Matthew Koma’s ideal Saturday night: Staying in with sushi and Netflix

Singer, songwriter and producer Matthew Koma was in Manila last weekend to perform a DJ set at Chaos at the City Of Dreams. The 29-year-old multi-hyphenate, perhaps best known for penning monster hit songs like Zedd’s “Clarity” and “Spectrum,” is starting a residency at the ultra luxe club so expect him to pop up a few more times here this year.

Thank you Manila ???????? pic.twitter.com/PgpJPrAY3I

— Matthew Koma (@MatthewKoma) March 12, 2017

Because he’s hopscotching around the globe playing his songs and spinning tracks as a DJ, people might get the impression that Koma is a party animal. But when I asked him just before the show what his idea is of a perfect Saturday night, he gave me a surprsing answer.

“Oh man, everybody’s about to be so bored,” he said. “Usually I’m either traveling nonstop or writing music nonstop, so if I had Saturday night where I could do anything, it would probably be like eating sushi, watching Netflix and a comfortable bed. I just watched this TV show called The OA.”

I couldn’t help but say that I finished watching it too, and just like everybody else who did, the ending left me completely baffled.

“Yeah it kind of made you think, okay what just happened. But yeah, that’s pretty much it. Just quiet. I’m a pretty quiet guy. I don’t like going out. I don’t drink. I like coffee. I’m a morning guy. It kind of makes no sense when people know what I do.”

The 29-year-old has had a stellar few years, having worked with everybody from Zedd and Sting to Carly Rae Jepsen, Britney Spears and his ultimate idol Bruce Springsteen. Here’s the rest of my Q & A with the super chill and laidback Koma:

GMA News: You’re one of those multi-hyphenates. Singer. Songwriter. Producer. DJ. Guitar Player…

Matthew Koma: I’m a chef also.

Wow. That’s cool. But which of those words do you think best describes who you are and what you do?

MK: Probably songwriter. I think that’s always been the foundation. When I started getting into music it was covering other people’s songs. I was about nine years old. That led me to discovering, oh I can use those words to tell my stories. And I think that’s what attracted me to being a part of music. I started singing almost as a means to an end. It allowed me to deliver the songs. But I still think the most important thing to me is being able to tell stories.

What’s the songwriting process like for you?

MK: It’s different every time. I think to keep writing songs for a long time, you can’t go to the well the same way. Communicating something can get repetitive and redundant. The process is always different for me. Sometimes it’s sitting with an acoustic guitar, and an idea is born. I actually do a lot of writing in the car while driving. When you’re not thinking about it, when you’re sitting down and writing, that’s when a lot of ideas flow. I’ve done a lot of songs like that. Sometimes it’s starting a track first and then writing through it. Sometimes it’s getting a track from another producer and writing through that. But I think I’m always operating from some point where it feels honest and true. And I feel it in my gut when it’s finished. That never changes, whether the starting point is here or there.

I’ll throw out a few names and you say the first thing that pops into your head. Just one word. Bruce Springsteen.

MK: God.

Sting.

MK: God.

Zedd.

MK: Tacos. He eats a lot of tacos.

Britney Spears.

MK: Goddess.

Tiesto.

MK: Nicest.

Shania Twain.

MK: Badass.

What’s your favorite city in the world that you’ve performed in, and one that you’d like to go just to visit?

MK: I love visiting Tokyo so much. Sushi is my favorite food in the world. And I love the culture there. I think when I was younger I always fantasized about going there, so getting to go there and do music, and walk around and feel that world, I love it. I’ve done it for a day, I’ve done it for a week. I adore it so much.

You’ve gotten the chance to work with a bunch of very talented people in the business. Who else is on your list?

MK: I love these girls from Sweden called First Aid Kit. I think they’re so talented, these two sisters with beautiful voices. There’s a band called Dawes. They’re my favorite band in the world. I actually don’t want to work with them because they’re like gods to me. And I wouldn’t want to meet them. But in my fantasy, I don’t have to know them but I can still work with them. And I love what Flume is doing in the electronic front. He’s always been incredible doing his thing and it’s nice to see him connect in a bigger and bigger way each year. But he remains true to his pulse, which I think is great.

Which artist would you think people would be surprised that you really like?

MK: Probably Dawes. They’re very like, Jackson Browne singer-songwriter-driven stuff. A lot of the songs I’m known for are in the electronic space and the pop world, and they serve a different purpose for me, so usually when I tell people that this is literally my favorite band that I listen to 24/7, they’re always like, what?

You’ve sort of achieved this level of popularity now. What’s the most suprising thing about being famous?

MK: I don’t even know if I can categorize where I stand in music or in any sort of social setting (like that). I think what resonates and what has always resonated in me is the respect of peers and people you respect. So when you get the pat on the back from people that have had a huge hand in you honing your craft, that’s always meant the most to me. I always try to stay focused on that, because I think if you’re trying to impress the people that impress you, you’re always going to keep the bar high and do quality work, which in turn, is serving the best music to your fans. So I try to keep myself in that headspace. — BM, GMA News

Paul John Caña is a writer and live music geek. Check out his blog manontheotherside.blogspot.com. Email him at pjcana@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter and Instagram @pauljohncana.