Dmitri Shostakovich once said, “A creative artist works on his next composition because he was not satisfied with his previous one.” True enough, this Texas-based rising artist has been riding on the momentum of his greatest works yet. From his breakout EP, “Born In The Night,” and his two singles, “Fool” and “2x & ½ With You,” Matthew Kerley, better known by his stage name, Hylynd, recently released his newest single, “Glory Halle” (Hallelujah).
Born and raised in North Carolina, Hylynd is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. This 34-year-old recording artist has swept audiences off their feet with his synthesized sound paired with his smooth and dreamy voice.
Though naturally talented, Hylynd has dedicated ample time continuously enhancing his skills with Grammy-nominated and Hall of Fame vocal coach Jan Smith (who has also worked with R&B and pop artists like Usher and Justin Bieber), who describes him as a “ridiculous talent and vocal athlete.”
And as if his euphonic voice is not enough to make listeners swoon, Hylynd has also impressed audiences with his mad skills on various musical instruments. A multi-talented musician indeed, Hylynd started playing the drums when he was just two years old. On top of that, he is also a seasoned pianist, guitarist, and string arranger. So it is no surprise that when he is putting together his live shows you can find him on and off the mic, piano, guitars, and synths much like the spirit of his music, a grounded soul who is longing and searching.
But what makes Hylynd’s songs send off chills and euphoric pleasure is his blend of classic synth & drum vibes against modern pop melodies. Catering primarily to millennials who grew up between pre-internet times and the present, Hylynd, a millennial himself, gives 80’s and 90’s babies nostalgic bliss.
Critics have praised Hylynd’s genius, and deservingly so. GasMaskMagazine called Hylynd “an R&B Timberlake/Bieber vibe with his own twist. The Revue also wrote, “This talent to produce such contrasting feelings in a short amount of time is a talent only a few artists have mastered…following in the footsteps of The Weeknd in merging electronic music, R&B, and hip hop with dazzling effects.”
The Beat Forest described Hylynd’s music as “Crafted out of nostalgic falsetto, sweeping synth patterns, and whimsical songwriting….a feel-good blend of 90’s synth-pop over modern indie-tronica.”
Verge Campus also commended him, saying, “With a cool, eerie vibe, HYLYND has managed to meld smooth R&B/Pop vocals with unique electronic production with great success.”
Presently, Hylynd is collaborating and co-producing new music with Grammy-nominated King Michael Coy (who has also worked with other talents like Dr. Dre, HER, Anderson Paak) and now has more than 50k monthly online listeners. Visit www.hylynd.com for upcoming tour dates and all things Hylynd.
