Episode remastered, re-edited and extended for 2025!
Matt Fishel's journey from performing arts graduate to independent queer music pioneer reads like a manifesto for artistic integrity. When major record labels told him that "nobody will ever buy music sung by a man singing about other men," Matt made a choice that would define his career: he refused to compromise. Through his blend of European pop sensibilities and Green Day-inspired rock, Matt has crafted the soundtrack that his teenage self desperately needed.
This debut episode of In the Key of Q explores the critical importance of authentic representation in music. Matt's unashamed approach to queer storytelling offers a blueprint for artists who refuse to translate their experiences into palatable metaphors. His music doesn't just reflect queer life—it celebrates it with infectious melodies and fearless honesty.
In conversation with host Dan Hall, Matt reveals the personal cost of choosing authenticity over commercial success, and why that choice has ultimately proven more rewarding than any record deal could have been.
• [02:36] Industry Rejection: "Nobody will ever buy music sung by a man singing about other men. It just will not sell. Period." Matt shares the identical response he received from every major label executive.
• [04:11] Artistic Integrity Choice: Rather than remove gay content from his songs, Matt decided to forge his own path as an independent artist, refusing to "dull down" his experiences.
• [06:29] Madonna's Influence: Matt discusses how "Truth or Dare" shaped his understanding of queer visibility, watching it repeatedly from age nine and gravitating towards the gay scenes without understanding why.
• [09:54] Realisation vs Recognition: Dan's insight that coming out isn't about "realising you're gay" but "realising that other people think it's wrong" resonates deeply with Matt's experience.
• [12:07] Representation Matters: Matt credits Madonna for bringing gay people into her work "unashamedly" when it wasn't acceptable, providing essential visibility for young queer people.
• [16:09] Queer Suburbia: "Not Thinking Straight" was conceived as detailed songs about growing up gay in Nottingham, capturing the hidden world of queer teenage experiences behind closed doors.
• [18:10] Ageism Across Cultures: Matt's song "Twinks" serves as a cautionary tale about placing looks and youth as the sole important values, noting this is now a problem across all cultures, not just gay culture.
• [22:42] First Love and Loss: "Soldiers" pays tribute to Matt's first boyfriend who died in 2015, exploring the complex emotions of losing someone with whom you've shared physical intimacy.
• [25:24] Creating for His Younger Self: Matt reveals he made "Not Thinking Straight" as "the album I wanted to hear at 15 years old" - the album he wanted to "hug and jump up and down and scream about."
• [26:46] Gateway Song: "Radio-Friendly Pop Song" serves as Matt's mission statement, literally representing the industry's voice before his own voice emerges to declare: "Fuck you, I'm gay, I'm out, I'm proud."
Matt Fishel is an independent queer musician who has released three critically acclaimed albums blending European pop with rock influences. After major labels demanded he remove all gay content from his songs, Matt established his own record label to create authentic queer music without compromise. His visual approach to songwriting has produced numerous music videos that bring his stories to vivid life. Visit mattfishel.com for more information.
Read...
