Interview: Andrew Matarazzo
2020 was an eventful year for Andrew Matarazzo. Between releasing his debut single “Omertá” to putting out the self-directed music video for the song to self-publishing his very first novel Bedlam to landing a role in the highly anticipated gender-swapped remake of She’s All That, the 24 year old actor and musician has been keeping busy despite the limitations of a year filled with lockdowns and strict quarantine measures.
His most recent project, the “music picture” for his latest single, the dreamy and nostalgic “New York“, premiered last month to rave reviews. “It’s been wild,” he says of the positive response to the video. “It’s crazy how something takes months of building and creating for a few-minute piece, so having people send me their love and thoughts about the song and video is always such a good feeling. I even saw a fan who got a lyric from the song tattooed on her forearm. It was just a very surreal moment.”
The video for “New York” was directed by Boni Mata, who is known for her work with artists such as Julia Michaels and PRETTYMUCH. Filmed entirely on Super 8, the video is a breathtaking experience that feels like a love letter to the city it’s named after. “The goal was for it to feel nostalgic and timeless,” reveals Matarazzo. “And I think Super 8, shooting on film, naturally achieves that. I had very specific visuals and visions, but the thought of shooting a big project like that in a different state was daunting. I ended up teaming with a producer, Jamie Dolan who recruited an amazing director, Boni Mata, and director of photography, Ben Elias, who has done endless amounts of work on film. The rest came together simply by having such an amazing team.”
Matarazzo, who got his big break in 2017 with the role of Gabe in the final season of the hit MTV series Teen Wolf, says his background as an actor strongly influenced his approach to creating music videos. “I’ve always identified more as an actor than a musician until the last few years where I’ve sort of married the two, and learned how in tandem they can live,” he reveals. “So when approaching my first visuals for ‘Omertá’, I realized how natural it felt to jump off the idea of a normal music video and shoot it more like a film – which is my world. And it was so organic for me to play a role and persona in the picture rather than a typical pop star singing into the camera. It was a perfect moment to fuse the two. I want to carry that concept through my other videos. I want them to all feel like film projects and highlight a performance. I think I bring a lot of myself as an actor to my music and so I often start with the story I’m trying to tell in the lyrics, and with that, I always have very specific visuals in mind. By the time I start planning the music picture, I have a full persona and ‘film’ the song lives in. And it’s fun for me to play a role in these mini worlds that’s not a TV or film job, but feels like one.”
When asked if “Omertá” and “New York” are simply stand-alone singles or part of a larger project, Matarazzo says they are meant to be part of a full body of work that will be released later this year. “The goal is to have an EP out by the end of the year and at least two more music videos,” he says. “I’m working on music now more than ever and I feel really on track with my goals as far as music goes. Right now I’m just focused on creating a body of work I’m proud of. I’m not stressing over the idea of success in other’s eyes.” When asked if he had any reservations on pursuing a career in music while also simultaneously working as an actor, he responses in the negative. “I’ve always been passionate about music,” he clarifies. “But it seemed more like a side thing I did for fun, until I gained more confidence. It’s crazy how similar the art forms [of music and acting] are now that I’ve delved deeper into music.”
This week coincidentally marks the tenth anniversary of the TV show that put Matarazzo on the map. Throughout the past decade, Teen Wolf, which featured actors such as Tyler Posey, Dylan O’Brien and Tyler Hoechlin, has managed to build a dedicated fanbase that still strongly support the show to this day, almost four years after the series finale first debuted. “It was a massive stepping stone on my path and I feel like it’s still a very prominent part of my life,” says Matarazzo of the hit MTV series, which lasted for seven seasons. “I made a lot of friends that I still see often, and the fandom behind it has been an incredible support system to me to this day.”
While Matarazzo is currently focused on developing his career as an artist, he still has a few acting projects in the pipeline, including a short film he is not only starring in but also producing and a supporting role in Netflix’s upcoming teen rom-com He’s All That, which stars Addison Rae and Tanner Buchanan. “It was great,” he gushes over his experience working on the film, which will premiere in August. “From start to finish, I felt like I’d known everyone for years. Our cast chemistry was so chaotic and funny, so I looked forward to getting to set every day. I’m excited to see how it turns out because I know a lot of changes were made once Netflix picked it up. I think it’s going to be a really fun movie.” For Rae, who is making her acting debut with the project, Matarazzo has nothing but praise. “I was happy that she took it seriously, and brought good energy to set every day,” he says. “I was impressed with how prepared and natural she was, even while acknowledging she was new to it all.”
Between singing, acting, directing his own music videos and writing, Matarazzo says he also hopes to transition into full-on filmmaking sometime in the near future. “I am extremely hands on with my projects,” he says. “I wear as many hats as I can, because I am so detail oriented. I definitely want to direct in the future. I’m kicking everything into overdrive. I’m actively working on some cool things, and giving more attention to my music, creative directing, and amping up my presence in the fashion world. I will always be in many lanes.”
Matarazzo’s latest single “New York” is now streaming on Spotify and Apple Music. He’s All That will be released on Netflix on August 27, 2021.