I don’t just want to be seen as a celebrity, says Matt Goss
The former Bros band member has returned to the UK ahead of the release of his new solo album.
Matt Goss has reflected on the British public’s perception of him, saying he hopes to be taken more seriously as a singer-songwriter after returning to his home turf from the US.
Goss, 53, found fame as part of the band Bros, along with his twin brother Luke and their friend Craig Logan. After the band split in 1992, Goss went on to launch a solo career.
Ahead of the release of his new album, The Beautiful Unknown, Goss has returned to the UK after living in the US where he held a residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for more than a decade.
Reflecting on his return, Goss told the PA news agency: “I’m just a singer, songwriter, musician in America. That’s who I am and there are pros and cons for that.
“But the pros are definitely there’s less judgment, there’s less preconceived ideas about me as an artist.”
He added: “There’s something beautiful about people knowing my past and knowing my work, there’s great comfort I get from the British public.
“But I do want to crack on with being a musician in this country too. I understand there’s a celebrity attached to me but I’m a musician through and through and I’m an artist.
“So that’s something that I would like to have a more prominent force in my life in this country, that I’m considered without question a singer-songwriter and an entertainer but not just the celebrity side of it.”
Lewisham-born Goss also revealed that he hopes the release of his new album will lead to him being considered for performances on the UK festival circuit.
He said: “I’d like to be considered for some of the festivals. I’d like to just be part of that community.
“Now I’m back in the UK a lot more I’d like to be part of that festival community where I can be just one of the the acts that really smash it and really elevate people.”
Goss told PA how the Covid-19 pandemic played a major role in the creation of his upcoming album and heavily influenced the message he hopes the record will portray.
“The message of The Beautiful Unknown is trying to eradicate as much fear as possible about our future,” he said.
“After connecting with hundreds of people on my Instagram lives, about mental health and how we all deal with the pandemic and the fear that we were feeling, I realised that just as a familiar face I was able to lift people’s spirits and also listen to them.
“But then through getting to know them and their husbands and their wives and their families and their kids and they let me know they wanted the music. And I dared to sit down at my piano and I started playing these chords.”
Goss also revealed he will be moving into the world of acting after he completes his UK tour for The Beautiful Unknown.
“I’ve just signed on to a psychological thriller,” he said.
“I’m playing the lead in it, playing a very, very dark character. I’m extremely excited about that, that’s just recently been confirmed like, and to have people that think that I should be in front of the camera and acting and, and not only that but playing a very, very dark character, and I’m excited about getting my teeth into that.”
The Beautiful Unknown will be released on March 25 with live shows across England beginning on the same day.
