Matthew Santos


Matthew Santos is an American rock and folk singer-songwriter, musician and painter. His music was used in a series of two Radio ads, for American Family Insurance. He became well known for his collaboration with Chicago native Lupe Fiasco on the single "Superstar." He was signed to Lupe Fiasco's 1st & 15th Entertainment record label, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records.

Biography

Early years

Matthew Santos was born on December 28, 1982 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His mother, Judy, is from Denmark and his father, Dave, is of Filipino and Spanish descent.
He graduated from Southwest High School in Minneapolis. He moved to Chicago in 2001 to study music composition at Columbia College Chicago.

Music career

Santos released his album Matters of the Bittersweet in November 2007, under indie-label Candyrat Records. Following the release of the album, he developed a following surrounding his video performances on YouTube.
His five-piece band includes Aviva Jaye, Robert Tucker, Graham Burris, and Matthew Nelson.
In 2006, Santos was featured on Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor album on the song "American Terrorist." Santos was featured on three additional tracks on Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, released in December 2007; "Superstar", "Streets On Fire", and "Fighters." Santos joined Fiasco on his world tour in 2008, including appearances on MTV's TRL and Spring Break, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and a debut talk show performance on David Letterman's first live show after the 2007 Writer's Guild of America Strike.
In 2007, Santos opened the mtvU Woodie Awards with Lupe Fiasco and performed at the 2008 mtv's Video Music Awards. In addition, Santos performed at Glastonbury Festival, Bonnaroo Festival, the Las Vegas Vegoose Music Festival, Lollapalooza Chicago, South by Southwest, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Summerfest, and Chicago's Around the Coyote Arts Festival.
In 2009, Santos was featured in the single "Chaconne" by Twin Cities hip-hop artist Dessa, a member of Doomtree, from her album A Badly Broken Code. That summer, he was also featured in Chicago magazine as one of the city's top singles.
In 2010, Santos released the album, "This Burning Ship of Fools."
In 2012 Santos released his newest album, "Quickly Disappearing".

Discography

Albums

''As a Crow Flies''

As a Crow Flies is Santos' first solo EP, released in 2006.
#Title
1My Remedy
2Fill My Cup
3Shadows in a Shoebox
4O' Montreal
5Masquerade
6Unnamable

''Matters of the Bittersweet''

Matters of the Bittersweet is Santos' first solo album, released in November 2007 on Candyrat Records.
#Title
1Shadows in a Shoebox
2Uncertainties
3Humming Bird
4Love Sick Fool
5Waiting for the Day
6Daughter of the Sun
7My Remedy
8Old Man Winter
9Unnameable
10Drop a Coin
11Lady Luna
12Matters of the Bittersweet

''This Burning Ship of Fools''

This Burning Ship of Fools is Santos' second solo album, released May 28, 2010 on Love Sick Fool Records.
#Title
1Daughter of the Sun
2At My Table
3You Will Be Saved
4Wide Eyed Firefly
5The Good Life
6Break Free
7Day of Our Day Dreaming
8Drop A Coin
9Born To Do
10Time Still
11December's Ghost
12Death, Sex and Regret
13Days Like This

''Quickly Disappearing''

Quickly Disappearing is Santos' third album, released January 31, 2012 on Candyrat Records.
#Title
1Quickly Disappearing
2NVR LKD SO FIN
3Shallow Grave
4Scarecrow
5Burning Up
6History of Ice
7Dead Star Watching
8Not Such a Big World
9Swans Song
10Just to See You

''Into The Further''

Into The Further is Santos' fourth album, released June 2, 2015 on Candyrat Records.
#Title
1Into The Further
2Ojos
3Under The Microscope
4Seven Years
5It All Works Out
6Second Chances
7Succumb to Gravity
8White Gloves
9End of The Pipeline
10Field and Flower
11Just to See You
12Winter's Song
13Who Am I to You?
14And Now the Leap

Singles

Featured singles

Guest appearances