Matt Stell: “Sugarcoat,” The Drift & Choosing Music

Matt Stell knows what it feels like to have the songs that make a career. Now he is making room for the songs that bring him back to why he started.Matt talks about “Sugarcoat,” the first release from The Drift, a project built around following the sound wherever it goes instead of deciding what it needs to be before the writing starts. He opens up about how the success of “Prayed for You” and “Everywhere But On” created new opportunities, new pressure and a need to reconnect with the part of music that cannot be calculated.He also reflects on recording “Man Made,” tuning out criticism from people whose advice he would never take, and the major life turn that almost took him from Nashville songwriting to medicine.Plus, Matt shares why praise from songwriters like Cole Swindell, Ray Fulcher and George Birge means so much to him, what is coming next that he is absolutely not allowed to reveal yet, and the surprisingly serious coffee routine hiding behind the country star exterior.Three chords gave us the song. The podcast gives you the story.