Over the past year Londoner Matt Maltese has been crafting epic-sounding ballads inspired by his love of Leonard Cohen from his bedroom. Now, having signed a deal with Atlantic Records, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter is premiering his first single of 2017 on The FADER. "As The World Caves In" taps into the sense of despair felt by many following the outcome of the U.S. election and Britain's E.U. referendum in 2016 and adds a sense of melodrama and beauty.
"I wanted to take an everyday thing like spending an evening watching TV with a lover and exaggerate it," Maltese tells The FADER via email. "It's a love song based around Theresa May and Donald Trump having one last night of romance together while they trigger atomic warfare. Hopefully it comes across romantic, sexy, but also sinister and stupid.”
Listen to "As The World Caves In" above. Matt Maltese supports Hamilton Leithauser on his tour of the U.K. and Europe throughout March.
Thumbnail image via Dan Kendall