R&B/hip-hop artist Matt Ó has announced the release date for his debut solo EP Messer, which will land on streaming services next Friday, September 30th.

Having made a name for himself as one half of alternative hip-hop duo Tebi Rex with the release of two studio albums, UK/EU tours and appearances at festivals like SXSW, Eurosonic and The Great Escape, Matt Ó has begun to now make a name for himself as an artist in his own right.

 

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He dropped a solo single titled 'Boat Song' back in 2020 before Tebi Rex dropped It's Gonna Be Okay in November last year.

Armed with a silky smooth flow, Matt taps Ahmed Ahmed for edgier bars on recent summer tune 'SONNY'. Matt describes the single as being “like the phrase, ‘Get your money up, not your funny up’ – but in song”. Sun-soaked guitar melodies and soothing vocals are elevated by the contribution, paralleling indie facets with clever lyrical styles. We can easily picture the track blaring in the back garden at a laidback pre-drinks.

'BIRD IN THE HAND' taps Sweetlemondae and Lod for a slickly produced R&B down-tempo anthem about love for everyone at the session.

Catchy hooks and lo-fi instrumentation is Matt Ó's bread and butter, along with his knack for finding the best artists to work with that suit his own voice.

“When I was 12, my teacher gave us a writing exercise," Matt previously explained of his decision to embark on music. "Anything we wanted. I knew he loved history. I knew I didn’t. Still, I went for it, and I wrote an absolute piece of garbage for him," Matt explains of his decision to write music. "His words, not mine – I can tell that you wrote this because you thought I’d like it. Instead, you should write about what you know – not what you think others are interested in. That’s where you get something special, where you find the best art. That’s what this tape is to me. It’s what I know.. myself. I’m soft, I’m unassuming, I’m grateful, I’m cheeky, I’m romantic, I’m sad, I’m anxious at times and at other times entirely confident in who I am and what I can do.”

The rising solo star recently performed at the Soundhouse and will hit the stage of Ireland Music Week in October.

Revisit Tebi Rex's 2021 interview with Hot Press here.