Matthew McClelland shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Matthew, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’ve been trying to go outside and be in nature as often as possible. I feel extremely lucky to live near the mountains, and can see some incredible places without having to go super far away or spend a bunch of money. I also try see every sunset that I’m able to. Things like that can ground me when I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I make music and release it under the name, Joywalk. My music is melodic electronic music, inspired by artists like ODESZA, Fred again.., or Jon Hopkins. I experiment a lot with sound design, and try to blend that with melodic ideas that might evoke some deeper emotions. Right now I’m working on another collaboration with Alex Hugo that I plan to release in late August! I think one of the things that makes my project unique is that I’m not trying to stay in any specific lane when it comes to genre or style. I just try to have fun and enjoy the process of writing music, and that can lead to some pretty interesting things sometimes!
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I remember when I discovered Hans Zimmer, and I researched his life and how he became who he is. He never went to college to study music, and many others had more qualifications than him. He became this legendary composer because he loved music and pursued it endlessly, and he never limited himself with rules or ideas of how things should be. That has always been very inspiring to me. I believe that anyone can do anything if they have the resolve and apply themselves fully to the thing that they love. That belief has guided me in all of my decision making. I have spent most of my adult life trying to cut down on any distractions and commit fully to what I’m truly passionate about.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I’ve never considered giving up, because music is that thing that has always given me a sense of purpose. However, distraction is sneaky. There have been periods where I involved myself in things that didn’t serve my ultimate goals. That lead to periods of very slow progress. There were times I committed to projects that I thought were adjacent to my goals, but didn’t ultimately bring me any closer to accomplishing them. I think it’s impossible to completely avoid all of those traps, and in fact, I think it’s necessary in order to learn how to direct your focus. It is treacherous though, because years can go by and you may not realize how off track you’ve gone. I’m really just very lucky that music has been so impactful for me. I always return to it with more resolve than before.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
I have met a lot of people who are solely motivated by money and/or status. Those people probably think I’m naive for putting what they see as a ‘hobby’ over a more stable career path. Over and over, I’ve foregone paths to a higher income in pursuit of the thing that I love. It’s hard for some people who lack passion to understand. I can certainly feel their judgement, but it doesn’t bother me one bit. In fact, it motivates me. What good is more income if what you do to earn it drains the life out of you? I’ve never made income a priority in my decision making, and have become tolerant to a very limited financial situation. If you want good financial advice, I’m probably the wrong person to talk to!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Honestly, it wasn’t until the last year that I received any significant praise at all. People who pursue making art can be a bit naive in the beginning, and think that everyone will just immediately love everything they do. The truth is, nobody will care for a very long time. You may have some supportive friends and family (I have been lucky in this regard), but you won’t be receiving the thunderous applause that you hoped for. It takes a very long time of consistent development and small wins to get anyone to care at all about what you’re doing. The music industry is extremely saturated with people who want your attention. I think the motivation has to be internal. You just have to love it. Doing it for praise isn’t sustainable, especially early on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://joywalkmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joywalkmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joywalk
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/joywalkmusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3KzddWyIQ08JHINhHYAORt?si=X-TDNHz0Rjm0sOwKVRdoMQ
Image Credits
Ireland
Jakerton
