A Chat with Matt Grandbois (12.07.25)
Matt Grandbois’ debut album, Somewhere, Probably, is an intimate compilation of songs that chronicles a journey through growth, identity, and connection. Blending the styles of pop, alternative, and indie, the record invites listeners into a vulnerable yet empowering narrative about the courage it takes to face your truth, the regret of words unspoken, and the journey toward authentic self-expression. We chat with Matt Grandbois about his debut album and more below.
OSR: Somewhere, Probably is such a vulnerable record. What was the moment you knew you were ready to release something this personal?
Grandbois: I think it became crystal clear that I was ready to release something this personal when I was sitting alone in my studio apartment in DC a few months after having just moved across the country, living completely alone for the first time, and realized that I was 25 years old and had never known what it was like to be in love. I spent my entire life up until that point on autopilot. I was coasting and realised I didn’t know who the f*ck I was or what I actually valued in life, and I knew that the only way I was ever going to break out of that toxic mindset was by holding myself and my emotions accountable. Once you release something this personal, whether it’s a song or a painting, for example, you can no longer hide behind your conditioned facade, you know? It’s like, sure, everyone will interpret your art differently, but when you speak so directly, it’s hard to walk back your words once they’re out there. And that was the whole point for me.
OSR: Many of these songs come from different moments in your life. How did you decide which ones still belonged in your story today?
Grandbois: At first, this felt like the hardest part of the project, you know? I write a lot of songs – I probably have hundreds of demos at this point – but obviously not every song is going to be a winner. What was so special about this whole process was that with ‘Someone Else’ (the first song I wrote for this record), it was the first time in my entire life that I wrote a song and realised it said exactly what my heart was trying so hard to say. It felt like I was FINALLY going to feel heard. I used to cloak my songs in so much metaphor that even I felt a disconnect at times. But that track really set the tone for the album; it became less about “which songs would be the most marketable” and more about “which songs give me that gut feeling.” And so I just started using my heart as a compass, and every one of these tracks felt so natural in this story. The whole record feels like sort of a rollercoaster of emotions, but then again, so did the last eight months of my life. And that’s exactly why they made the cut.
OSR: ‘Lonely’ and ‘Someone Else’ touch on feelings you kept hidden. How did writing about them help you process those emotions?
Grandbois: Frankly, I feel like writing these songs was the only way I knew how to process these emotions. Some people can talk about their feelings with trusted friends and family, while others keep their feelings entirely to themselves. I’m a very emotional person, but I never really knew how to communicate my feelings with people. That’s a super isolating and toxic way to live. And that’s why I think I was initially drawn to art when I was a kid. Whether it was photography, creative writing, music, or whatever else I was making, my art was MINE. It’s always been a safe space for me to air my ideas and emotions without judgment. And over time, it became a tool for me to process the things going on in my head; a way to make sense of this big, chaotic world.
Looking at these two tracks in particular, I feel like if not for my creativity, I would still be trapped in my own self-destructive and self-loathing mindset. These songs were my personal therapy sessions, and when I wrote them, I never thought they would see the light of day. But I think that was the beauty in the whole process: they were the first step. They allowed me to normalise my feelings internally, which then allowed me to put one foot in front of the other.
OSR: How did your move to Washington, D.C. shape the direction of this album, both musically and emotionally?
Grandbois: I think moving to DC was ultimately the catalyst for the entire project. It wasn’t my first time uprooting my life and moving across country, but it was my first time living without a roommate and without family nearby. So, for starters, the move gave me space; this space initially created an uncomfortable silence. But I think when you surround yourself with people and places you grew up with – family, friends, hometown, etc – you sort of get locked into the person you were conditioned to be, and it’s almost impossible to hear what your heart and soul are trying to tell you. That’s exactly where I found myself when I was living in Colorado just before moving. Sure, I was 2,000 miles from my hometown, yet I still carried the weight of my conditioned ego. And I think moving somewhere completely new, where you don’t really know many people, was exactly what I needed to do to reinvent myself.
Being in an entirely new environment certainly brought with it a huge set of challenges, but looking back, I wouldn’t change a single thing. This record is basically a journaling session of my whole experience. I’ve had so much exposure to new cultures and points of view since moving here, and I feel like musically, that’s had a HUGE impact on my sound. Emotionally? Well, again, I think moving here unlocked a whole new side of me I never knew existed.
OSR: Identity and self-acceptance are recurring themes in your lyrics. Was there a particular turning point that led you to explore these more openly in your music?
Grandbois: It was really that uncomfortable silence right after moving to DC that sparked everything. Realising that I had spent my whole life basically being a chameleon – blending in with every environment, not having a true identity, secretly loathing myself – was definitely the straw that broke the camel’s back. We live in a world where so many people try so hard to fit into a specific box and force you to do the same. So naturally, I felt that pressure.
Being a corporate worker with a steady salary and a fancy job title who can afford to buy nice watches and expensive alcohol seemed like “the dream.” But nothing to me is more soul-crushing than being anything other than 100% authentic to me. Of course, I didn’t really understand that until recently, but learning to love yourself is obviously a huge thing. It can also be incredibly tough. And when I started giving myself space to ask the existential questions like “who am I?” and “what is actually important to me?” it all started unwinding. And with the tracks on this record, it felt so organic to say what I really wanted to say. Finally. It felt like the floodgates exploded.
OSR: In ‘Live Like Paige’, you reflect on the loss of a friend. How did you approach balancing tribute and storytelling in that track?
Grandbois: To be honest, immediately after I wrote this song, I felt this overarching sense of guilt. On the one hand, it was a way for me to personally process losing my friend. But on the other hand, it almost felt like I was capitalising on her tragic death and somehow making it all about me. So I really didn’t even want to release it in the first place out of respect for her. But the more I processed the words, the more I shared the song with trusted people, the more I realised it wasn’t about me. It wasn’t about my grief. Almost immediately after that realisation, it became evident that this song is not just a tribute to someone who touched so many lives, made so many people feel like the most important person in the world, but also a lesson. Proof that saying, “f*ck it!” can actually be the key to true happiness.
She was someone who actually lived. And while there are definitely some very personal memories woven into the track, I think what I really wanted to accomplish with it was to basically say, “hey, people, this, THIS, is how to truly live with purpose and without regret.” And Paige certainly lived. She had a heart of gold and an infectious personality. I hope that listening to this song can give people who never had the privilege of knowing her a clear picture of how much of a beautiful soul she offered the world.
OSR: You’ve mentioned these songs held you accountable emotionally. What does that accountability look like for you now, post-release?
Grandbois: It’s so easy to hide in your comfort zone. It’s so easy to talk yourself out of your authentic self and feelings. And I knew that unless I shared my story with people, I would continue to slither back into my hole of despair, so to speak. I also knew that I wanted desperately to finally be real and love who I am. Writing these songs in private was the first step; unlocking the raw emotions and learning to normalise them. Sharing demos with people I trusted was the second step, realising that my emotions were valid and that they were nothing to be ashamed of. Eventually, it all wrapped up with me finally having the confidence to share them with anyone who wants to listen. Though in theory, releasing a song might not seem like accountability, I can say with utmost confidence that sharing these tracks has been the most effective way of killing the conditioned self-destruction in my mind.
OSR: Do you worry about how people close to you will interpret these songs, especially those inspired by real relationships?
Grandbois: Oh, absolutely! My biggest fear in life has always been being open and honest with people, and with some of these songs, well, they’re very open. And honest! I’m 26 years old now, and I sort of feel like I’m going through a quarter-life crisis. I’ve been realising that the clock is ticking, and it’s only speeding up. A good friend and mentor of mine likes to share some philosophical quandaries with me every once in a while, and one that really stood out recently is “memento mori”, which essentially translates to “remember, death is coming.” I can’t tell you how much this phrase has echoed in my head the last eight months. To me, it’s not about the morbidity of the words, it’s about the urgency. Life is fleeting, and if all you ever do is worry about how others will react to your honesty, then you’re wasting precious time. I think that’s really what prompted me to release the tracks anyway. I will say, though, I’ve since been honest with those who inspired these tracks and feel so incredibly lucky to have such emotionally mature people in my life. If anything, I feel like my honesty brought us closer together, just in ways I wasn’t expecting. So that’s definitely made it a huge personal victory. But there are certainly people who haven’t reacted so gracefully before. Then again, I think it all ties back to remembering that life is short, and sometimes the people we think are worthy of our time and energy are really the last ones we should be worrying about. And being honest with them is the fastest way to figure that out.
OSR: What surprised you the most during the process of making Somewhere, Probably?
Grandbois: I think the fact that I can make good music, but seriously, I think the most surprising part of this whole process has been that I always used to think people would only like and love me if I acted a certain way, fit into a certain box, wore certain clothes, etc. But I was always attracting the wrong types of people. The ones who were in the same boat as me: too afraid to show their authentic self. Too afraid to be unique. And all this did was create shallow relationships. When I started to just say, “f*ck it” and be myself, everything changed. I had so much more energy (it’s draining to always filter everything that comes out of your mouth), and I noticed that people actually connected with me more. It was ultimately that human connection aspect that surprised me the most. Who knew, huh? People are more likely to relate to you when you’re honest and genuine. Imagine that.
OSR: If someone’s going through a season of self-discovery, which track would you recommend they start with and why?
Grandbois: Everyone is different and therefore on a different journey. Self-discovery can be incredibly challenging, especially when you aren’t in an environment where you feel like you have the support and freedom to explore without judgment. I don’t think that my songs are the key to finding oneself; they simply document my own journey. However, I will say there is so much strength in togetherness. Feeling that sense of “wow, someone else went through what I am going through, I don’t feel so alone” is such a powerful thing to wield. So if I had to pick a song of mine to start with, though, I’d say ‘Someone Else’. This track was the one that started my whole journey of self-discovery. It was how I started making sense of my internal disconnect, and looking back, it still carries the most meaning out of all the tracks. On this vein, I also want to share a couple of things I wish someone had told me during my process that I think would have made all the difference.
First, no one else can tell you who you are. You are the only you who has ever and will ever exist. Own that. Listen to your heart. Listen to your gut. A lot of people (myself included) feel lost in life sometimes, and don’t even know in which direction to turn. My advice is this: use your heart as a compass. If something feels right in your soul, gives you that chills-down-the-spine, warmth-in-your-stomach sensation, follow it. Don’t drown out your heart because it will only come back to bite you harder down the line. Working a job that brings you misery? Surrounding yourself with people who give you that “ick” feeling in your gut? Listen to your soul!
Second, be gentle with yourself! It’s really f*cking hard to break conditioned thinking and behaviour. This is not a linear process. There will be some days you take two steps forward and others you take 20 steps back. That’s not regression, it’s all part of the process! And your journey is 100% valid. No one can tell you you’re on the wrong track because you are forging your own path.
And finally, if there is one person in your life that you are honest with, make sure it’s yourself. It literally doesn’t matter what ANYONE else thinks about you. You know how the old saying goes, opinions and everyone having them, blah blah blah. It’s true. Do not lie to yourself. Even if some truths are incredibly hard to accept, it’s the mountains we climb when no one’s watching that make the most impact. Be honest with yourself. Be gentle with yourself. Be true to yourself.
Many thanks to Matt Grandbois for speaking with us. Find out more about Matt Grandbois on his official website, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Spotify.
