Unbeknownst to me, the influence of Mateus Asato's Instagram videos became apparent only during my visit to South Korea. To my surprise, over 500 individuals had gathered, all eager to see this 'Mateus Asato guy'.
In the realm of music, social media has the power to make or break careers. For Mateus Asato, it's been a game-changer, catapulting him into the upper tiers of the industry, sharing the stage with big names like Bruno Mars, Tori Kelly, Jessie J, Joe Satriani, and John Petrucci, and even scoring a signature guitar with Suhr. But it wasn't always smooth sailing. Back in 2016, feeling lost as a sideman, a trip to South Korea for a guitar clinic gave him a wake-up call. Faced with fans who discovered him through Instagram and were genuinely invested in his journey, he saw an opportunity to transform from a behind-the-scenes player to a front-and-center artist.
As he recounted to Guitar.com, "I had no idea of the impact that these little Instagram videos were having until I actually went to South Korea. There were 500 people there just to see this 'Mateus Asato guy'. That totally changed the game for me: 'Wait a minute, I play for an artist... but also there's a big potential for me to just do my own stuff.'"
Navigating his own music career has been a challenging endeavor. Sessions with friend and producer Matt Mainhard helped Asato recognize that having a collection of songs wasn't enough. He needed a theme, a concept, somewhere to steer his creative journey.
As for what's in store for his much-anticipated debut record, Asato simply puts it, "The album is definitely a journey through all the sides of Mateus. The Mateus who's a sideman, Mateus as the Instagram boy, and then the Mateus that got more mature over the years. Who developed a different vision regarding music, regarding how I see guitar."
The world of "Instagram guitarists" has been a subject of controversy, with the Giacomo Turra scandal raising questions about the lengths some are willing to go to achieve virality and reap the benefits of guitar stardom. But Asato's focus remains on his music, his vision, and the journey ahead. His debut album, promised to be a rich, diverse, and personal exploration of his talents, is slated for release soon. Stay tuned for more updates!
- Mateus Asato, propelled by social media, showcases his talent on stages shared with musicians like Bruno Mars and Joe Satriani, embodying how platforms like Instagram can impact a career in the entertainment industry.
- In his pursuit of a solo career, Mateus Asato collaborated with friend and producer Matt Mainhard to ensure that he had a clear theme for his music, steering his creative journey beyond merely accumulating songs.
- Asato's debut album, an experiential tour of his many musical facets, is anticipated to showcase his evolution as a guitarist and maturity in his vision of music, distancing himself from the controversy surrounding the world of Instagram guitarists.
