Born and raised just outside of Chicago, Matthew Harlovic, professionally known as OUTTATUNE, began tinkering musically while attending Roosevelt University.
There, he started a student-run radio show called RU Positive where his personality as OUTTATUNE flourished. Soon after college, he connected with local artists from Oak Park, where he recorded his debut album Change of Tune.
During the past year, he has virtually collaborated with various artists around the world creating a library of primarily original works. OUTTATUNE is not your run-of-the-mill emcee. He brandishes his transparency through clever wordplay that ultimately connects with his audience.
Bringing in his audience for a soothing blend of Lo-fi Hip-hop meets old school roots, “Fun Run,” is the uniquely crafted single that is the most recent addition to OUTTATUNE’s musical catalog.
Over alluring instrumentation that reiterates themes of repetition for familiarity, OUTTATUNE transmits a sense of urgency as he tackles his witty verses with utter pride. Through atmospheric echoes that create a textured dimension in the mix, it’s no surprise that the authoritative nature is balanced out in a remarkable way.
The lyrical dexterity that he flaunts embodies an intriguing rush of emotion through the tone in which the carefully executed words are conveyed. Allowing us to peek into the emotive lens that is witness to all, the lyrical motifs that are impeccably structured through “Fun Run,” remain both captivating, and cognizant for us to be fueled off of.
OUTTATUNE illuminates the hues of his unmatched swagger as he approaches every song with a certified hit mentality. We feel the unapologetic persona of him being at his wit's end seep through the charisma on display, and this allows a track like “Fun Run” to rest in your life with an empowering rush of self-assuredness.
Congratulations on the release of your latest single “Fun Run.” With the subject matter addressed being the furthest thing from a fun situation, what allowed you to choose this song title to represent the events that you get vulnerable with?
While it is true that the song’s subject matter does not describe a “fun situation”, I don’t believe the title is representative of the more vulnerable events. I like to think that the title of the song is more of a sarcastic jab at the person who lies, cheats, and pretends the whole time that everything is fine and the relationship is strong.
What are you hoping that your audience can take away from this song in terms of themes and messaging brought forth?
I hope my audience will understand that relationships can often be difficult and require hard work and compromise. However, at some point, when conflicts in the relationship persist, trust is destroyed and the relationship becomes so mentally and emotionally damaging to oneself then it is time to cut your losses.
Could you please share a glimpse into the creative process that you embarked on when bringing this song to life?
I embarked on the creative process for the song by collaborating with a producer from Bedfordshire. Once I heard the beat, the lyrics just started emerging from within. A couple of conversations with family and friends helped solidify the rest. I received some valuable input from my brother Peter who sings backup vocals on the track.
How does “Fun Run,” compare to other songs heard in your music catalog?
The song, “Fun Run” is not really comparable to many of the songs in my music catalog. From start to finish, I did a lot of different things with this song. It was my intent to try to create a song that my audience might not expect from me but one that they might be able to relate to even if they don’t know the real story. I never recorded and released a song with someone else singing live background vocals for me before and I think that new element worked out well.
What's next for you?
I am planning to do a Livestream show before the end of this summer. I also plan on recording another work-in-progress that will be a collaboration with a talented, female singer. I have several other songs that I have been working on that may be ready for recording before the end of the year.
