"From Open Mics to Marquee Headliners, Matt Kabus is Atlanta's Hidden Celebrity"
Originally printed in Art Nouveau Magazine
Welcome to the estranged metropolis we've come to call Atlanta, Georgia, the heart and soul of the Dirty South. Atlanta is a city in which only those who reside can try to personify, and truthfully, most of us have just about given up. We dwell in a self-appointed "community" where fine wine and prime rib is as common as sweet yams and fried okra, where a BMW drives high on your left and a '77 Chevelle rides low on your right. In this extremist-defined population, we compromise and classify through our art: the makers, the players, the hustlers, and the good ole' audience. Because here, if you're not somebody, then you're nobody. When mass appeal becomes irrelevant and art is enjoyed for the shameless sake of enjoyment, the people will congregate and decide the next representers of this mecca of manifold men, also known as Atlanta, Georgia.
Being a born and raised Atlantan, I have high standards for the coming generation of hometown talent. Especially in this era of fame-and-fast-game, raw artistry seems to be a forgotten species. Nonetheless, my purpose is to expose those who surpass the masses in emerging as outliers of their craft. That said, I introduce my next subject as just that: Atlanta vocalist, musician, and lyricist, the multi-talented Matt Kabus.
Matt Kabus is Atlanta's hidden celebrity. An accomplished guitarist, pianist, and vocalist, Kabus lures his listeners with an intimacy of subconscious sincerity. His garage band beginnings eventually escalated into an individual exploration of musical self. Experimenting with this newfound independence propelled the full-blown music career in which he is situated today. Apprenticing in rap studios and mastering the art of production, he has attained the hands on knowledge necessary for thoroughly comprehending his field. Kabus has studied music business at the University of Georgia and is currently assembling the score for an independent film; he believes "this generation has to learn how to tackle all angles (of music) if (they) want to excel."
From open mic bars to marquee headliners, Matt Kabus has progressively made a name for himself at the mere age of twenty-two. As a performer, his sound has been likened to that of John Mayer, but even so Kabus is a breed of his own. He leaves no trace of middle ground in song; when the first chord sounds, his innermost channels are awoken and he becomes his music. As seen in his self-titled EP, his music is a representation of his sentiments and revered as a personal time piece. Kabus, now back from gracing the stages at Sundance Film Festival, turns the page of his ever-unfolding story. Stay tuned for his upcoming album, as the artistry of Matt Kabus delves into its next chapter.