Matt Holubowski

Multitudes, hope, and melancholy: These are the words that define Matt Holubowski and his music. The singer-songwriter skillfully transforms his obsessions, journeys, contradictions, and periods of doubt into a compelling voice that leaves a lasting impression on the imagination.

A born-and-bred native of Hudson, a small town on the edge of the Ottawa River, Matt Holubowski has carved out a prominent place for himself in Quebec’s folk music scene with his captivating performances. Since his public debut in 2014, the folk artist stands out for his self-taught approach to music and songwriting; he thrives on pushing himself beyond his limits in his creative work. His curiosity turns his art into a constant pursuit, with each album becoming a new way to delve into the grey areas within himself.

Recipient of a Gold Record for his album Solitudes (2017), winner of a Félix Award for English-language Album of the Year with Flowers on a Molten Lawn (2023), and a nominee for multiple GAMIQ and ADISQ awards, Matt Holubowski has become a staple of Quebec’s acoustic folk scene.

Despite his success, uncertainty and questions remain at the heart of his creative process. Ever-changing, Matt Holubowski constantly shifts his thoughts and hesitations as he creates. Uncertainty thus becomes a catalyst, a way to explore and seek out his own answers. From this process comes the singular voice that defines each of his albums.

At the heart of it all is Matt Holubowski, the man himself. Behind the certified albums, sold-out shows, and rave reviews lies an artist deeply attached to the simple pleasures of daily life. Born into a family of Polish immigrants who fled communism, Holubowski is driven by discipline, dignity, and reciprocity, all values close to him.

With Inside The Merry Loop, Matt Holubowski goes back to the fundamentals of his craft. Shorter songs, fewer frills, more feeling; the album recaptures the innocence of his early career. Through this latest album, Holubowski examines the loops that run through his life and his creative process: habits, obsessions, and patterns that repeat themselves until they become impossible to ignore.

Matt Holubowski sees himself as a “hopeful melancholic", a person carried by hope in spite of sorrow and nostalgia. Even though his songs carry strong emotional resonance, he remains a person who enjoys joking around, being surrounded by nature, and challenging himself through reading. He reflects, expands his boundaries, and turns it all into poetry.

Matt Holubowski embodies countless contradictions, and it is these that shape the artist he is today.