Matthew Mole is South Africa’s golden boy of Indie Pop. He’s friendly, unpretentious and modest, and he’s playing at Lush Festival this Easter Weekend. We asked him a few questions about his life, his career, and his upcoming festival appearance.
“I’m super honoured to be on the bill,” Matthew says. “It’s an incredible festival. I’m looking forward to playing with all of the amazing acts.”
He first attracted major attention when he won Converse’s “Get Out of the Garage” competition in 2012.
“I’m very thankful for that competition because it opened up a lot of opportunities for me. There have been many other amazing opportunities that I have had the privilege of being a part of that have also been massive milestones for me and big pushes for my career. No matter the outcome of the competition, I would have continued to work as hard as I can and I will still continue to do that.”
Matthew comes across as extraordinarily earnest and humble. Especially when I ask him about Get Out of the Garage. “I had been working on music and writing songs for years and things were starting in climb and grow, so to me it didn’t feel like a sudden burst into fame.”
“I have learnt a lot of important lessons but still have so much to learn about music and how to go about doing this thing as a career. One of the best things that music gave me was a larger perspective on life, it allowed me to get out of my little home suburb and learn more about the world.”
“I have nothing to compare it to, personally.”
Matthew’s sophomore album, Run, was released last year, and got some great response from media and fans. “It’s been amazing,” he says. “It’s been a huge honour to feel the continued support from the people that listen to these songs. I’m so thankful that they are sticking with me and moving along with me.”
His favourite track on the album changes all the time, but he confesses: “The song that has stood out to me the most is a song called Light. It has a lot of meaning to me and at the same time it’s something different musically.”
“I used to really love theatre shows because people would be very engaged,” Matthew says. “I love festival shows because they are always a place that I learn the most and grow the most as a performer.”
Matthew Mole’s show, which used to be a solo-with-some-backing-tracks performance, has been upgraded to a two-piece band, now occasionally including a drummer.”The aim was to have a bit of a bigger show, and a drummer really helped do that. I will still play some shows where I am on own, but the ‘band’ will never be more than two of us. I really just wanted to pick up the energy and I am slowing learning how to do it!”
“One specific act that I am looking forward to seeing again is my Cape Town friends, Opposite The Other. The whole line up is always amazing though, so I will be catching as many of the acts as I possible can.”
You can catch as many of the amazing acts as you want at Lush Festival this Easter Weekend (13-16 April). Matthew Mole will be on The Willow Stage at 20:00 on the Saturday. Get your tickets to Lush here – or enter our ticket giveaway here.
