Michael Bolton & Matoma

Michael Bolton & Matoma break down their new Christmas song!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
With Mario, A little bit you on Mario Lopez, Joey
me Allen Zoom, the iconic Michael Boltman, producer, extraordinary Mantelma.
Welcome to the show, gentlemen. Thanks for having us, nice,
thank you so much for having us. This is this
is amazing tuning in all the way from Norway. Oh,
I love it. I love it well, I appreciate it.
You sound more clear than a lot of people that

(00:22):
are here locally. So what a connection there. That's amazing.
Now you two actually right for good, really good connection. Yeah,
now you too have a new collab. It's Christmas time?
How do you how do you go about getting together? Michael?
Do you want to answer to this or do you
want me to just steer the boat? Why? Why don't
you take us out into deep sea? Steer? Okay, I'm

(00:45):
going to do that. That sounds amazing. So first of all,
I just want to say that sitting here on this
legendary radio show all the way from Norway, together with
no other than the legendary Michael bolt it's just for
me a Christmas gift. I'm I'm beyond excited for this record.

(01:06):
And I feel like when when we sat together in
the studio. It was just like a fairy tale coming true.
Like I don't know how we ended up making a
Christmas song, but after just after just connecting in the
studio for for a couple hours, like we were just
talking and and and I guess like I was playing

(01:27):
some melodies on the piano and and Michael seemed to
like it, and we we kind of ended up talking
about like the Christmas spirit. And this was like November
last year, and then we just ended up like having
this idea about like when you close your eyes at night,
it's spiritual, and because Christmas isn't always like a perfect

(01:50):
time for everybody, like people are struggling around Christmas, but
it's the Christmas spirit. Yes, No, you're exactly right. And
it's got a pretty classic sound matilma, not a lot
of obvious electronic production, so that that's intentional, correct, Yeah,
that's very intentional. And I think Michael can can say
a few things about that. Well, you know, we did.

(02:12):
We did start talking about what we should be working on,
and then, um, never working together before, and I've heard
Tom was great work. Um before the session, before I
booked the session, and I was excited to write anything
actually a great song, you know, UM up tempo ballad,
powerballt I don't know, UM, but I realized the start

(02:37):
is that UM he's a phenomenal pianist, and UM the
track started. He started building the track, and what started
as a simple Christmas song got deeper. And one of
the things that struck me was when we got UM

(02:58):
started getting into the lyrics, and another that we have
another partner, Neil, who is working with us on this. UM.
Everybody started throwing out ideas, possible ideas, and what I
realized is Christmas is such a deep, deep time. It's yes,

(03:18):
everybody equates it with snow and Christmas trees and ornaments
and festive you know, the festive environment and mentality. But
here we are one of the most intense times and
most challenging times of anybody's lifetime. UM, and I realized

(03:40):
when we started getting into the chorus that the song
was more serious. UM, then just let's just enjoy Christmas.
And it's important. It's important that we have an uplifting,
you know, spirited song Christmas song. It's important to make
people feel good and it's a difficult time. It's also

(04:03):
important to get the deep gratitude and and take living
life um seriously and never for granted. Absolutely, And Michael, congrats,
by the way, your voice sounds as strong as ever.
But but I am curious the video pretty epic. How

(04:25):
do you guys get that piano on top of the mountain?
Black back is still killing me? Michael Legend, Yeah, um no,
I was just gonna I was just gonna say that,
you know. You know, having Michael in the studio for
three days was for me very uplifting because I worked

(04:50):
with a lot of artists and and sometimes like the talent,
it's hard to find, like there's more in the in
the post production than there is like in the actual recording.
But when he came to Michael, he was like he
was nailing it from the first second he stepped into
the studio until he left, and he was so dedicated

(05:11):
like he was I think the first day we was
in the studio until like four am in the morning,
and he was, yeah, and I'm telling you, like we
we got in in the studio around eleven am and
we left four am in the morning, and he was
like he nailed the chorus the first time. It was
like perfectly. But he still wanted to record. It's hundred

(05:35):
and fifty times and I don't like that is dedication
and that is the true um and since here message
of an artist like I'm here, I want to I
want to make this right. And no, Michael, you were
so professional. I take my happen like that's that's admirable
work ethic. I love that. And uh tell him you're

(05:59):
going to be a judge on the Norwegian version of
the voice. Yeah, that's correct. Even though I can't sing,
I'm still a judge. So you know, you knowing exactly,
what are you gonna be looking for? Oh? You know,
I'm going to be looking for the next Michael Bolton. Yeah, alright,

(06:22):
good luck with that. I'm not sending him. I'm not
sending him cash for this interview. He himself, it's only
sending snow from Connecticut because right now in Norway we
have we don't have snow like it's the first Yeah,
it's very it's very strange, like never in the history

(06:44):
of my life, and the witness fourteen of December being
snow less. Look at that. Wow, Well, I'm sure it's
coming soon. What what are you gentlemen doing for Christmas?
Is here? Michael. Oh, he said, gentlemen, so talking to oh,
thank you. I am at home in Connecticut's and I've

(07:08):
been here since you know that wretched time in March, Um,
where you have to make a decision. And I decided
to be home. I really wanted to see my family.
I really wanted to hug my kids. And then I
realized I got home, and then I realized I can't
do that for two weeks. I can't even hug my

(07:28):
kids for two weeks. UM. So this this will be
a Christmas at home. UM. This is the longest I've
been home in thirty years I've been. I'm not as
busy as you, by the way, UM, but I have
been touring five to six months a year for for

(07:49):
some thirty something years. It's unbelievable. So how many frequent
flyer miles do you have? Just off top of your head.
So on one airline, I won't mention the name over
over others, Um, I have flown the equivalent of six
million miles. UM. That's not literally, I think that's just

(08:11):
that's how they how they grade you. Yeah, I pretty
much live on planes during the world five to six
months a year. UM. And what Matona was talking about,
you know, the work ethic. That's all I know. I
had to work so, you know, so hard. When I
had my first hit, I vowed never ever to go

(08:33):
back to rent checks, bouncing and eviction notices and Michael
and Michael family. Michael, if I'm not mistaking, where did
you have that hit? Wasn't that the Norway? Oh? Yeah?
The the album? Yes, so this is a thing. Um.
They they Columbia Records that Sony. They told me there

(08:58):
are these records like it is in Norway who have
said if they could just get you over there to
promote the album, Um, they think they could have a
huge record. And I said, where's Norway? And I found
it on the map next to Jersey tryber Bridge. Um.

(09:25):
I went over there and they gave me like eighteen
interviews a day for three days, and to the point
where you don't even want to hear your own voice again. Um,
but they were they were telling the truth. They promoted
it so well. When I left, the album was flying
up the charts. And I landed back in New York

(09:45):
City and my manager said, well, now we've piste off
the Swedes because they don't they want to know why
they didn't get you while you were over there Norway,
And I said, they didn't ask I'll do this again,
I'll do it. And then that's how I learned how
important being a team player is with your record company
and doing the work, doing the promotion. You're exactly letting

(10:06):
them know you appreciate their support. There is no sh
You're exactly right. And your work ethic obviously speaks volumes
and and um is a huge reason for your longevity
and Matoma. If I ever aspired to have a singing career,
my friend, I hope to have a producer as cool
and tells it as you. Thank you. You're always welcome

(10:27):
to come here to Norway and and and fly helicopters
on top of mountains, and um, I'm connected with my man,
so I bet you are. Just you know, just let
me know you got it. I'm gonna take you up
on that. In the meantime, everyone listened to It's Christmas
Time on iHeart Radio. Michael Matoma, thanks so much for
checking in, gentlemen, Thank you so much. So go back

(10:48):
to your busy, busiest life that I've ever seen. I'll
try take care Christmas. Keep cross your Christmas thank you,
good Christmas. On with Mario Lopez,