Creator to Creators S7 Ep 33 Matthew Hartley

Youtube FacebookImaginepeakstudios.comMatthewhartleymusic.comBio Born into and immersed in music, Matthew Hartley, Charleston-based Christian Rocksongwriter, embodies the importance of valuing your journey. His own life runs parallelto his creative process, and while he may be curious about the outcome, he’s notconcerned by it.Rather, he’s ignited by the lessons, growth, and opportunities that come from honoringyour process and pursuing your passions regardless of your circumstances.As young as 8 years old, Matthew recalls always having a notebook by his side to writedown lyrics anytime they channeled through. He grew up in the era of vinyl records andcassette tapes, jamming to hair bands like Poison, Whitesnake, Van Halen, and BonJovi. He was enamored by the power of rock and listened for sheer enjoyment.Influenced by the genre's raw energy at a young age, we timelapse to Matthew as anadult, where his life experiences led him to rediscover a faith he had always carriedwithin him. While the emotional conviction of rock shaped his guitar playing andsongwriting style, it was his life’s journey that naturally integrated Christian themes intohis music.He shares an example of when he wrote his first Christian rock song in 2001 called“Rise Above," which marked a reckoning with his own sins, and an acknowledgmentthat things had to change. However, while he was growing in character, he recalls that itwasn’t until later in life that he embraced the true blessing of faith when faced withanother hardship.He elaborates on a time he went through a debilitating divorce, and as he navigated thepainful disentanglement from the complexities of family separation, he found himself athis lowest point. And in that moment of exhaustion and total breakdown, the lyrics:When your heart is bawling,You know that Heaven’s calling …out your nameRepresent a pivotal point in his story. In his newest single, “Heaven’s Calling,” Matthewshares that when you’re at your most vulnerable it’s exactly when God speaks theloudest. Heaven is calling your name to show you there is hope and love even in thedarkness.“God is working on you and he will get you through it. You have to have faith throughthe storm,” he states encouragingly.Another theme in “Heaven’s Calling,” that Matthew unravels is the humanity that birthsfrom devastation. In the May 18th premier of the “Heaven’s Calling” music video, thereare images of hurricane damage, flooding, and rescue missions from the disaster.Hitting close to home, literally and figuratively, Matthew shares that after the destructionof Hurricane Helene in 2024, he witnessed firsthand the valor of those rescuing, theheart of those helping, and the resilience of those who survive a natural disaster.“Love is powerful; the best of people through devastation is remarkable,” he says.“And for those, Heaven’s calling [too].”In conjunction with the hurricane footage and rescue scenes, other parts of the musicvideo feature Matthew performing on rooftops around downtown Charleston withdifferent historic backdrops like St. Michael’s Church, Cannon Park, and the CharlestonCity Market.After building a storyboard and scouring the city for permits and approvals to shootdifferent church features and historic sites, Matthew and his team creatively, andthoughtfully sewed all the pieces together. Part of obtaining those permits involvedsubmitting the song’s lyrics, and it was serendipitous, almost as if the city was equallyonboard about spreading his message. With the success of it all, he was able to literallysing from the rooftops that “Heaven’s calling out… your name.”While reflecting on the development of the project, which he shares was his favoriteaspect of it all, he emphasized the gratification of creating something from nothing.“To do that is such a blessing. It's a process of creation, and you have to be flexible andfluid and enjoy the ride. It’s not about the money or the outcome - it’s about the journey”he says.He also humbly noted that he couldn’t do it alone. He knew that bringing his vision tofruition required collaboration and the culmination of many parts from key producers andsession musicians, to cinematographers and municipalities.Pulling back the curtain even more, Matthew began writing the song at the beginning of2025, and with his melody, lyrics, and chord structure in place, he set out to find high-quality professionals to level up his creation.He gives a shout-out to David Kershenbaum, renowned producer for Tracy Chapmanand Duran Duran, who livened Matthew’s vocals and musicality. Excited by the result,Matthew shares that “Heaven’s Calling,” will be the first single in an upcoming EP.What’s more, Matthew shares that a goal of this is that after learning from hisexperiences, he wants to share and impart lessons and resources to other musiciansembarking on creative endeavors through his production and publishing company,Imagine Peak Studios. When asked what words of advice he’d like to leave for readers and listeners alike, he reminds us: “Do not let your circumstances dictate your journey. Age or time is irrelevant, and if you have a passion for something just do it. Praise God. Love your family and neighbors. And, live your life.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.