Country singer, songwriter, and musician Re Mattei’s name carries a sentimental meaning. “Re,” derived from her first name Marie, is a tribute to her late grandmother, who called the singer that before she dropped the name. “When people call me Re, it reminds me of my grandmother, so it gives me a warm place in my heart,” she shared with So Booking Cool. The New Jersey native is currently promoting her new single “Feels Like It’s Gonna Rain,” co-written by Carrie Underwood, Don Poythress, and Barry Dean.
The song, which continues to grace the Music Row Country Breakout Chart, tells the story of when one knows a relationship is on the outs but does not want to face the truth. We also discussed her single, “Bump, Bump, Bump,” which Mattei wrote about a personal experience. The song is an upbeat anthem about how music can help one overcome the pain of a breakup.
Mattei became a lover of music early in life. She was intrigued by what she heard on the radio, which led to her writing songs at nine years old and then taking on guitar lessons three years later. It didn’t take long for her to realize she wanted to study music. However, after a meeting with her then guidance counselor, she started to change her mind about her dream.
“He [guidance counselor] made the comment, ‘well, there’s already one Beatles; you got really good grades, you need to be a lawyer or a doctor,’ ” the performer recalled. “I remember I came home that day, and my dad called and asked me how was school, and I said ‘oh fine, I’m probably going to be a doctor or a lawyer.’ ”
Fortunately, Mattei’s father reminded her of her musical aspirations and advised her to follow her heart. And she did. She enrolled at Berklee College of Music, graduated, and landed a music publishing deal to join the Top 40 all-female band, the Uptown Girls, where she traveled around the world as a lead guitarist for three years. Now, she is gearing up for her debut album, Believing and Seeing.
Listen to the interview to learn more about Mattei, her music, some of her favorite artists, what she thinks makes a good artist, Christmas, Dolly Parton, details about her next single, songwriting, her other profession, and more! Fore more information, check out Mattei on social media.