Matt Shultz
American singer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Matthew Ray Shultz (born October 23, 1983) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter for the rock band Cage the Elephant.[1]
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Matt Shultz | |
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.jpg) Shultz performing in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Matthew Ray Shultz |
| Born | October 23, 1983 Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S. |
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Early life
Matthew Ray Shultz was born on October 23, 1983, and raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky. His father, Donald Bradley Shultz Sr, was also a musician. Growing up, Shultz came from a poor background alongside his brother, Donald Bradley "Brad" Shultz Jr, which subjected them to teasing from their peers at school. Their parents separated when the brothers were young, which inspired them to begin writing music while they lived with their grandmother in a trailer park. Their mother disapproved of their passion for music and began dating his football coach after the divorce, and which prompted him to quit the team and play music as an act of rebellion. He attended Greenwood High School.[2]
Before starting Cage the Elephant, Shultz worked in construction as a plumber. He said in an interview that he felt if he didn't quit that job, he would be stuck there for the rest of his life.[3] He therefore quit and worked at a sandwich bar with Brad, who had previously worked in telemarketing.
Career
Summarize
Perspective
Cage the Elephant
Shultz is best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter for the rock band Cage the Elephant. The band has released several albums, including "Melophobia," "Tell Me I'm Pretty," and "Social Cues," with the latter two winning Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album in 2016 and 2019, respectively.[4][5][6][7][8]
2015–2016: Depression, Memory, and the Making of Tell Me I’m Pretty
Released in 2015, Tell Me I’m Pretty marked a stylistic and emotional evolution for Cage the Elephant. Shultz described the album’s title as both ironic and unsettling, capturing a generation’s obsession with self-presentation amid emotional dislocation.[9]
The track “Sweetie Little Jean” stands out as a deeply personal meditation on depression and childhood trauma. Matt revealed that the song weaves together the story of a girl abducted from their neighborhood with his own struggles with memory and grief, making it a haunting reflection on presence and loss. He noted that depression can rob a person of emotional closeness, even when someone is physically near: “It’s as if they are a ghost.”[9] Musically, he drew from a rich palette of influences—The Zombies, Motown, the Ramones, Neil Young, and Iggy Pop—while intentionally moving away from rock clichés and toward emotional transparency. Matt spoke of shedding performative personas in favor of authenticity, acknowledging the discomfort of creative vulnerability: “Allowing yourself to be naked… can be pretty painful.”[9]
Despite differing perspectives within the band, particularly between Matt and his brother Brad, their creative friction ultimately forged a more honest and nuanced record. As Matt put it, they sought to blend character with honesty—a kind of artistic duality he likened to combining Iggy Pop’s energy with Neil Young’s sincerity.[9]
2019–2020: Social Cues and Personal Turmoil
Cage the Elephant’s fifth studio album, Social Cues (2019), marked a deeply personal and stylistically ambitious chapter in Matt Shultz’s career. Written in the aftermath of his divorce, the album channeled his grief and emotional fragmentation into lyrics exploring identity, melancholy, and disconnection.[10] The death of close friends and family, including Matt and Brad’s cousin and Brad’s father-in-law, deeply influenced not only the lyrics but also the instrumentation of the record.[11]
Thematically, the record oscillates between bleak introspection and sonic vibrancy, a contrast often underscored by Shultz’s lyrical ambiguity and vocal delivery. Tracks such as “Broken Boy” and “What I’m Becoming” delve into existential confusion, while others, like “Night Running,” embrace a funk-driven surrealism that masks darker undertones. In interviews, Shultz emphasized the importance of engaging with the full emotional spectrum, resisting the pull of melodrama to instead “acknowledge all angles of emotion.”—from frustration and anger, as in “Tokyo Smoke,” to the quiet resignation and fragile hope of “Goodbye.”[10][11]
Critics praised the album’s raw vulnerability and its textured musical palette, which incorporated electronic and psychedelic elements alongside the band’s rock foundation. Social Cues would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, further cementing the band’s reputation for blending accessibility with emotional depth.[10]
2020–2024: Mental health crisis and Neon Pill
In the early 2020s, Matt Shultz experienced a severe mental health crisis triggered by an adverse reaction to prescribed ADHD medication, which led to paranoid delusions and a break from reality. His condition culminated in a high-profile arrest in January 2023 in New York, where he was found with two loaded firearms. Shultz later avoided jail time through a plea deal and underwent extensive treatment, which he has credited with saving his life.[12]
This turbulent period deeply influenced Cage the Elephant’s sixth studio album, Neon Pill (2024). The album features lyrics reflecting Shultz’s psychological descent and recovery, blending confessional songwriting with the band’s evolving, genre-fluid sound. Songs like “Neon Pill” and “Rainbow” trace his personal trauma, including a temporary divorce from his wife Eva.[13] In interviews, Shultz has spoken candidly about the dangers of blurring performance personas with personal identity and has since adopted a more grounded public presence. The band’s return to touring in 2024 was met with critical acclaim, and Shultz has described the experience as a profound reset, offering new perspective on fame and artistic identity.[12]
Personal life
Shultz was previously married to Juliette Buchs from 2014 until they separated in 2018. He then married fellow Kentucky-based actress, dancer and musician Eva Ross in early February 2020.[14] "Love's The Only Way" was a song written by Matt for Eva while they were dating. Eva announced on December 1, 2021, that the couple had separated and were filing for divorce; however, they were remarried on October 24, 2023.[15]
Shultz has spoken about his three-year struggle with psychosis, triggered by ADHD medication. He described it as a "nightmarish" state of panic, paranoia and delusions.[16] On February 7, 2023, Shultz was arrested in New York on charges of felony firearm possession. He was staying at The Bowery Hotel in Manhattan, where a hotel employee reportedly saw him carrying a firearm into the bathroom and called 9-1-1.[17][18] In a plea bargain, Shultz pleaded guilty to three charges in exchange for avoiding jail time.[19][20] Shultz called the arrest a "miracle", leading to hospital treatment and therapy.[21]
Discography
Cage the Elephant
- Cage the Elephant (2008)
- Thank You, Happy Birthday (2011)
- Melophobia (2013)
- Tell Me I'm Pretty (2015)
- Social Cues (2019)
- Neon Pill (2024)
Musical influences
Shultz cites bands such as the Pixies as influential on his vocal style, explaining that he discovered them alongside other punk bands while living in England during the recording of Thank You, Happy Birthday. His stage persona is inspired by punk pioneers such as Iggy Pop.[22]
Art
Matt Shultz began his art career as the lead singer and a founding member of Perfect Confusion in 2001. Later, he would also do the same with Cage the Elephant.[23]
Beyond music, Shultz has explored various artistic fields, including dance, fashion design, visual art, and performance art.[24][25][26] In March 2019, he collaborated with The Frye Company to release a boot collection inspired by archetypes such as the Punk Rocker, Cowboy, and Harlequin.[27] Later that year, in August 2019, he threw his debut art show in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with New York artist Danny Cole, Beck, and other friends. The event was captured by Rolling Stone in a photo journal.[26]
Accomplishments
Cage the Elephant's first nomination came in 2011, when the music video for "Shake Me Down" was nominated for the Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. In 2014, Cage the Elephant was nominated for the Best Alternative Music Album for Melophobia, at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2016, Cage the Elephant won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album for Tell Me I'm Pretty, winning again in 2019 for Social Cues.[28][29]
References
External links
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