After the release of ‘augustine‘ in the peak of summer, Matz Patrick is sounding bigger and bolder in his return. His latest single, ‘cowboy blues‘, shows Matz’s trademark intimate songwriting, rooted in personal experience. We sat down with Matz to hear more about the single, his upbringing, and his upcoming London show.
Where did the title, cowboy blues, come from, and what does it mean to you?
It’s pulled from the pre-chorus of the song, which is where the track really clicked for me. It felt right that the title should be a play on ‘cowboy boots,’ given they’re my everyday shoe, but I also felt ‘cowboy blues’ had this incredible vulnerability to it. Like, I’m standing here in front of you with nothing but my sadness. It just spoke to me, I guess.
And ‘cowboy blues’ being a term for denim worked so well too.
The song touches on self-doubt and finding your feet as an artist. Is that something you find easy to write about?
This was the first track where I let myself go there. Putting yourself out there is scary enough, but finding a way to make that doubt feel relatable felt impossible. So I buried it in what I know best: how to doubt a relationship.
It wasn’t easy, and I don’t think I captured that doubt in its entirety. But I did capture what I was feeling after ‘augustine.’ I didn’t know how to follow up something I felt was the best I had to give. It isn’t, and it won’t be the best thing I do. That’s the fun part about being an artist, it just keeps evolving.
Did making this track teach you anything new about the kind of artist you want to be?
Entirely. It’s helped me figure out how to stay authentic, pulling from all the music I love while still finding my own lane. I think I know where I want to take my music this year, and ‘cowboy blues’ reflects that journey.
You started the song at home before working with producers overseas. How did it change along the way?
It started very simply on piano, quite melancholic. I brought it to my producer Dario Marcello, and we focused on giving the production a life of its own, room to move and breathe. Dario has such a clear vision for what a track can become. He understands my artistry and the emotions I want each song to hold.
The track evolved by leaning into a natural, acoustic palette first, then expanding into big kick drums, a string section, and fun little ear candy moments. Honestly, the piano got pushed to the back in the final mix. It went from being the lead instrument to more of a gentle undercurrent, something moving quietly beneath everything else.
How do you think “cowboy blues” builds on what you explored with ‘augustine’?
‘augustine’ taught me to let a track have space to grow musically. “cowboy blues” took that further, finding tension and momentum in the instrumental sections instead of filling every bar with lyrics.
I also wanted to build on using more held notes. ‘augustine”s choruses have a slight earwormy quality, mostly from the subtle harmonies underneath the lead vocal. With ‘cowboy blues,’ I wanted the longer notes to get their own moment to shine. I think you can hear it best in the pre-choruses. I tried to pull a listener into my world this time, rather than surround theirs the way ‘augustine”s mix did.
How does growing up in North Carolina continue to shape the music you make?
Firstly, anyone who meets me knows I bring up NC within the first five minutes. It’s home, and it shapes every part of who I am.
I grew up in a house filled to the brim with country music, and moving continents hasn’t changed that. There’s something about NC, it’s full of real, gritty, natural storytelling, and I think that seeped into me before I even realised it. It’s shaped my songwriting technique in ways I’m still discovering. Country music will forever be where my heart and soul lies, but I also love using NC’s landscapes and colours in my songs, usually alluding to places or people from that time in my life.
And my final point on NC, I promise, is that it feels like peace to me. Lakes, mountains, beaches, driving through the state and feeling the calm of nature. That’s all I ever want my music to be.
You’ve had a lot of encouraging support since your debut. Has that changed the way you approach songwriting?
‘cowboy blues’ wouldn’t exist without the support I’ve felt. I never thought people would listen to songs I made in my room, let alone write about them.
It’s not that I worry “will people like this.” It’s more about making sure I don’t get so lost in my own emotions that the song loses its connection to a listener’s experience. I love being specific in my writing, it’s such a gift, but sometimes I do have to rein it in a bit.
What are you most looking forward to about playing the song live at O2 Academy Islington?
Being on stage with a band I truly love and feel supported by. Selling out a room is amazing, and it’s even better when that room is full of people I care about. But none of it happens without Michael, Felix, and Will. They’ve worked so hard to bring my songs to life, and I can’t wait to perform alongside them.