Mateo
Gig Seeker Pro

Mateo

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band R&B Pop

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Music Video Review 10/09"

The official video for Mateo’s song, “Get To Know Me” from the “Get To Know Me: Live at Swing House” EP available NOW on iTunes…CHECK IT OUT HERE–>>MATEO!

One of my favorite artist right here. SFPL may have to get Mateo to do a full concert here in NY! What do you think?

Mateo will be back on Dec. 2nd at SOB’s. Get your tix now–>>MATEO!

Stay Tuned… - StuffFlyPeopleLike.com


"Concrete Loop - Artist Spotlight"

Meet Mateo. The Los Angeles based alternative R&B singer/songwriter/musician is really making waves in the music industry. After being noticed by Myspace A&R Consultant & former MTV VJ Quddus he was quickly signed to Myspace Records where he is now promoting his latest mixtape, Underneath The Sky.

Mateo describes his music as, “everything is merging together; a mixture rather than one flavor only; R&B/Pop/Alternative/Soul—Urban Mod—if you want to pick a new genre” and lists Lauryn Hill, Radiohead, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West and Coldplay as some of his influences.

Check out the latest single from his upcoming DVD & EP - Get To Know Me: Live At Swing House which will be released on iTunes on September 15th. Be on the look out for this rising star! - Concrete Loop


"Concert Review - Examiner July '09"

A wise and beautiful soul takes the stage; of life and music. Young and original, Mateo’s enigmatic sound transcends age, genres and dwarfs the current club music trance that young America seems to be transfixed by.

The world shifts a bit, with lyrics that insist upon a notion that’s been lost in the mix, but still rings true; every human being is beautiful and has something to offer. And although we are all special, we are all equal. This is the common thread that runs through each of his songs, mix tapes and music videos; in bold face.

A Mid-West boy, born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mateo’s journey led him on a long a winding path that started out as a far cry from showbiz. But his dreams were realized and he decided to give up his career as a consultant; now he’s making music, “Once I decided to pursue my dreams, doors started to open and things started falling into place,” as if destiny had been awaiting him.

Mateo made his first splash with his first Myspace.com (Makin' Myspace) mix tape, on which the fan favorite, “Human,” features the guitar stylings of Adam Rader, and reflects Mateo’s amiable personality, “[The song] Human became a hit amongst Myspace listeners because the words are something that they’d like to be able to say to their boyfriend or girlfriend … people can relate to it,” Mateo says of his song that defined his musical style.



His splash has finally metamorphosed into a title wave and Mateo now finds himself at Swinghouse Studios in Los Angeles, preparing for his first MTV Unplugged taping, which will be facilitated by mastermind director, Joshua Caldwell … but the young 20-something talent seems un-phased by his impending stardom. He’s simply here to put words to melodies and deliver what’s in his heart.

As if hearing his album wasn’t inspiring enough, Mateo’s Unplugged session was something out of a fairytale of music’s past. There were no flashing lights or choreographed fire works, but only the basics needed to create a beautiful music; a piano (played by his, truly), ground shaking drums, keyboard, a solo violin, some background vocals and an audience that seemed to have an intrinsic connection to the sounds emanating from the stage.



Courtesy of Myspace Records


The state of music today is in need of a savior, could Mateo be the modern day messiah? “The urban world would benefit from more love songs,” Mateo says, “To balance out the club stuff,” of his own music, he says, “It’s music that touches the soul.” His intimate knowledge of music and its intricacies is a quality that pits Mateo against some of the greats that came before him; Nat King Cole, Otis Redding.

He’s slight in stature, but brawny in creative hunger. He moves through bars and measures effortlessly and fluidly. These days, singers who write their own lyrics seem to be a bit of a commodity. His words are poignant and real, raw and organic.
With a few Myspace mixtapes (Makin' Myspace and Underneath the Sky) and “cinematic mixtapes” (also produced and directed by Joshua Caldwell) under his belt, his promotional efforts have paid of, as he is now signed under Mspace Records, managed by former MTV personality, Quddus Philippe and preparing to embark on a, “Coast to coast tour,” that will include California, Texas, Florida and Washington State.

In a time of so much strife, economic turmoil and racial tension, it’s good to know some of us, especially those in the entertainment industry, believe that we all share the same reflection; a refreshing dose of reality, “I allow the music to lead me,” says Mateo, “I want my audience to get to me and with that, realize that they’ll be able to see themselves in me and my music.”
- Examiner


"Featured on Top 30 under 30"

WHY MATEO MAKES TOP 30 UNDER 30:

Sampling elements of R&B and soul mixed with alternative and pop, Interscope/Myspace recording artist Mateo is making moves with songs including "Complicated," his first single. But this burgeoning artist is not your average R&B singer or clone. With over 80,000 fans on Myspace, this, at one time, corporate bound artist, took matters into his own hands, creating music that quickly traveled by word of mouth, earning him a place amongst today's bubbling under talent.

Singersroom talks with Mateo about being honored in Singersroom's Top 30 Under 30.


What fashion piece can you not live without?...I would say my beanie. I can’t live without my beanie.

How do you shop for clothes?... I pretty much go to stores on Melrose in LA. I prefer the boutique stores. I’ll hit those types of stores up. I love clothes and I’m a huge fan of most of the big designers, so anytime I can check out a sample sale or warehouse sale I definitely check those out.

What is your vision or mission when it comes to your career?...My ultimate goal is for people to hear the music and be able to see themselves inside the stories that I tell within the music. I feel like that’s my main goal to find common ground with any person…every person out there. Whether it be about love, whether it be about good times or bad times or the past or the future. It’s about just being able to connect at a level that a lot of people don’t get to connect with in a regular day or on the street; and to be able to travel the world and do that all over the world. That’s what my goal is. I want {my} music to touch certain moments for people, so that when a song comes on it reminds them of where they were and what they were doing at that time. - Singersroom.com


Discography

Get To Know Me - Live at Swing House; Released September 15, 2009 on Myspace Records.

Get To Know Me Music Video; Impacts November 2009

Photos

Bio

When MATEO walks onstage, sits at his piano and starts one of his heartfelt songs it's clear that this is an artist on a mission. It's no coincidence that Mateo lists Lauryn Hill, India.Arie, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake, and Robin Thicke as influences but he's also quick to give a nod to alternative acts such as Radiohead, Coldplay, Daft Punk and Kanye West. “Everything is merging together, and I like that in my music; a mixture rather than one flavor only; R&B/Pop/Alternative/Soul—Urban Mod—if you want to pick a new genre."

Mostly recorded in a humble apartment studio in Los Angeles, MATEO’s upcoming album artfully avoids the assembly line of modern pop music by having thoughtful lyricism and sweeping melodies at its core. The first single, “Complicated" is an example of that, with its introspective and honest description an unintended love affair that is now reaching critical mass.
A graduate of the prestigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, with degrees in music and marketing, MATEO almost abandoned plans for a music career for the steady, but soulfully dry world of finance. MATEO explains, “I was on track to do the business thing, interning at American Express, spent time in New York, graduated and got a job at a consulting firm. It was a cushy job, but I hated every minute of it.” Interestingly, while in college, MATEO applied for an intern position at Boston Consulting Group, which oversees business trends. He was interviewed by none other than John Legend, who was also a consultant prior to launching his own career in music. “I didn’t get the internship, but looking back, it was kind of funny that John was also a consultant,” MATEO laughs.

MATEO felt if he wanted to realize his potential, he would have to dive head-first into music. With the decision made, MATEO’s career began to take shape at a rapid pace. He found a studio in Brooklyn, where he scratched out ideas for songs, and then met Jae Staxx, a producer from Philadelphia who was about to leave for Los Angeles to work on rapper/actress Eve’s new television show. Staxx invited MATEO to join him. Seizing the moment, MATEO quit his consulting job and hopped a plane to Los Angeles in 2005. “It was one of those things that this was a chance, an opportunity. I didn’t want to be one of those people that had regrets of woulda, shoulda, coulda…”

Mateo wrote music for “Eve” until mid-2006. A close friend pushed him to go even further with his music. “He said, ‘Yo, you need to do a live show, but I was scared to death of live shows", MATEO explains. “Performing in front of people, I was like, ‘man, what if I suck?” After getting up the nerve, MATEO held his first live show at the trendy Hotel Café in Hollywood. It went off far better than Mateo could have imagined, and he realized his fears were unfounded. “That was when I got the fever. I was like, Man, this is good; this is fun!” Encouraged, MATEO posted his first song, “Human,” on his MySpace page, which attracted thousands of fans, over 200,000 plays and led to requests for more shows. “The responses from MySpace really brought it home that I should continue; that I’m doing something right.”

An encounter at a show with CSI New York actor Hill Harper led to a meeting with Harper’s friend, former MTV VJ, Quddus Philippe. Philippe is currently an A&R consultant for MySpace Records and was instrumental in signing MATEO to the label in June, 2008. “I came in for a meeting, and I just liked the feeling, the vibe of it better than other labels I had gone to. It felt like they have my back.” MATEO also appreciated the freedom MySpace allowed him to develop, musically. "R&B music has turned more into head-bop music; hip-hop beats over hip-hop loops. I want to bring R&B music back to where people actually have some type of emotion when they listen to my music. I want them to feel that not only is it my story, but their story as well; that they identify with it, and will be able to recall the song ten years from now.”

MATEO is doing what came naturally. His father, Roy Gartrell, played guitar with his mom – MATEO’s grandmother – vocalist Kitty Gartrell. And his grandfather, Freddy Jordan, played guitar on Charles Brown’s classic “Home for Christmas,” but his major claim to fame was being a studio musician at Kings Records where he played for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

On his down time, MATEO follows American politics. He sang at several Barack Obama 2008 rallies in Los Angeles and attended the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. He is also style savvy and can be found playing spur of the moment acoustic showroom shows around Hollywood. He is aware that artists need to be involved in all aspects of there careers. “In this day and age, you can’t be the dumb artist; you’ll get stepped on." MATEO is an artist committed to making art that matters. "Any song can change you either in a positive or a negative way. I just want people to change in a positive