Matt Duarte is a professional musician and has been for 23 years. He’s originally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. His music is highly influenced by ’70s rock, funk, and Brazilian Tropicalia music.
Nonahood News: What drove you to become a musician? When did you realize creating music was your passion?
Matt Duarte: My mom is a music lover since forever and has this amazing record collection that goes back to the late ’60s. Even though we’re from Brazil, besides a big number of Brazilian artists, I grew up listening to a variety of international music. But at age eight, my mom introduced me to Led Zeppelin, and I decided I would be a guitarist. Obviously, it took me years to develop the craft and really turn it into my passion. I’d say it happened after I started playing professionally, at the age [of] 17.
NHN: How often do you find yourself making music/performing/playing instruments?
MD: Pretty much every day. I perform live, on average, three days a week, but [I’m] always working on other music-related projects. I’m a music producer, so if I’m not writing a song, I’m probably working on someone else’s music.
NHN: How long did it take you to discover yourself as a musician?
MD: Not long at all. By the age [of] nine, I knew that was what I wanted. I wasn’t there yet, but I couldn’t wait to grow up and learn enough to perform properly.
NHN: Which of your songs/projects would you consider to be your favorites? (Pick a top three.)
MD:
– My original music. I’ve been releasing original music quite consistently after moving to the U.S. and start[ed] writing songs in English. I’ve got one album and three singles already released, accompanied with some videos. I’m always working on new material and do everything myself at my home studio. You can find my music in all the available platforms.
– Haze Over Hollywood. I joined the band in 2015 as bass player. We’ve been performing and releasing original music since then. We play together almost weekly at Disney Springs and House of Blues, besides other venues and events.
– Solo performances. Around Lake Nona, you are most likely to find me performing solo. I’m a looper, which means I record a whole song live from scratch and sing, play the acoustic guitar and harmonica on top of it. The set is a variety of pop music from different generations.
NHN: What about your favorite instrument to play? (If you play more than one.)
MD: Electric guitar. But in some seasons, I fall in love with the bass.
NHN: What are some of your dream projects/collaborations?
MD: To make it into the music industry as a songwriter and spend more time dealing with original music.
NHN: What serves as your inspiration on a day-to-day basis?
MD: My wife, my daughter, and those magical moments that happen when I’m performing. There’s always at least one special moment.
NHN: Future goals/plans?
MD: To put a band together and perform my original music live in certain specific occasions.
To check out Matt Duarte’s music, you can visit his website at mattduarte.com.
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