Interview: Matisyahu’s Light Shines Bright

That leaves the music. Working with a variety of songwriters, producers and musicians, Matisyahu has crafted a collection of songs that is both diverse and familiar. There are radio ready anthems (One Day, For You) disco ready dance numbers (On Nature, Smash Lies) and even a love song (We Will Walk). Loosely based on the story of the seven beggars by Reb Nachman, all of the songs resonate with the positive and uplifting messages of hope and freedom, tainted by the harsh realities of death, drug use and more. There is a slightly darker edge to these songs, dealing with a more realistic subject matter while preaching/praying for salvation.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Matisyahu about the new album, his life and the choices that shaped it till now. Confident and psyched up from an acoustic performance at a radio station in Texas, Matis spoke with me about both passions with equal measures of enthusiasm and wisdom.

A.J.: Good afternoon, Matisyahu. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today. I understand you’re in Texas this afternoon. How do you like the summer weather in Austin?

Matisyahu: Oh, it’s hot, hotter than I expected. We’ve never been here in summer before. I didn’t even think about how hot it is down here.

A.J.: I heard you were doing some recording there. New songs already?

Matisyahu: No. Nothing new yet. We were doing a radio station appearance here. I really like the smaller crowd and the sort of acoustic thing we do at a radio s tation. It’s a lot of fun.

A.J.: I’ve been listening to the new album over and over. One thing that really stands out on the record is the different musical styles I hear. Was that more as a result of the different collaborators you worked with, or were the songs already there, written in those different styles on purpose?

Matisyahu: It was a bit of both. I worked wit a lot of great musicians. I wrote most of the songs with another musician named Ooah who’s in the Glitch Mob. He’s really talented. Glitch Mob’s music is more electronic, so we used some of that in our songs, as well as drum machines and different instrumentations. Then I would add the lyrics, beat box, whatever. We wrote together and brought in lots of other, talented musicians to the mix.

A.J.: When I saw you at Bonnaroo a few years ago, I remember you brought your young son onstage for a song or two. Do you normally tour with your family and how has your chosen career affected your home or family life?

Matisyahu: When I first started touring the family usually toured with me. It was sort of what we talked about from the beginning. This was going to be our lifestyle and we lived it. It had its own set of challenges and was greatly rewarding, but we couldn’t keep it up forever. With the children, schools, you know. Now they join me for a while, or in certain cities. It’s more logistically workable that way.

A.J.: And Mrs. Matisyahu, she’s okay with the current arrangement?

Matisyahu: (Chuckling) Oh she knew what we were getting into when it all started and she was supportive all the way. We talked a lot about it a lot. She was totally down with it.

A.J.: I’ll get back to the new album in a minute. But, I need to bring up your faith, it’s who you are. I have a friend who, like yourself, attended high school in Israel. He has gone back a few times and plans on returning every two years or so. I understand you also return to Israel occasionally. My friend, Charlie, says that when you come back from Israel, you are never the same as when you left. What did your last visit to Israel change in you?

Matisyahu: I’ve gone back a couple of times. I usually go around the New Year, which is around the fall, October, September, around there. It’s around the holidays, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah. That’s always a special time there. Very invigorating, I guess.

But to answer your question, on this trip I discovered a different temple. The people there worship differently. They pray loud. Screaming and singing prayers, all different prayers and different songs. It’s so different and beautiful as it all comes together. It’s an unbelievable feeling. So, your friend is right. This time I returned home with a different way to worship that I’m really happy with.

A.J.: It’s obvious that your faith and religion play a large part I defining who you are, both as a person and an artist. Do you see yourself as a kind of prophet or missionary? Are you drawn to that type of calling? I mean, people ‘follow’ you and look to you and your music for life answers and guidance. Is that a valid comparison or am I reading too much into this.

Matisyahu: You may be reading too much into it. I mean, I see the prophets and some sort of extraordinary individuals, really special people. Amazing people, with great insight and, obviously, great followings. I’m just, I don’t know, not like that. I’m a regular guy doing my job and raising my family. I mean, I’m just a normal person.

A.J.: Obviously, the strictness of your religion restricts some of your lifestyle, like not performing on Sabbath. I read where you said that all of those types of obstacles are internal and that most any obstacle can be worked out. And I read while researching this piece that Rabbi Nachman once said that you are never given an obstacle that you cannot overcome. Do you find yourself rationalizing or compromising away some of the stricter guidelines of your church? Is there a line or lines that you absolutely won’t cross?

Matisyahu: When I first came to follow the Hasidim I had to learn through study and practice all of the do’s and don’ts and I was very adherent. But, you’re right, there are some things that I must do for my career or that I do in the course of a show where the lines get blurry, but that’s part of my struggle. There are lines I will not cross, but I’ve had to compromise a bit. There’s no getting around it.

A.J.: In the last four or five years, since you really rocketed up into popularity, has there been anybody that you’ve met, as a popular artist, that you may not have met otherwise, that has really left an impression on you? An indelible impression, something that you would take with you for the rest of your life?

Matisyahu: In terms of really famous people, no. But there is an artist that I mentioned before, Trevor Hall. And he can really inspire me a lot when I see him play. I love the way he can pull it together and I’m just inspired and touched by his music. It’s poetry. You should check him out. He’s actually got a record coming out soon too.

A.J.: I know that back in 2006 you got the Top Reggae Artist award from Billboard and that must have gone a long way toward ‘legitimizing’ you as a performer. Even Rolling Stone, in their review of Light, said that you were “. . . well past the novelty stage.” But it bothered me the next year when Esquire Magazine (to which I subscribe) gave you their Esky Award as the Most Loveable Oddball, even while calling you as one of the most influential and intriguing artists in reggae. Was this really what you were going for? Do you take that type of stuff as criticism? Esquire is pretty tongue in cheek hip, right?

Matisyahu: Well first off, the whole Esquire thing in particular, I had already had a sort of relationship with them. I knew that they were going to do it and we’d talked about it and it was all part of the story. And I was okay with that. But the others, when people write this stuff, theses people have no idea about my career, or how many people come to see me perform or what I’ve been doing for the last few years. And they’ll write “Matisyahu: One hit wonder”, or Hasidic rapper or whatever. It’s kind of, you know, hateful a little bit. I try not to let it affect me, you know.

A.J.: It can’t be easy to stick up for your beliefs like you do, as I said, while sticking to your chosen profession. They’re both things that you love. Do you see yourself in five or ten years, still doing this or maybe moving in a different direction at all?

Matisyahu: I hope to be doing this for as long as I can. I can’t imagine music not having a place in my life. As it goes right now, I’m performing. I love writing and recording and the great opportunities and artists and musicians I get to collaborate with. I feel an infinite amount of learning and experiencing that I’ve got to do to become a real master of my craft. Get better at doing what I do, you know.

A.J.: It’s a long way from the days back in Bend, Oregon, just a few miles from here.

Matisyahu: (Laughing) Yes, it has been pretty amazing.

A.J.: Your first trip to Israel when you were sixteen is said to be your turning point, when you changed your ways so to speak. How did the transition go? Were you into the same type of music and into the same sort of groove beforehand?

Matisyahu: Yeah, I’ve always been into music, all different types. Those early days where I was kind of wild I was all over the place, musically.

A.J.: I have really been expanding my musical boundaries over the last few years, seen a lot of exciting bands I’d never heard of before. I have to admit that, other than King Without A Crown, when I saw you at Bonnaroo it blew me away that there must have been fifteen thousand people at the Which Stage singing along with every work. Do you ever sit back and just take that all in, be in awe?

Matisyahu: Yes, it’ll kind of get to me at times. I mean, in my every day life I don’t process it like that. I’m like always running from one thing to the next. But then I’ll have these moments when I just sit back and get blown away by it all.

A.J.: Those are the good moments.

Matisyahu: Oh yes, I meant blown away in a good way.

A.J.: As a music fan, what’s the most exciting performance you have ever seen?

Matisyahu: The most exciting performance? Oh, it was when I was sixteen years old, in Worcester, Mass. It was Phish. It was my first Phish show.

A.J.: We all gotta start somewhere. I know you have a plane to catch. Thanks so much for taking the time today. Safe travels.

Matisyahu: You too.