Interview: Mat Kearney Proves TV Is The New Radio

(andPOP) - If Mat Kearney's name sounds familiar to you, it's likely you heard it on television. But you probably did not hear it on MTV or MuchMusic; the music video for his debut single, "Nothing Left To Lose," is still struggling for airplay. Kearney is a hit everywhere else though. His music has appeared on NBC's football drama "Friday Night Lights," the CW's teen soap "One Tree Hill, and ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," which is by far the singer's biggest fan. "Grey's" has featured a different song by Kearney in three episodes this season thus far.

This embrace by network television has meant Kearney's musical star is quickly rising, despite relatively limited radio airplay. "People are saying TV is the new radio," said the singer of the unconventional means of exposure, in a recent interview with andPOP. "They seem to be music fans at ["Grey's Anatomy"] and if they believe in artists, they want to get behind it. I've just been lucky to experience that and have someone there as a fan of what I do."

And now, thanks to TV and heavy touring – both headlining small theatres and opening for the likes of John Mayer and Sheryl Crow – Kearney's fanbase has expanded far beyond the walls of ABC's studios. His major label debut, "Nothing Left to Lose," was released in April to rave reviews, with many critics calling him an appealing blend of John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and even Coldplay.

While such comparisons (especially to singer-songwriters in an already saturated market) may typically be reason to worry, Kearney, who seems perpetually laidback, doesn't. "Hopefully, the ones that don't matter will go away, I guess. I hope that doesn't sound like an arrogant statement – I mean, if I'm one of them, then maybe I'll go away too," Kearney said with a laugh. "But no, I think great music is great music. Great music defies genre."

In fact, defying genre may be a good way of describing Kearney's music, which combines hip-hop elements with folksy, pop sensibilities – an unexpected mix that happens to work well with Kearney's guitar- and piano-driven structures and smooth, earnest vocals. It's a unique offering that, several months after the release of "Nothing Left To Lose," Kearney continues to peddle now in Toronto. Dropping by his label Sony BMG's Canadian headquarters, the singer-songwriter gave an impromptu four-song performance that highlighted his flair for singing, rapping, guitar and piano. He seems able to do so much that it's a surprise to find out that his first foray into music didn't even come until just a few years ago.

Unlike most artists, who claim to have been singing since they were little wee things, Kearney said he only started singing and writing music as a college sophomore, fooling around with his roommate's guitar. "I think songwriting comes really naturally to me and singing wasn't that difficult for me," said Kearney, who also suggested that his love for poetry throughout high school probably eased a transition into music. "Part of it was, during college, I was just [playing music] for fun – it was more for me, so it was just out of my love for it. It wasn't like I was comparing myself to big rock stars, which I have to do now," he explained, smiling.

Kearney began to seriously think about music as a career after what was supposed to be a short trip to Nashville to help a friend move became more than just a visit. Music City beckoned and "I didn't wanna leave," Kearney remembered. "All I wanted to do is music. I dropped out of school, worked some crappy little job and just started. That was when I was really like, 'This is what I want to pursue.'"

That summer, Kearney and producer Robert Marvin put together demos and built Kearney's repertoire. Before long, record labels were knocking down his door. But Kearney would independently release two EPs, and 2004's "Bullet" before he ultimately signed to Aware Records, also home of Mayer and Five for Fighting. Why the wait? "I'd only written like five or six songs in my life, so I was still figuring out what I was doing," Kearney said. "I liked my music. I thought I had potential, but I didn't feel like I was ready to put an album out there and be like, 'here's who I am,' so I turned them down and just worked on my craft."

The wait seems to have paid off, though Kearney's modesty gives the impression that he doesn't yet quite believe he's actually made it. "I think I found that this stage of my life is incredibly humbling because the more success you have, the more vulnerability and the more, in a sense, you put yourself out there," he said. "It's like, at any moment, you feel like someone could call your bluff, or you look out in the crowd and they're all cardboard cut-outs or something," he added, laughing.

But Kearney's focus on relevant subject matter in his music suggests longevity for the young newcomer. His songs speak of love, spirituality and politics – issues he said he hopes to tie in to a greater theme of honesty, humility and truth. Kearney is a devout Christian and his faith is openly reflected in several of the tracks on "Nothing Left to Lose." "I think [spirituality] connects to people because I think the idea of redemption and grace and hope are things that are universal that resonates with everyone," he said.

But if for some reason music falls through, it looks like Kearney may just have acting to fall back on. He said he's been sent a few scripts this week – nothing he's interested in doing, but acting, he said, isn't something he'll write off for the future. "The cool thing about this industry is that creativity just seems to breed creativity," he said. "There just seems to be a lot of doors opening in different creative outlets right now for musicians." Maybe he can start off with a guest spot on "Grey's Anatomy."