“Maybe I’m healing”. This line provides this beautiful release I never knew I needed.
Mathew V released his new single “Healing” tonight and when I say I felt compelled to write a response to this track, I mean I was pulled to my laptop by some force stronger than gravity. Everyone who knows me and who knows Unheard Gems knows I love Mathew V with my full heart and this song is a beautiful example as to why.
Mathew blends pop sensibilities with that breathtakingly beautiful singer-songwriter ballads. His storytelling is consistently stellar and I only wish to have the courage to share my stories the way Mathew does. This track feels like a window into the vulnerability of rebuilding with someone after a history that has left you shaken. The healing process of differing what was real, what has been created by your brain to protect you or to make sense of the past; figuring out how to heal and progress and grow with someone. It is hard enough to heal and process past hurt on your own, having those conversations with the people who love you is sometimes harder. It takes an incredibly strong person to share the bitterness of the past and their growth beyond what had happened. This song feels like that conversation of wanting the support and love, almost like a bubble wrap hug that fixes everything, and then the reality that you won’t always be in the place to describe how you feel or your emotions - not that you are obligated to ever.
This track brings me into a vulnerable space where I can acknowledge my own growth from my past. Everyone has a past, and how we each deal with anything that has happened is incredibly personal. But I know for me, one of the hardest things has been letting my partner know how I feel especially when I am hurting again. There is a fear of pushing them away even though you want them there for you but you don’t want to hurt them with your pain. You are always going to be healing and part of that growth is inherently painful and beautiful.
I am indefinitely grateful to Mathew for this song but also for his presence in my life as an incredible artist and someone I am blessed enough to consider a friend and someone I trust to share the stories of how I am healing.
After 10 years of classical operatic vocal training, Mathew V moved from Vancouver, Canada to London, England at the age of 17, where he found his signature sound. Now only years later, Mathew has accomplished a lot since returning home to Canada. Mathew penned a deal with 604 records and his debut single “Tell Me Smooth” went top 40 on Canadian Radio (Hot AC/AC) for 18 weeks. Mathew has written with the likes of Dan Mangan, Shaun Frank, Fly By Midnight and more. On stage he’s opened up for Betty Who, Ria Mae, Hanson, Daya, and MAGIC! to name a few. His debut album “The Fifth” came out in the spring of 2018 and charted in both Canada and the US. In 2020, the sophomore album "Two Faced" helped Mathew break through 30 million catalogue streams and beyond. The albums earned critical acclaim from press outlets such as Nylon and Billboard, marking Mathew as an artist on the rise. Now making new music, Mathew is pushing his boundaries and setting his sights on new highs.
Review by Hannah Schneider
Comments