Matthew Campbell, junior marketing and communications major, has been writing and producing music for almost a decade. As a college student, his plans to make a name for himself in the music industry have not dampened. On Nov. 12, Campbell released “FROM DEATH TO LIFE,” a passion project he crafted for several years. The Threefold Advocate has all the details of his trajectory as a musician.
When did you start making music? As a college student, how do you find the time to work on songwriting and production?
I started making music about 9 years ago, so I would have been around 11 years old. Ever since then, I’ve been creating music and continuing to grow as an artist! As a college student, obviously, it’s a bit more of a challenge to find time to create so I have to be very intentional to carve out that time for myself. I brought all of my recording and production equipment with me to school and created a little setup in my dorm room. I produced, recorded, mixed and mastered the entire album myself in my dorm room.
What is the inspiration behind your new album “FROM DEATH TO LIFE”? Any particular message you want to convey?
“FROM DEATH TO LIFE” is the culmination of years of experimentation and work on crafting my own sound as an artist. This project is my story. I have been brought from death to life because of Christ and what He did on the cross for all of us. This album is a celebration of that life we are given and how the Lord is working in all of us in the midst of our brokenness. While working on this album, I decided to fully unplug from social media by removing all of my accounts. I think it was a very sobering feeling to work on this project without the distractions that can come from social media. “FROM DEATH TO LIFE” is a very intimate and special project to me that I felt like promoting via social media was not something I wanted to do with it. I just wanted to release it for myself and really encourage people to share it intentionally with those they care about.
Can you share about your creative process? How do you come up with lyrics and sounds? Which artists or musicians inspire you?
For my creative process, I always start with the concept or idea of the song. With concepts, I am 100% inspired by things that I am learning or have been through in my life. Writing music is definitely a way for me to process emotions and things that I am going through. Once I have that idea, I start building out the production of the song. I create the instrumentation of the song and then start writing lyrics. From that point, I record my vocals, mix them, and then master the track.
Some of the most inspiring creatives to me include Childish Gambino and Kanye West. These artists have provided the world with entertainment in such a unique way that has really influenced me. I appreciate the way that Gambino and Kanye approach music in the way they are constantly adapting and evolving their sounds. They aren’t afraid to create a project that defies what you normally would hear in the industry. I just really respect that and seek to always be growing sonically in the same way.
What is your favorite track from your new album? Why?
My favorite song on this album is “Wow,” which is the final track. It features my friend Grace Craichy who I have collaborated with in the past. This song is such an important one to me. It was originally a part of a project I was working on that transformed into “FROM DEATH TO LIFE.” This song is the culmination of the entire project itself and closes off the album with the “LIFE” portion of “FROM DEATH TO LIFE.” It really is a fun song of celebration and I think really represents the evolution of my sound from hip hop into pop and R&B.
Are you working on any projects currently? What can your audience expect in the upcoming year?
Currently, I am working on some new stuff and experimenting with some different styles in the process. In 2022, I definitely plan on releasing some new music and some other creative projects.
How do you use your talent to spread the gospel? Would you consider yourself a Christian artist?
At the center of any creative endeavor I partake in, I want to be as vulnerable and honest as I can be. I want people to be able to listen to a song of mine and hear the Gospel through what God has done in my life. He has brought me from death to life! I want the Gospel to be at the center of everything I am making because it is at the center of my life. The things that I create are for anyone to enjoy whether they are a Christian or not. I just want to make honest and real things. For me to be honest about my story and life, it is impossible for me not to mention my faith.
What is your favorite memory related to your music career?
I think my most recent favorite memory related to music has to be the album release event that I got to do for “FROM DEATH TO LIFE.” It was so rewarding to get to share with others what the Lord had been teaching me and to show others the project. Creating this project was definitely not easy but it was so exciting to release it and allow people to hear it.
Campbell’s latest album “FROM DEATH TO LIFE” is available on all music streaming platforms.