Perth singer-songwriter Matt Ponio expands his sound and vision with second album Modify

Less than six months after releasing his debut album, In A Fog Again, Perth singer-songwriter Matthew Pomponio, AKA Matt Ponio, is back with a new record, Modify. Raised on ’90s and 2000s acts such as Nirvana, Blur, Muse and Pete Murray, Matt Ponio began writing songs when he was 13, but over the years has drawn on more modern influences to craft a sound that transcends his 19 years. BRAYDEN EDWARDS caught up with Matt Ponio to find out why Modify is a step forward, both musically and personally, and just the beginning of bigger and better things to come.

Congrats on the release of your new album Modify! How long has this record been in the works for? And how does it feel to finally release it to the world?

Thank you. As soon as I finished my first album, In A Fog Again I felt the need to move on from that time in my life and start writing the next album. The first songs I wrote for this album were Storm In The City and Who Knows, which was back in August 2023. For a while, I didn’t really know what those songs were going to turn into, but as time went on, I found myself experimenting with samples and chopped-up vocals, and that’s when Wake Up Call and Nothin To Say came into the mix.

Then I knew I was writing an album. I felt inspired, and I pretty much had all the songs down by the end of last year. The last song that I finished was adrift. It started out as a piano ballad, and I didn’t know how I was going to approach it vocally, so I ended up stripping back the piano, and as soon as I put that atmospheric synth on it, the lyrics came to me, and I knew I had to go deep and soul-search with what I was singing about on that song.

It feels really good that Modify is out there and people get to listen to it. I hope people find some type of connection to the music.

Now that it’s finished, do you feel there is an overarching theme or idea that runs through the album? 

To me, the album is loosely based on the state of being a human in 2024. Life at the moment can feel quite daunting, and things are constantly modifying everyday, whether it’s turning on the TV, reading the news, or checking your phone. A lot is going on at the same time, and it’s rare we get to slow down and appreciate life. When life is going so fast you can’t put it into words, and that kind of feeling is translated into the music on this album.

At just 19 years old, it’s amazing to hear this is already your second album. What do you feel are the main differences between Modify and your previous record, In A Fog Again?

I recorded a lot of ideas for my first album, and it was a similarly organic process with Modify. Though, lyrically, In A Fog Again was centred around what was going on in my life and my mental state at the time. Modify is about all of us—what we’re all going through and thinking about currently. I definitely wanted to focus more on the production for this album, so that was the main focus for Modify.

You’ve been writing music since you were 13. Do you recall what it was that drew you to creating music at the time? Were there any artists that inspired or motivated you to get into songwriting?

My dad was a drummer for a few bands in the ’90s, so he had a drum kit in the house, and we would always jam. Any instrument we had around, I would pick up and start singing. That was when I began writing songs, and then I would record the ideas on GarageBand. They were very low quality, but I knew there was something there, and I really loved the idea of making bodies of work.

So writing albums has always come naturally to me. Some of the artists my parents would play were Nirvana, Blur, Muse and Pete Murray. They all really inspired me. There’s a certain magic you get when listening to music that you just can’t capture with anything else. Damon Albarn has been a huge influence on me. The way he’s constantly evolving what he’s doing, whether it’s electronic stuff with Gorillaz or his acoustic solo work, always inspires me. Seeing Pete Murray live when I was seven in Margaret River has always stuck with me and was the drive for me to want to do it myself.

And how has that changed in the years since? How would you say your sound has evolved from then until now?

I did a bit of everything with my early music; it’s weird. The songs that have stuck with me from early on are my more acoustic songs. With those, I tell stories about my life and am vulnerable with my lyrics, much like I do now. I feel like now I’m able to recognise if I’ve written a decent song or not, and approaching a vocal line or production comes much more naturally to me now.

If I hadn’t done those early songs, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now. I believe everything happens for a reason. Right now in my life, I’ve been connecting with nature and have been drawn to my acoustic guitar again, so it looks like I might go full circle with my next release.

And how have you gone about capturing these songs on record? 

Most of my songs are written on acoustic guitar and piano. With Modify, all it took was for me to like a vocal sample, and I’d write a song around that, then allow myself to meditate on the lyrics on the record. It was a very relaxed and organic process. I pretty much do everything in my garage, from putting down vocals to recording guitar solos. The finished product is always satisfying.

What’s next for you in the months and years ahead? Are there any live shows or new music on the horizon that we can look forward to?

My dream has always been to become a successful singer-songwriter, and I’m going to continue to keep pushing through. This year, I plan to play live as much as I can. I’m going to start by playing small acoustic shows and build up to a larger headline show later in the year.

I’ve felt really inspired lately so I can’t wait to get out there and share my stories with people. As for new music, I’m working on some songs now. So far, it’s very emotional, and I’ve found myself gravitating towards my acoustic guitar; it’s sounding like my best stuff yet. I say that with every album! But seriously, this next batch of songs is very special to me. I can’t wait to share it with people.