From Maryland to Los Angeles, the singer-songwriter, recording artist, and producer MATT MACKEY III breaks free from the darkness of his past in a new and fresh single, "You're No Good For Me."
With sounds that fuse pop, r&b, and an alternative/indie vibe, MATT MACKEY III has managed to grab the attention of major industry players. Having collaborated with various artists, directors, and producers, MATT MACKEY III is able to carve his unique path while gathering valuable industry knowledge from experienced players along the way.
Sharing a rather vulnerable yet needed story with his latest single, "You're No Good For Me," MATT MACKEY III delves into the abuse of his past and fleeing from toxic love and relationships. "In other words, I was taught that love equals pain. This song was the first step in my healing process so that I could move forward without self-destructing—by learning how to love myself," says MATT MACKEY III.
Hitting play on "You're No Good For Me," the song opens with a plucky and bright keyboard melody that drops into a beaming and exhilarating electro-pop soundscape. As MATT MACKEY III makes his powerful vocal appearance, he jumps straight into his descriptive lyricism and expands on the good times with a past lover but ultimately highlighting the toxic effects that the relationship had on him.
We adore the song's uplifting and exciting sonic feel, as it perfectly allows any listener to lose themselves in the song's energy. Not to mention MATT MACKEY III's honest lyricism, he makes the listening experience all the more memorable with his relatable words that encourage listeners to steer away from those who harm our physical and mental health.
Clear your mind with MATT MACKEY III's latest hit, "You're No Good For Me," now available on all digital streaming platforms.
A warm welcome to BuzzMusic MATT MACKEY III. We can't get enough of the energy and honesty you've delivered in your latest single, "You're No Good For Me." Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired you to create this piece?
There wasn’t a specific moment or experience, rather, a series of severely damaged relationships (romantic and platonic) that led me to a breaking point. I didn’t have words for what I was experiencing until I went through some extensive therapy. I learned that I chose unhealthy relationships because of the way that I was taught what love meant at a young age. Growing up I was abused physically, sexually, and emotionally by those closest to me, so it was only natural for me to gravitate to those kinds of relationships as an adult. Those who have ever been in an abusive relationship, know how mentally taxing and incredibly hard they are to leave due to the manipulation. So when my last final abusive relationship ended, I was broken and my primary care physician at the VA saw that and referred me to a therapist. Luckily for me, she was a good one. My therapist helped me get in tune with my part in contributing to these relationships, and it boiled down to me not trusting myself enough to heed the red flags I saw in every previous relationship that ended horribly. In other words, she helped me decipher who was and wasn’t ‘good for me’ by learning how to trust my intuition. She taught me the true meaning of having boundaries. Writing music has always been my emotional outlet, and writing this song, for the first time in my life felt like a definitive end to my self-inflicted suffering. The end of allowing people outside of me to destroy me, and yet it was also the beginning of a claim to power inside of myself that so never knew I had; a rebirth.
Although your lyrics within "You're No Good For Me" are rather personal and emotional, why did you choose to create this bright and bold sonic atmosphere with the production?
I made the production bright and bold sonically because I didn’t want the song to be dreary and drab. I wanted the song to be empowering and uplifting. I wanted anyone who’s going through this situation to feel and know that they ultimately have the power to remove themselves from ANY relationship or situation that is unhealthy for them if they can just trust themselves enough to know that they deserve better. There’s a lesson in every trauma, but it doesn’t mean that we have to be stuck in those traumas indefinitely. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that’s what I wanted this production to embody.
Did you work solo on the production and songwriting process for "You're No Good For Me?" Or did you bounce your ideas off any other songwriters or producers/engineers?
This song is 100% a creation that came from me in terms of production and writing. I didn’t bounce ideas off of anyone for this one because it was so personal to me and it was a form of therapy for me. Though I wrote this for myself, I hope that I can help someone else out from my experience. The video on the other hand was a collaboration with my friends Danielle Adams, Teri Moretz, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Tim Schlattmann who really wanted to help me tell my story in a captivating way. I am eternally grateful to have such a great support system that truly understands me.
What do you hope your audience learns, realizes, or takes away from "You're No Good For Me?" What emotions or feelings did you want to evoke in your audience?
I want my audience, friends, fans, and family to realize how much power they have within themselves. I want them to see that a few horrible things that may have happened to them do not have to define them as a person. We can all move past trauma if we truly want to. I also want to de-stigmatize the purpose of therapy, especially as a man in communities of color like mine. The effect therapy has had on my being has been truly life-altering. If we are willing to put in the work, we can all live lives that aren’t stifling or painful; it is possible. The feelings of true self-awareness & empowerment are unlike any other experience, and they’re emotions we should all embrace.
What's next for you?
I came from a family system that had deep generational traumas, severe mental illness all throughout, and recently I’ve come to realize that all of the projects I’ve been writing are heavily influenced by those facts. So I’ve decided to build my platform on the foundation of the importance & de-stigmatization of mental health and my personal growth from what I’ve learned through those experiences over my life. I’ll be releasing quite a few songs and projects over the next couple of years that show my progress and hopefully help some people along the way. Lastly, I’d really like to get back out on tour again to spread the message as soon as the Covid situation permits.