Almost one year after the release of his second album, Never Had to Leave, Matt Maeson unveiled a new short film inspired by it. Titled Matt Maeson: Never Had to Leave, the film focuses on Matt’s odyssey in the creation of the record while he was facing personal problems.
Just like most of Maeson’s work, the overarching theme in Matt Maeson: Never Had to Leave is mental health. On release day, Matt shared that he wasn’t sure about releasing the film. “I’ve debated putting this film out for months now. There’s so much about it that makes me extremely anxious; mostly, the thought of being perceived the wrong way […] The process of making and releasing [the album] was so exhausting and unfulfilling […] Ultimately I found myself depressed, unmotivated, and, frankly, hopeless. I didn’t have any interest in doing promo, or touring, or anything at all.”
Nevertheless, Matt and director Jesse DeFlorio took all those negative emotions and turned them into a piece of art that resonates with many people. Although, in Maeson’s words, “there is no message behind [the film],” you can tell that the audience felt seen and understood when watching it just by reading the comments on YouTube and on Matt’s social media posts.
One of the many reasons why Matt Maeson stands out in the music industry is that he’s unapologetic about his struggles with mental health and life in general. Through his lyrics, the musician can capture human emotions in a way that not many songwriters are capable of. Similarly, he’s a down-to-earth person who you can relate to in many aspects. Even having achieved an amount of success that some can only dream of, Maeson stays true to himself, and he’s not afraid of accepting his flaws.
Definitely, one of the highlights of Matt Maeson: Never Had to Leave is the editing as editor Tim Egan makes viewers feel the same amount of anxiety and uncertainty Matt feels throughout the film using different editing techniques. Also, interweaving the story with some of the songs on the album creates a pleasant experience for the audience.
Overall, it doesn’t go unnoticed that Maeson and the entire crew put all their love and effort into this project. You can watch Matt Maeson: Never Had to Leave below, and remember to stream Never Had to Leave on your favorite music platform.
