The Music, the Message, the Mover
The Story of Matt Brouwer
By Mike Baxter
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Musician Matt Brouwer, who
migrated to Texas from Truro, Canada, refers
to himself a a "Tex-adian." |
Matt Brouwer grew up in Truro, Nova Scotia, a
small town of 11,457 residents near the southeastern
coast of Canada. A picturesque community, Truro is
known for its distinctive collection of 19th and
early 20th century buildings and homes of Victorian
and Georgian architecture. Founded by a group of
Presbyterians in the mid-1700s, it should come as no
surprise that Truro is also known for its abundance
of churches.
It was in those surroundings that Matt found and
perfected his art; an honest-to-goodness God-given
gift of music.
Today Matt lives in The Woodlands and fancies
himself, to some degree, as a Tex-adian; a
transplant to the Lone Star State maintaining his
Canadian roots and strong, small-town spiritual
beliefs.
The 30-year-old folk rock and Contemporary
Christian performer writes with the depth, insight
and melancholy of someone much older and more
experienced. Winner of two Vibe Awards (the Canadian
People’s Choice Award) and several other musical
honors, Matt filled his newest CD release,
Unlearning, with personal themes and experiences
ranging from feelings of loneliness and hope, to
loss and confusion.
Unlearning, released on Black Shoe Independent
Records, is a personal statement by an artist who is
not afraid to express his vulnerability. “I really
didn't expect this CD to be commercial in any way,”
he said. “I just felt compelled to share what was in
my heart, and as I was writing, the doors seemed to
swing open to the deeper parts of my soul and songs
just began to flow from there. It was a great
experience to write like that, to sort of shut off
the ‘self-critic’ inside and just let it be.”
Unresolved feelings related to his father's
death, being far away from home and his
disillusionment with his first music industry
experience bubbled to the surface. “I guess I sort
of just rebelled against all of that negativity with
the hope of creating something beautiful,” said
Matt. “I wanted to create something that was a piece
of art, but most of all I felt the need to say these
things and get all of this stuff off of my chest.”
The Unlearning CD was the therapeutic result and,
with ts universal themes, has come to touch a nerve
in both the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
market, as well as with general audiences.
“Matt is really honest with his music,” said Jim
Beeler, music director for contemporary Christian
radio station KSBJ in Houston. “The biggest song
that we have on our play list is Matt’s ‘I Shall
Believe’,” a cover of a Sheryl Crow song from 1993.
In fact, “I Shall Believe” has been in the station’s
heavy rotation for more than six months as of this
writing.
“The way that Matt produced that song and made it
his own was so simple and heartfelt... it really
connected with our audience,” said Beeler.
Matt is not making a conscious effort to cross
over from Contemporary Christian to a more general
audience with his music, but the broad appeal of the
sound and message look to be taking him there. “As
human beings we all have so many of the same
longings, desires, pains and joys,” Matt said. “I
just wanted to say, ‘Hey, for what it’s worth . . .
here is my story. Maybe you can relate.’”
“There are certainly spiritual themes in the
album and the ultimate message is universal. The
album is about a journey,” he said. “At the time I
didn’t know exactly who I was as a person or an
artist. I felt uninspired, but through these songs I
found what was in my heart. In the end what was
created is a calmer, introspective record with
themes that are very close to home about trying to
find one’s self emotionally.” Whether playing the
sanctuary of a mega church in California, or in a
more intimate, up-close coffee shop setting for a
few fans in Houston, Matt’s sincerity and
professionalism are evident in his live concerts.
“Matt’s the same in his concerts as he is on his
album: honest and open, and not flashy. I think that
people appreciate that,” said KSBJ’s Beeler.
“Even though we are being very strategic about
trying to expand our concert tours into more
theatre-like venues with audiences of thousands
versus hundreds, we still want to maintain that
environment where everyone in the audience feels a
connection,” Matt said. “I definitely want to
continue doing the more personal grassroots concerts
because that environment seems to fit me like a
glove.” In addition to being known as a musician,
Matt has used his talent and compassion for others
to become a real mover and catalyst for change in
Latin America. Partnering with a few friends, Matt
has helped to create the non-profit charity, New
Beginnings Resources.
“We have had the great pleasure of building a
school in a tiny village called San Pedro in
Guatemala,” he said proudly. “Education is so
important to the Mayan people.”
“Since then we’ve acquired a medical facility and
dormitory in a town nearby, so now we also run a
medical mission called Agape In Action,” said Matt.
“We keep it running so that medical teams from
across North America and Europe can come in and
treat anyone needing medical help.”
Matt explained that because New Beginnings
Resources is able to provide the tools, facilities
and a place to stay while in the country, the teams
of physicians and specialists are able to provide
medical treatment at no charge to those who would
otherwise go without.
“For me, continuing to do benefit concerts and
encouraging other artists to join with us to
perpetuate our goals... that’s pretty rewarding
stuff,” Matt said. Another series of goals for the
young performer includes expanding his creative side
through music, books and film. “I’m working on two
different projects right now,” he said. “The first
is a recording called ‘B-Side Recording – Volume
One’.”
“B-Side” will span the five years that Matt has
been recording professionally and will include
songs, drafts and other musical offerings that he
has produced, but never found a home for. It is
slated to be made available exclusively at his live
concerts and online at www.mattbro.com.
“The follow-up to Unlearning is scheduled for
release next year and will lean more toward the
Americana folk/pop direction with a rootsy sort of
journey that we have already started,” Matt said.
“I’m really excited about going deeper with that.”
If Matt gets his way, before long his indie record
label will be getting a new look, too. “I’m
interested in expanding Black Shoe Records into
different art forms,” he said. “I’m writing a kind
of art book of poetry right now and have partnered
with a local visual artist to do the illustrations.”
“I’m also hoping at some point to get involved in
independent film making,” he said. “I’d love to
write, possibly indie films, and incorporate all the
different art forms into the production... Black
Shoe Records and Black Shoe Films. It sounds like a
fit.” “I think it’s actually quite a simple concept,
to somehow figure out who you are and what your
strengths are, and that always remains your
foundation,” said Matt. “You want to grow and push
the boundaries and do things to keep it interesting
and relevant. But at the end of the day I never want
to forget my roots. After all, I grew up on a farm
in Nova Scotia.”
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