Music Monday: Meet Filous

Happy Monday, readers!

The lovely artist that makes the cut for our #MusicMonday artist this week is filous.

filous, aka Matthias Oldofredi, is a 19-year-old Austrian multi-instrumentalist that is considered one of the fastest rising stars in electronic music. Named in Spotify’s “Spotlight on Artists 2016,” filous began by deconstructing tracks from his favorite independent artists and flipping them into alternately exuberant and wistful dance remixes. Dabbling with every instrument that intrigues him and mastering it, filous evolved from a naturally gifted instrumentalist to precocious beat maker artist.

“I started making music when I was about 10 years old. I learned to play bass and shortly after how to play the guitar, and then started writing my first songs. At some point I got sick of playing in bands and being reliant on others, and that’s where I got the idea to just start making full songs on my own with my computer!” filous told Celeb Secrets. 

His debut EP, Dawn, is distinguished by his focus on rhythm and motion. The lead single “How Hard I Try,” has already amassed over 50 Million streams on Spotify and over 9 Million streams on Soundcloud. As an artist, filous has over two million monthly listeners on Spotify and over 300 million combined plays across Spotify, YouTube, and Soundcloud.

Celeb Secrets caught up with the EDM powerhouse recently to talk about his extraordinary talents, his current smash “Goodbye”, and his plans for 2017.

Take a read at the full Q&A below and make sure to keep up with filous by following him on Twitter at @filous.

Celeb Secrets: Your single, “Goodbye” has already had over 2 million streams on Spotify – can you tell us about the concept and how it came together?

Filous: “It actually came together in a different way than my songs normally do! Mat hit me up on Twitter, asking if I was interested in collaborating on a song with him and sent me the first demo version of ‘Goodbye’ that he wrote. I loved the idea of the song, and he invited me to his studio in Nashville to work on it together.”

Celeb Secrets: What was it like working with Mat Kearney?

Filous: “Making this song with Mat Kearney was incredibly inspiring! I learned so much from his expertise and his incredible sense of melody. He has great taste and very creative ideas. Our musical dynamic is super fun and feels very natural. It’s very rare to meet someone who you so easily click with on a musical and personal level!”

Celeb Secrets: You play 18 instruments — what made you want to learn so many?

Filous: “I think actually knowing how to play at least one instrument is very important to be able to make music in a natural and authentic way. It gives you a lot more possibilities to express yourself musically!”

Celeb Secrets: How would you describe your sound for people who may not have heard your music?

Filous: “It’s really a mixture of a lot of influences, ranging from vibey, indie dance songs to more upbeat folk and chill electronica. I like to keep things fresh and exciting by trying and exploring many different directions!”

Celeb Secrets: 2017 is off to a great start for you, what can we expect to see from you this year?

Filous: “I am super excited about releasing new songs this year, I can’t wait to share all the stuff I’ve been working on!”

Celeb Secrets: Since we are Celeb Secrets — can you share a fun secret or fact with us?

Filous: “For most of my life I was extremely scared of monkeys. I just hated them! Now it’s not as bad anymore, but I still don’t like them!”