Follow Matthew Holtby
Here’s a song that should appeal to a lot of people, especially indie musicians. Many of them will see themselves in this story. Because yes, a musician’s life is filled with this little thing that seems small but actually takes up a lot of space: frustration. And you know what? Without realizing it, musicians and bloggers have that in common. They both struggle with its overwhelming presence. At first, it’s not easy to live with such a messy roommate. But over time, you learn to understand it and take control.
And today, as the blogger that I am, I can say things are much better. No, I don’t have a million followers, and I don’t care. I have far fewer, but I know they support me. And isn’t that what really matters? For musicians, frustration often comes from the numbers too, whether it’s followers or streams. Social media doesn’t help because it constantly pushes them to compare themselves, throwing musicians who are more successful into their algorithmic feed. Once again, social media is a plague on this world, making talented people feel like they are not enough.
So Give Me a Reason by Matthew Holtby should give you the shot of motivation you’ve been missing. This punchy, short but effective track, which moves between indie rock, folk-pop, and even a bit of country, puts things into perspective with honest lyrics: “Give me a reason / Tell me about everything that you know / Give the thing that you’ve wanted all along / Sing me a song.”
If you ever find yourself in Warkworth, Ontario, there’s a good chance you’ll come across Matthew Holtby, who has been writing passionate songs and creating uplifting melodies for two decades. After playing in several bands, he is finally releasing music as a solo artist, and it seems like an excellent decision. Because everything he has released solo since 2021 is worth it. Yes, I’ve listened to it all. From the punchy rock of his debut Everly to the jingling bells in his Christmas song Away This Christmas, and the moving storytelling in my personal favorite Reading This Now, Matthew writes and sings from the heart, and you can hear it. And these are exactly my kind of people.
Even more so when we have things in common. I started in radio back in 2001 to promote independent artists. After years on local and national stations, I took a step back and now run my own podcasts. The call of the microphone is always too strong, and you always end up coming back to it.
For Matthew, the great thing is that he is living his dream to the fullest, expressing himself now more than ever through his music. I recorded 300 songs and released two albums myself, but at some point, I made a U-turn and chose instead to keep promoting others. Give Me a Reason is yet another masterpiece to add to an already impressive discography, and if I had to point out a single flaw in this song, it would be this: it’s way too short.
Matthew Holtby’s take on “Give Me A Reason”
I wanted to write something simple about the frustrations I was having at the time in terms of trying to be too fancy in my writing. This one fell out of me while strumming my friends hollow body in a basement bedroom where I was working at the time, as I had no internet at home. It came quickly, and I’m happy I didn’t fuss about it. It just clicked.
IMC Listening Guide
Quick insights to help you connect with the song on your terms.
Best weather to enjoy this song
Sunny day
Best time to listen
Midday energy boost
Best place to listen
On the road, At home
Does this song haunt the silence?
Melody lingers
Goosebumps scale
Goosebumps rising
