?
MG: I’ve met every entertainer you can imagine and they’ve all given me advice, as a performer their advice to me is “money in the bank.”
BV: You have had a very long love affair with music. What artists did you listen to growing up and do you think they have played a part in your own music through the years?
MG: Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole. In their own way, they have taught me how to sing.
BV: Who out there these days do you think is doing great thing in and for music?
MG: For a young artist I think Bruno Mars is a great performer. And The Alabama Shakes. They just lose themselves and there is no vanity to their performance.
BV: You became a huge star in the eighties with your brother Luke in Bros. Do you encounter many of your Bros fans at your solo shows these days or did your fanbase shift when your music style changed?
MG: I definitely have fans that have been with me from the beginning. I have fans that didn’t like Bros but love what I’m doing now, both men and women. And I constantly have people coming and telling me they’re new fans. God willing may the journey continue!
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BV: Having enjoyed such enormous success for so many years, what would you say has been the secret to your longevity in the music industry?
MG: That question is too hard to answer. In short form I would love to one day to be able to do seminars on the music industry and just general motivation.
BV: Have you adapted to the world of social media and online platforms like Twitter and Facebook? Where can fans keep up to date on your projects?
MG: I have a love/ hate relationship with social media although I love the fact I can converse with my fans via iPhone. I don’t like the way certain tweets can get misinterpreted.
BV: What other projects do you have in the pipeline that fans may be able to look forward to?
MG: I’m genuinely working on many things that I can’t talk about yet but looking forward to sharing.
BV: Thanks Matt and all the best with the album release.
MG: Thanks Brendon
Click here to Pre-Order Life You Imagine on iTunes
Click here to Pre-Order Life You Imagine on Amazon
Click here to Pre-Order Life You Imagine on HSN
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.
