Metsä is an artist from Issaquah/Bellingham. Even though he has a shorter touring timeline compared to other artists, he has already accomplished a lot more than others. Last year, he played Upstream Fest and was runner up for Beat Match. I sat down with him after he opened for Elohim at The Crocodile.
The interview condensed for clarity.
RMR: Who are your musical inspiration; if you have any? It can be a person or specific album.
Metsä: When I started back in high school, I found Flume’s first self-titled album and I was hooked on that from day one. Huge fan of his. Then in freshmen year of college, I got into Mura Masa and ODESZA. And Mura Masa hasn’t released his EP yet, so I found all his trap stuff first. Then he started releasing his first self-titled EP and then his album. Then ODESZA’s continuous album releases has definitely been inspiring. Their Foreign Family (Collective) too; all the artists on that are people who I look up to. Some smaller people like Ramzoid, Soda Island Collective, SoundCloud artists like Louis the Child, WHethan are huge [inspirations], and Lido, Slow Magic, Giraffage.
I saw ODESZA, Slow Magic, and Giraffage in the same week, and I was just like ‘I have to do music now, I can’t not do this.’
But on a daily basis, I’m just inspired by people, places, and stuff I’ve experienced. So, all that combined turns into the music I make.
RMR: Why did you start making music?
Metsä: I started because I had free time in college, and I didn’t know what to do with it. I’m inspired by all these artists, so why not pick up Ableton and try it? Throughout hight school, I’ve been making music because I was like ‘Skrillex is tight, Deadmau5 is tight, I like house [music], I like EDM-ish’; but it wasn’t until college when I found that sound and wanted to make it in my own way because I loved it so much and to fill the free time. It’s a nice release to pour emotions into and get something out of it that’s constructive, so that’s also why I do it.
RMR: In an interview 2 years ago (smoothietunes), you said that music was still a hobby for you, so at what point did you start taking it more seriously and seeing the potential in it?
Metsä: I go to class, I make music, and I go play these shows now and it’s slowly becoming more of a part time job than just a hobby. Playing shows, meeting artists, getting these bigger songs out, and being recognized for it has slowly solidified that it’s not just a hobby anymore and has potential for something bigger than I ever expected it to be. But I still see music as something I do for fun.
RMR: Was there a specific moment of “wow i’m going somewhere” or a major milestone you’ve reached?
Metsä: Oh, definitely. I’ve had multiple of those: the first time I played the Wild Buffalo (venue in Bellingham) for Manatee Commune was huge. I had a goal in my mind to play the Wild Buffalo someday, and it slowly happened. So, I wanted to keep pushing this and played more and more shows. I think playing smaller shows like BAMF! (Bellingham Art & Music Festival), competing in Beat Match last year and getting runner up, doing it again this year, opening for Louis Vuitton, and winning the Brownies and Lemonades contest in LA to open for Big Wild helped me get recognized. And continuously getting to meet people like Chet Porter, Phantoms, Brasstracks, Elohim tonight, and other people has helped me hit milestones. But, I think the biggest one would be Summer Meltdown. Seeing a ton of people react to my music that was out of my expectations didn’t feel real. Getting booked for Capitol Hill Block Party too, it makes me feel like my dreams are all happening.
RMR: How soon did you tell your family that music was something you’re serious about and how did they take it?
Metsä: They’d always let me go off and do my own thing alone. They knew I was making something, but didn’t know what. So, I slowly started showing them more and more of my music and playing live sets, like 5 minute sets at the [Underground] Coffeehouse in Western. That’s when I gained a lot of fans and got a 45 minutes set. For my parents, that’s when it slowly got solidified. Especially now that I’m getting booked for Capitol Hill or these larger shows, they’re seeing it as ‘you need to take this and run with it because you have potential.’ They supported me at the start, but they were like ‘do it but still go to school and get a degree, etc.’ Now they’re more ‘get a degree, but focus your energy in these because there’s a massive amount of potential.‘ I’ve been very lucky to be supported by great family, great friends, and great fans as well.
RMR: From playing at the Underground Coffeehouse to opening sets, has anything changed in your set or the way you prepare beforehand? Do you still get nervous before your set, or has things gotten easier with practice?
Metsä: The nerves are still there, and will always be there. It’s always nerve wrecking, even if it’s a short set with full productions.
The way I lay out my set is still the same. I pretty much took what I was doing at the Coffeehouse and refined it every single show. So now I have a way that I want to do this, and I’ve slowly been incorporating live drums, the floor tomb, and eventually the guitar and keyboard. Just building upon the base helped me set myself up nicely. Practicing is important. I failed hard and fast at the Coffeehouse, but I learned what worked and what didn’t. Now, it’s just about smooth transitions, the flow of the setlist, and playing songs I enjoy that hopefully the crowd will too.
RMR: So, since you were the runner up on Beat Match last year- What made you want to sign up for it again this year?
Metsä: I thought: ‘Why not!’ I actually almost didn’t. A week or two out from the deadline, I was talking to Evan (the manager). I thought they weren’t going to allow people to submit, and then I got an email saying that I’m good to submit for it. So I just threw in a song and waited to see what happens, and they happened to pick me again.
I want to win it, but I’m going to go in not knowing anything or anyone. It’s anyone’s game because you never know what people are going to pull out; everyone has lots of unreleased stuff. That’s why you just gotta have fun.
RMR: Beat Match last year opened a lot of doors and you got signed to BuildStrong- how has that made a difference in your career?
Metsä: Beat Match helped me get recognition from the Seattle area. Then, I met Austin Santiago through Manatee Commune, and again during Beat Match. Evan Johnson was a part of BuildStrong later on, who I had met through email. I asked about opening for Gryffin when he was playing at Neumos or some other venue. He got back to me, saying ‘I’m not sure, but I really like your music. I’ve heard you from Beat Match and other things. I’m joining BuildStrong, would you be interested in sitting down to talk, and potentially work together?’ And the rest is history. I’m the sole artist under him for now. Things are working really well, and we both have connections that the other person doesn’t. We work together to make this a bigger project than what I had sought out to do.
RMR: You’ve changed academic career paths recently to pursue design; what prompted that decision?
Metsä: I went from computer science to graphic design. I took design classes because of my minor. I really enjoyed the [design] classes, and have always done graphic design since high school but never thought of it as a viable career choice. Until I took ID320 (course), and really clicked with the professor. She’s like ‘what are you doing in computer science? I know you’re set on it, but rethinking about it. The work you’re putting out in this class and previous classes is really good. Don’t sell yourself short in this field.’ So, I went and showed my parents and grandparents my portfolio of drawings and other work. My grandma said, ‘Max, if this is something you want to do, and it’s not too late to switch, do it.’ I literally broke down because I’ve been holding this in for so long and was unsure whether I was good enough to do it. So I’ve been extremely happy with the change.
RMR: Let’s speak things into existence and talk about the future: what are some of your goals for 2018? And what are some career goals for further into the future?
Metsä: For 2018- well, Capitol Hill is already checked off the list, that was a goal for the longest time. Eventually, I want to tour and headline. I have a few project in the works that will be announced and released soon. Hopefully, just collaborating with artists I’ve looked up to as well, that’d be super cool to do.
I think past 2018, I want to do bigger festivals and bigger shows- Like SODO or the Showbox, and Bumbershoot or Sasquatch would be cool. That’s like the Seattle Trifecta- Sasquatch, Capitol Hill, and Bumbershoot. I can knock off one this year, hopefully I can knock off the two later on. I’ve wanted to tour the West Coast for the longest time- Vancouver to Bellingham, Seattle, Portland, and then to California and back up. Anything’s possible.
Speed Round
Fav artist currently?
Metsä: Kasbo, that new album is magical and I have it on repeat. Eden too, that album changed my musical perspective, and I want to incorporate some of those similar style and sounds.
Last album you just listened to?
Metsä: Kasbo’s album, and ODESZA’s on right now. Eden’s album as well, and What So Not’s [album] is fantastic.
Highlight of your career?
Metsä: Meltdown was insane. Meeting my inspirations like Big Wild, Chet Porter, and Louis Futon was insane. These guys are who I want to be like, yet talking to me like a friend. Of course, being on the lineup for Capitol Hill too.
Your dream collaboration would be with —-?
Metsä: ODESZA for sure, Flume, or Mura Masa. I would also want to work with Elohim as a singer, or even someone outside of the regular realm of electronic scene. Lido would be cool as a vocalist, and people like Khalid, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, and so more.
As mentioned, Metsä will be playing at the Capitol Hill Block Party this summer, and you can keep up with him on social media (@madebymetsa)!
