16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
I would love to collaborate with Shah Rukh Khan and Anuv Jain: Australian singer Matthew Ifield
Social media has given rise to several musicians, introducing their music to people across the globe, and one such singer-songwriter is Matthew Ifield. Having begun his musical journey on social media during the pandemic, the 20-year-old Australian tells us, 'I began pursuing music in 2020. At that time, it was mainly me singing in my bedroom, recording myself, and posting those videos on Instagram and YouTube Shorts.' Matthew Ifield was on a four-city tour of India(instagram ) Australian singer-songwriter Matthew Ifield(instagram)
Matthew, who was in the country on a four-city tour that ended on June 21, and is half Malaysian and half Nordic, is 'surprised' that 'India is my number one streaming territory'. He adds, 'I'm not exactly sure why, but I'm extremely grateful that my music is resonating with Indian audiences. It has opened up a lot of opportunities including going on tour in four major Indian cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati and Bengaluru.'
With musicians like Arijit Singh, Diljit Dosanj, Jonita Gandhi and more, taking their music to the global stage by collaborating with international singers, Indian music has made a lasting mark. "The first name that comes to mind is Shah Rukh Khan, the iconic Bollywood star. I first heard about him through interviews from this year's MET Gala, and I've been really impressed by his work. A collaboration with him would be really cool,' says the musician, who will be releasing his debut album on August 8.
The Indian musicians in his roster include singer Anuv Jain - 'an amazing artist, whose work I greatly admire', along with Australian-Indian singer DHEE, whose 'music is fantastic' and Indian singer and DJ Kayan, 'is someone I would definitely be interested in collaborating with'.
Having found popularity on social media by uploading covers of popular songs like Die With a Smile, I Think They Call This Love, etc. Matthew is also working to put out his original music while 'pursuing a degree in property'. 'I think it is pretty important for a song to gain traction on platforms like Reels and TikTok to be considered popular. Social media has become the primary viewing and discovery platform for a global audience, so leveraging these is important in getting your music out there these days,' he shares.
He adds, 'But artistes also need to be very careful not to be pigeonholed into a specific category on socials. I perform covers, but I also have my own music that I want to focus on as it is essential for me to ensure that people recognise me for my original work as well, and not just the viral moments.'
