By Our Reporter
With his second EP, Third World Baby, now out, Matt Travers continues to establish his signature sound, bringing together elements of heavy bass, dancehall, hip-hop and Afrobeats. Having worked with various artists of his generation, he explores themes of positivity and reassurance on songs such as “Proud of U”, while also featuring established talent John Blaq on “Simmer Down Remix”.
In a social media post on X and Instagram, The Smackist shared a story about his time as an entertainment prefect, when he booked John Blaq for a school show. Collaborating with him on his EP was therefore a dream come true.
On “Milele”, Matt Travers takes a playful and satirical approach, fusing Swahili with English as he tells the story of a workplace situationship. The song is steadily building an audience in Nairobi, following his debut appearance on New Music Friday Kenya a week ago and his solo intimate live performance at Lemon Studio, a creative arts studio in Nairobi.
His engagement with fans has also extended beyond music, with supporters sharing in moments that have been both musical and fashion-oriented. Travers is among the Ugandan artists using their voices to promote eco-friendly art through his collaboration with Night In Nairobi, an upcycling fashion brand.
Matt Travers believes the future of entertainment should be aligned with causes that make communities better, using music as a soundtrack to unite people who share the same values. He expresses a desire to use his talent to bring together communities passionate about wellness, ecotourism and eco-friendly fashion. Through his music, he hopes to highlight the value of protecting nature and promoting healthy values while having fun and creating a cross-cultural global community built around shared ideals.
His EP also speaks to positivity in its creation, featuring Amanya, a fast-rising Ugandan female artist who contributed as a producer, and Kevin Mawejje on vocals.
Matt promises continued consistency as he passionately works to connect with communities that share his values, using his music as their soundtrack.
He has previously worked with a wide range of next-generation urban wave artists on the rise in Uganda, both as a producer and collaborative artist, including GrG, Kezerod, Kevin Mawejje, TheDiceKid from Rwanda, Akeine and others.
Matt promises to bring more heat to fans awaiting his next releases, with plans to introduce a global sound with an African touch sometime in November.