Blind Oji-Cree artist ‘Mattmac’ wins Canada’s Walk of Fame emerging musician prize
Global News
Matthew Monias, aka “Mattmac,” is the recipient of Canada's Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program in 2022.
The Winnipeg-based musician Matthew Monias, known as Mattmac and originally from the remote community of Garden Hill First Nation in northern Manitoba, is the recipient of Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program in 2022.
His submission to the program is a song called Isolation and the corresponding music video was filmed in Garden Hill.
Monias has been blind since birth and released his first career album in 2020.
“I really love doing this as a thing and it’s like one of my biggest passions,” he told 680CJOB on Oct 6.
“This is so cool and this presents itself with a lot of opportunity and potential.”
He has been singing since he was four, writing songs since age 13, producing at 16, and has taught himself how to play piano and guitar.
“A lot of what you hear is all self-produced, all of it’s self-done, I mix my own vocals and I record my own vocals as well,” he said.
The young artist has been battling adversity for the entirety of his career and he hopes he can be a source of hope for many.