Matt Krahula

Story

My name is Matt Krahula. Aside from my work as a solo musician, I am the lead singer songwriter for The Nightmare River Band, bassist for Grammy Nominated artist Henry Kapono, and 1/2 of the Chamber Folk duo Beyond Hope. I currently reside in Waikiki where I spend the majority of my time making music and surfing.

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What is music to you? What does it give you?

Music has been my lifelong passion. I started playing upright bass in 4th grade and continued on through to get my bachelors degree in Music at Purchase College for performance on Classical bass. I can't imagine what life would be like without music.

What is your music dream?

To continue making music that I love and believe in.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

The leadership

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

Uptown Girl by Billy Joel or Rocky Mountain High by John Denver

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Cat Stevens, The Talking Heads, The Head and The Heart, John Denver, Neil Young, Lord Huron

What inspires you to make music?

I find inspiration everywhere. Used to write a lot about love, loss, pain and drinking, but these days I'm just as inspired by more positive things, a beautiful hike, a great day surfing, or a relaxing evening with a good book.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

I don't have one concise message. My goal is always to make each song the best it can be.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Performing live is one of the true thrills in this life.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

Ideally, we'd see more money from streaming platforms but I'm not going to hold my breath.

What do you think of Drooble?

Drooble seems to be a very welcoming community of musicians who are all trying to work together to help each other move forward. It's a great concept that seems to be working well here.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

I've learned to move past the frustrating parts of the industry. Things happen the way the should in time. Stay positive.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

I do. I try to frequent as many shows as possible. I offer very favorable rates, often pro-bono to produce artists who might be a little tight on funds. The good deeds almost always come back around. Social equity is a real thing.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

The first step is making sure your music is the best it can be. With home recording setups pumping out hi-fidelity records, the industry is more competitive than ever.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Hurrah! A Bolt of Light!, Chris Smithers, Communication Corporation, Chase Hamblin, Quiet Hollers