In this interview, Matt Thompson steps into a new chapter with Echo, a single that reconnects him with the pop sound that first shaped his love for music. Drawing from early-2000s influences while grounding the track in present-day emotion, he reflects on how nostalgia and personal experience come together in his songwriting.
From writing the track alone at the piano to developing it in the studio with Ryan Binhammer, Thompson talks about trusting instinct, chasing melody, and translating complicated feelings into something immediate and memorable. The conversation also explores his long-standing approach to pop writing, his steady momentum as an artist, and the ambition that continues to drive his next moves.
As he looks ahead, Echo offers a clear sense of where he’s going — not as a reinvention, but as a continuation of the sound and storytelling he’s been building toward.
- “Echo” blends early-2000s pop nostalgia with a very modern emotional theme. What drew you to that Y2K-inspired sound for this track?
Well, I’m a ’93 baby so my first real music memories came from the late 90s/Y2K sound that Britney, Backstreet, and Christina were doing. I loved those songs back then and have so much reverence for them now. They still play in clubs and get playlist features today! They really have stood the test of time, and it felt like a full circle moment for me to channel that energy.
- You mentioned the song started alone at the piano before evolving in the studio. How did the collaboration with Ryan Binhammer transform the track?
Ryan and I have worked together for a long time now (6 years and counting). Something in the way the melodies came together just screamed Y2K to me. Doing a song like that was definitely on the moodboard and Ryan is a huge fan of music from that era too, and has such a great ear for a catchy production. It felt like the stars really aligned for this to happen.
- The song deals with the anxiety of a partner’s past lingering in the present. Why did you feel drawn to explore that specific emotional tension?
All of my songs come from personal experience and I recall the moment that inspired this track so vividly. I was out with friends and the guy I liked, and one of our friends brought up a guy from his past and asked if he was the one that got away, and he replied “kinda, yeah”. And I had seen them interact multiple times since breaking up and they always seemed like they hadn’t closed the door on their feelings and it really messed with my head.
- With millions of streams and multiple standout releases behind you, how does Echo represent your evolution as an artist?
This song represents my love for Y2K pop and giving the sound a modern feel, in production and the concept. I hope Echo can be the song that elevates the grander scope of what I want to achieve. I would love to see this song on the Billboard charts and would love to be Grammy nominated with this project. It’s a tall order, I know, but I’ve always been ambitious.
- Your music balances big pop hooks with vulnerability. How do you approach writing songs that feel both polished and emotionally raw?
My songs always start with the chorus and then I build everything else around that. I feel like most pop songwriters have that similar process too. I’ve been writing songs for a long time. I wrote my first full song over 2 decades ago, and was a professional songwriter before I was an artist. I have time to really refine the craft and fit a raw feeling and an emotional lyric onto a big pop melody. It’s like a fun puzzle making it all come together.
- From SXSW to chart success, you’ve built strong momentum over the past few years. What moment made you feel like things were really “clicking” for you?
To be so honest with you, I still don’t feel like I’ve had that AHA moment. I’ve had moments where things have felt good and felt that brush of recognition, but that watershed moment hasn’t happened for me yet. But I keep putting in my hours and working hard to cut through the noise and standout. I feel like each release puts me in the right direction, and I hope with this new era, it can move the needle in a really big way.
- You’ve also launched Matt Thompson Fragrances. Do you see a connection between creating music and creating a scent?
Yes! I launched it back in 2024. I’m so so proud of it. I totally see a connection. I name my fragrances after songs from my catalog and really try to match the energy of the song with the fragrance I create. Both song and fragrance should evoke a feeling and tell a story in its own way, and I feel so proud of my fragrances. I named one of my fragrances “Accelerate” from my last album and the new formula for it is SO good. I can’t wait for people to smell it.
- If “Echo” is a signal of the era you’re stepping into, what can listeners expect from you next?
Listeners can definitely expect to hear more infectious hooks. The project I’m working on has some of the best melodies I’ve put on record and I’m so excited for the world to hear it. You can expect to dance a lot, and there’s some big vocal work on this one too.
