Crossover potential usually comes in packages similar to Nelly Furtado and Gwen Stefani go through a genre transformation, go through an audience expansion. Mathew Santos, on the other hand, went through no genre change and an audience expansion. People want to draw that line for you, but Im not having it, says Santos when the touchy topic of genre comes up.If his name sounds familiar, it makes sense. Matthew Santos is the voice on Lupe Fiascos first Top 10 hit, Superstar. The Minneapolis native lent his flexible vocals to an R&B hook, but R&B is far from the appropriate word to describe the music he creates. Just because you can sing R&B doesnt make you an R&B singer. Just because Ive had folk/rock songs doesnt make me a folk/rock artist. I can sing blues and opera, but that doesnt make you an opera singer.In a recording studio in Houston, Texas, Matthew takes a break before embarking on a national tour that will for-sure bring him fans by the bundle. From the moment Santoss speaking voice booms out, its deep. It catches you off-guard as youre expecting the R&B softness that bathes even his original and acoustic vocals.The tour that Matthew is replenishing for is Kanye Wests Glow In The Dark Tour. The Minneapolis native will be opening alongside the hot performers Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D. Still, Matthew seems undaunted by the possibilities this tour has for him. When its stated that its one of the most anticipated tours this year his response is a simple, Oh, yeah? I guess its big, huh?This easiness might just root from being prepped by Lupe Fiascos The Cool tour during late 2007, which Matthew was also a part of. When asked about his biggest challenge, hes quick and thoughtful, Its hard to adapt to that culture. The Hip-Hop culture, within the industry, is a particularly shady culture. The business ethics are just a little skewed and foreign to me.Night after night, to packed venues, hed walk on stage with a guitar and perform in front of audiences waiting to hear Fiasco, and when the audience is told that hes the featured artist on Superstar, well, it can go one or two ways. Matthew recalls with a sense of purpose, as if this realization alone carried him through the tour, It [was] very challenging. It [was] definitely a very fulfilling experience at the same time. It just proves that its really not about style its about soul. I mean Im the only white dude on a Hip-Hop tour and the only white dude on stage. So, theres this cultural thing going on, he explains. But its all good because Lupes fans are so hip to it. Theres this whole new consciousness and this new wave of thinking and this openness that it didnt really matter. When I would get off stage, I didnt even notice it, people in the back were asking, Do you hear how loud theyre screaming when you hopped on stage? Its more than certain that audience reactions were the same kind that made Lupe Fiasco sign Matthew to his record label: 1st & 15th.After speaking to Matthew Santos you might be tempted to play back his vocals on Superstar. Now you hear the sense of clairvoyance, you hear it in the soulful conviction. It was as if he knew deep down this hooks mantra was one he would have to live with for the next couple of months, surrounded by millions of fans, artists and celebrities, and his own budding stardom. All of which came from changing nothing.
Get To Know: Matthew Santos, the Voice Behind Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar”
Crossover potential usually comes in packages similar to Nelly Furtado and Gwen Stefani go through a genre transformation, go through an audience expansion. Mathew Santos, on the other hand, went through no genre change and an audience expansion. People want to draw that line for you, but Im not having it, says Santos when the touchy topic of genre comes up.If his name sounds familiar, it makes sense. Matthew Santos is the voice on Lupe Fiascos first Top 10 hit, Superstar. The Minneapolis native lent his flexible vocals to an R&B hook, but R&B is far from the appropriate word to describe the music he creates. Just because you can sing R&B doesnt make you an R&B singer. Just because Ive had folk/rock songs doesnt make me a folk/rock artist. I can sing blues and opera, but that doesnt make you an opera singer.In a recording studio in Houston, Texas, Matthew takes a break before embarking on a national tour that will for-sure bring him fans by the bundle. From the moment Santoss speaking voice booms out, its deep. It catches you off-guard as youre expecting the R&B softness that bathes even his original and acoustic vocals.The tour that Matthew is replenishing for is Kanye Wests Glow In The Dark Tour. The Minneapolis native will be opening alongside the hot performers Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D. Still, Matthew seems undaunted by the possibilities this tour has for him. When its stated that its one of the most anticipated tours this year his response is a simple, Oh, yeah? I guess its big, huh?This easiness might just root from being prepped by Lupe Fiascos The Cool tour during late 2007, which Matthew was also a part of. When asked about his biggest challenge, hes quick and thoughtful, Its hard to adapt to that culture. The Hip-Hop culture, within the industry, is a particularly shady culture. The business ethics are just a little skewed and foreign to me.Night after night, to packed venues, hed walk on stage with a guitar and perform in front of audiences waiting to hear Fiasco, and when the audience is told that hes the featured artist on Superstar, well, it can go one or two ways. Matthew recalls with a sense of purpose, as if this realization alone carried him through the tour, It [was] very challenging. It [was] definitely a very fulfilling experience at the same time. It just proves that its really not about style its about soul. I mean Im the only white dude on a Hip-Hop tour and the only white dude on stage. So, theres this cultural thing going on, he explains. But its all good because Lupes fans are so hip to it. Theres this whole new consciousness and this new wave of thinking and this openness that it didnt really matter. When I would get off stage, I didnt even notice it, people in the back were asking, Do you hear how loud theyre screaming when you hopped on stage? Its more than certain that audience reactions were the same kind that made Lupe Fiasco sign Matthew to his record label: 1st & 15th.After speaking to Matthew Santos you might be tempted to play back his vocals on Superstar. Now you hear the sense of clairvoyance, you hear it in the soulful conviction. It was as if he knew deep down this hooks mantra was one he would have to live with for the next couple of months, surrounded by millions of fans, artists and celebrities, and his own budding stardom. All of which came from changing nothing.