RISING South East music star Matt Pratt has been announced as one of Australia’s top 10 emerging country artists and a grand finalist in this year’s Toyota Star Maker.
Now in its 40th year, the event is recognised as Australia’s most significant and longest-running search for a new country star.
The event has been a crucial launching pad for some of Australia’s biggest country music stars, including Keith Urban and Lee Kernaghan.
Going by the stage name Matt James, Matt grew up in Mount Gambier and was strongly influenced by his musical family.
Showcasing his skills at festivals all around the country, his tone and musical quality was influenced by Urban, Rascal Flatts and Sam Hunt.
Matt said he was thrilled to be nominated as a finalist after three attempts as an entrant.
“Third time lucky and it is an honour to be nominated as one of the 10 finalists,” Matt said.
“To even be included in the same conversation as Australia’s country music royalty is so humbling.
“It’s been a goal of mine for a long time and to be a part of the top 10 with such a talented bunch of guys and girls is the best feeling.”
Matt entered two songs, a photograph, biography and suggested what he would do if he won.
“If I was lucky enough to win, it would not really change what I am going to do anyway,” he said.
“I will still be me, I am still going to be Matt James playing my music, but winning the competition would fast track my career.
“Competitions are an unnatural way of performing your music as you are competing against other people.
“You naturally want them to do well, but at the same time you want to win.”
Matt is known to sing and pick to songs of George Jones and Vince Gill and leaves no country music stone unturned.
“When I was around 17 I was backstage with Tommy Emmanuel and he played my guitar and gave me a few pointers,” he said.
He has also played alongside and supported Lee Kernaghan, The Wolfe Brothers and more recently Aleyce Simmonds and Brad Butcher.
“Meeting Lee Kernaghan and The Wolfe Brothers backstage was really cool and inspiring,” he said.
“Playing with that calibre of artists does not come around every day.”
Matt holds a Bachelor of Popular Music and has jammed with Redd Volkaert, the virtuoso guitarist from the late Merle Haggard’s band.
He taught music since Year 12 to help cover his costs as a university student.
“After university the opportunity to teach at Mount Gambier High School came up and I grabbed it.
“When I am teaching guitar and music, I always push my style on them, which is natural with any teacher.”
Matt is also currently writing and recording for his debut release.
“I was finally in the position to do it and have been wanting to record for a long time,” he said.
“I am still in the process of assembling my EP, but the first single ‘Miss This’ is being released today.
“It has been a long journey, but we are getting to the gritty bits of it.”
Matt wrote his first single alone in his bedroom.
“It was the middle of winter and I wanted it to be summer time,” he said.
“The story was already in my head with me at the beach and having someone there with me.”
This track will be digitally released and available on platforms including Spotify and iTunes.
The free Star Maker musical event will be held at Toyota Park, in the leafy heart of Tamworth, Australia’s country music capital, on January 20.
“It is a big stage to play on, there will be thousands of people there and there will be thousands of people watching online,” he said.
“I look forward to the challenge and relishing it.
“When you are on a stage, it is not nerve racking, but you are anxious as you just want to get out there and do your thing.
“Performing to 20 or 30 people is a different feeling to say 5000.
“It is more personal with less people, but when there are thousands you are still trying to connect, which is hard.
“They both come with their own challenges.”
The winner will receive a prize package, which includes the use of a new Toyota vehicle and a fuel card for 12 months, plus guaranteed performances at major festivals and events throughout Australia.
