Singer Matt Gardiner finds honesty in life’s chaos
· Citizen
There are few things more frustrating than knowing something is bad for you and wanting it anyway. Most people have been there at some point, drawn towards a person, habit or situation despite knowing exactly how it will end. But, we do it anyway.
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Singer-songwriter and former Idols contestant Matt Gardiner’s new single, Trouble (Want That), takes from this theme and unpacks it musically. He explores the addictive pull of making the wrong choices, but it’s dressed up with infectious hooks, synths and high-energy production.
Gardiner said that when he writes, it’s about honesty, finding his own sound and the importance of making people feel understood. In music, he said, this means more than striving for perfection in audio.
The Pietermaritzburg-based singer-songwriter carved out his own lane in music, blending acoustic songwriting with electronic production and a touch of 80s nostalgia. The result is music that feels upbeat on the surface but is weighted with something more personal beneath the surface.
How has the journey from Idols contestant to independent artist changed your music?Being an independent artist forced me to really figure out who I am as an artist and a musician. There was no blueprint and no one really telling me what lane to stay in. I had to trust my instincts, make mistakes, and grow from them.
Finding my own sound actually led to my signing my first record deal with David Gresham Records, which was a massive moment for me. And since then, I feel like I’ve grown even more. Not just as an artist, but as a person. The music I’m making now feels a lot more grounded and honest, and so much more like me because it comes from real experience, not just trying to fit into a space.
What makes your music different?I’d say it’s probably the feeling behind it all. On the surface, my music is quite upbeat, fun, and easy to listen to, but there’s almost always something a bit deeper beneath the surface. I’ve never really been interested in just making something that sounds good; I want it to feel good, or at least feel real.
Why are you attracted to vulnerability?I think it’s because that’s what people actually connect to. Sometimes I also like to look at things from somebody else’s perspective and how it would feel if I were going through the same thing, because at the end of the day, we all go through stuff, and most of the time we don’t really talk about it properly.
Everybody deserves to feel seen and heard, and music has always been that space for me-both where I can be the person who is there for whoever is listening, and where I can be a bit more open without overthinking it.
The songs that last are the ones that tell the truth, even if it’s uncomfortable. I don’t see vulnerability as a weakness; I think it’s actually what makes a song stick with you. If someone hears one of my songs and feels like, “okay, cool, I’m not the only one who’s felt like this,” then that’s what really matters to me.
You music’s acoustic, electronic and 80s influences.I’ve always been drawn to both sides of music: the really stripped-back, honest songwriting side and the big, nostalgic, massive production side. Combining those just feels natural to me. It’s almost like emotion meeting escapism. The acoustic elements keep everything grounded and real, while the electronic and 80s-inspired sounds bring lift and energy. It gives me space to tell a story in a way that feels dynamic, not one-dimensional.
I am also a very deep-feeling person, and when I think about the magic of experiencing something for the first time, it makes me feel a lot of things. That’s why I love making music that makes people feel like they are experiencing something again for the first time when they listen to my songs.
What do you want listeners to walk away with?I think just that they’re not alone. That’s always the main thing for me. If a song can make someone feel understood, even for three minutes, that’s everything to me. Whether it’s something happy or something a bit heavier, I want people to feel like someone gets it. Even if it just makes their day a little bit lighter, that connection is really what it’s all about for me.