Out singer/songwriter Parker Matthews drops his latest track, an upbeat synth-pop banger titled, “Live For Your Crazy.”
The track features an infectious vocal hook and polished, top-shelf production. Effortless and euphoric, it’s a breezy end-of-summer bop.
In the video, directed by Nicolas Wendl, Matthews envisions sexy Mother Nature coming to save him from the sweltering desert heat.
Instinct chatted with the rising pop star about the new song, sweaty desert realness, and what’s on the horizon for him.
Instinct Magazine: Your last music video, “Good Enough,” was set in a dark theater, serving up a melancholy Parker in ‘leading man’ mode. In “Live For Your Crazy,” it’s a complete 180 taking us out into the middle of nature, busting moves right and left, and chilling in a grove of palm trees. Where did the inspiration for the video come from?
Parker Matthews: I wanted to show the next step in my evolution on this journey both as an artist and as a person. In the beginning of this video, I let go of the rose petals I was holding on to from the darker place of Good Enough, and symbolically, set out to find my own way.
My whole life, women have saved me, in various ways, and I wanted to depict that by having a Mother Earth figure as my saving grace. Between everything currently going on with climate change, and the destruction of our planet, I wanted to show the beauty of nature by actually going on location and in some ways, how delicate it can actually be.
The locations that we shot this video on have never been filmed on, nor will they be filmed on again. My team and I partnered up with CNLM, a non-profit organization that focuses on protecting endangered species and plants, was gracious enough to allow us to captivate such epic visuals. It was a 16 hour day, in 118-degree heat, but with their help, we were able to film something amazing.
IM: What does 2019 Parker know today that it would have been handy if 2017 Parker might have known? Is there anything you’ve learned in the past two years that you thought, “That would have been really useful to know…”
PM: There are so many things I’ve learned since getting into this game, but I think one of the biggest things has been learning to always be my unapologetic self, no matter how ‘uncool’ that might be. Standing up for my own vision, and surrounding myself with a team that believes in me is what truly makes the difference. I can confidently say that I’ve found myself, and now, its full speed ahead. I have my team locked down, and as for new music… I have a lot to say 😉
IM: You’ve been turning out really terrific tracks for some time now. What’s the ’next step’ career goal?
PM: I have one more record for you this year, and then I’m taking some time to record my first EP. I have most of the songs already written, and I have a title, that you’ll find out about all in good time J
By having a bunch of singles that took listeners around the ‘map’, I showed my versatility and malleability, but I want to have this EP to really focus on the artist that I am, what I stand for, along with my overall brand. (You can expect that around the end of March).
IM: Random question: Name three artists you wouldn’t mind being compared to?
PM: I don’t really compare myself to anyone, because I am me. I write my own records, and I create my own visual ideas, but if I had to choose other artists, I’d pick ones with like-minded values, and would honestly all be women. Lady GaGa, Christina Aguilera, and Julia Michaels all have a spot in my heart. Being real is what stands out the most to me, and that’s where I give the utmost respect J
For more info on the handsome Mr. Matthews, check out Instinct’s previous coverage of his music here.
“Live For Your Crazy” is now available on all digital download sites.
Matthews also shared a few peeks behind-the-scenes of the making of “Live For Your Crazy.”
