Matisyahu talks about his new EP 'Hold The Fire', what inspired him to write his next song “Ascent” which speaks out against growing anti-Semitism, becoming an independent artist, why his trip to Israel after the 9/7 attacks October made him hopeful for the future, his two concerts that were canceled in Arizona and more.
Matisyahu
I was feeling really desperate about what the future will be like for all of us and I went to Israel and it renewed my faith in humanity.
Matisyahu
What's happening? This is Matisyahu and you're watching Billboard News.
Rania Aniftos
Hi everyone, I'm Rania Aniftos from Billboard News and today we're sitting here with Matisyahu. You have a new EP, 'Hold the Fire'. There is something that I have always liked about your music, it is that it is always music with a message. Tell me a little about the theme surrounding this EP and the inspiration behind writing it.
Matisyahu
Of course, the theme comes from, the basis is a dream that I had maybe about 10 years ago, when I was in my early 30s, when I was playing a lot of shows and started, you know, my career and then I had a family and lived in New York and I moved to Los Angeles, but I played, I really pushed myself and played a lot of shows a year, like maybe 200 shows a year to survive, you know, until COVID. One of the topics that became relevant to me is: How can you still be in love with music after you've been playing so many shows and playing those songs over and over again? And I went through a complicated relationship with music because it's like your dream when you're a teenager, and then it becomes a reality. And then it's like your dream comes true. And then you're making music and there's the art and there's the business, then it's like a relationship, you know. This EP is called 'Hold The Fire' and it's about resilience, as an artist, and how to not let… your fire go out. But at the same time, you know, if you still fan the fire too much, you could burn everything down and you could burn yourself in your own fire. And I guess the idea for the opening track is called “Fireproof.”
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