In a remarkable career turnaround, south London singer-songwriter Matt Maltese has become one of pop music's most influential behind-the-scenes figures, collaborating with global superstars including Rosalía and even William Shakespeare.
The Rosalía Connection
Three years ago, during a casual co-writing session with friends, Maltese composed Magnolias, a poignant piano ballad imagining his own funeral. "I didn't think anything of it," the 30-year-old admits. Then came the surprising whispers: Spanish pop visionary Rosalía had discovered the track.
Six months ago, Maltese received Rosalía's demo of his song, and recently watched as it became the closing track on her critically acclaimed album Lux, currently sitting in the UK Top 5. "I took a long jet-lagged walk and listened to the whole album to contextualise it. It's extraordinary," he says of hearing the finished product.
Quiet Rise to Influence
Despite being dropped by Atlantic Records after his 2018 debut Bad Contestant underperformed, Maltese has quietly built an impressive career. Across six solo albums since 2018, his indie-pop ballads blend modern male sensitivity with the wry humour of his hero Leonard Cohen.
His music has attracted an astonishing A-list fanbase including Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Frank Ocean, Laufey and BTS's V. A viral TikTok moment for his 2017 track As the World Caves In brought him six million monthly Spotify listeners and over one billion combined streams.
His latest album Hers became his first charting record, cementing his status as a songwriter in high demand. Beyond pop music, Maltese has achieved what might be his most prestigious collaboration yet: writing music for a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night.
From Reading to Rejection to Renaissance
Growing up in Reading to Canadian parents, Maltese moved to London in his teens, finding community in south London's burgeoning music scene centred around the Brixton Windmill. Among post-punk bands like Goat Girl and Shame, he stood out as the sentimental counterpart. "They're 'fuck the world' and I'm like, 'ah, but the world is such a nice thing'," he recalls.
Signed to Atlantic Records at 19 after promising Soundcloud demos, he was told he was "the voice of a generation" but proved an ill fit for the major label system. His insistence on recording John Lennon's Happy Xmas (War is Over) in a minor key for a BBC Christmas trailer typified his rebellious approach. "It was atrocious," he laughs. The track was never used, and he was subsequently dropped.
Facing the prospect of quitting music with just eight months of his £50,000 advance remaining, Maltese hibernated in his bedroom, nursing both professional rejection and personal heartbreak. "That period was good for me because it made me comfortable in my own skin," he reflects. His independently released 2019 album Krystal began what he describes as a "positive spiral" that continues to this day.
Now embracing co-writing with artists including Celeste and Joy Crookes, Maltese remains humble about his growing influence. "I don't necessarily feel like I'm hugely culturally relevant," he says. "I'm just someone obsessed with songwriters from the 70s. I feel very lucky that people care."
