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With a delicate falsetto vocal style, and moody, synth-based sound, London's M.T. Hadley gained viral fame with his poignant 2016 song "Janet." A gifted guitarist and keyboardist, Hadley draws upon '70s soft rock, jazz, and R&B along with contemporary indie and electronic sounds, a style he showcased on his 2019 debut album,
Empty.
Raised in London, Hadley started playing guitar around age seven initially influenced by his desire to surpass his older brother, who also played the instrument. He began taking lessons and listening intently to artists like
Pat Metheny,
Mike Stern, and
John Scofield. Also as a child, his parents enrolled him in the Islington Youth Choir where he first gained singing experience before eventually dropping out. By his early teens, he was a gifted performer, playing in his school jazz ensemble as well as forming an indie rock band with classmates. Although music was a main focus, after high school he studied philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London. While there, he continued to write and record his own music, incorporating synths and computer-based production. He began posting songs online, including the track "Janet" in 2016. A poignant ballad about his mother's death from cancer, the song went viral and gained airplay on
Frank Ocean's radio show. More tracks followed, and in 2019 Hadley issued his debut album,
Empty, which included "Janet" as well as the songs "Rattle" and "Private Eye." ~ Matt Collar