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The Dartmouth
March 29, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Student Spotlight: Matthew Mirliani '16

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3.3.14.arts.studentspotlight

Matthew Mirliani ’16 began writing music in middle school but kept his talent a secret until his junior year of high school, when he released his first album on iTunes to the surprise of family and friends. He has continued to write music, record and sing since, mostly working on his own using digital music creation software.

“It was my way of breaking my shell,” Mirliani said. “And even though my songwriting has definitely improved since then, I’m glad I did it.”

In his time at Dartmouth, Mirliani has released a second album as well as singles, both of which received positive online reviews from critics on indie music websites. In early February he released a two-song EP on SoundCloud, “The February EP,” which has been played on Gas House Radio, an Internet radio station in Philidelphia, and received two online reviews from indie music critics.

He is currently ranked eighth on ReverbNation’s list of Top 10 alternative, new wave and dark wave artists in the Washington, D.C. area, a ranking based on how many people view and rate artists’ pages.

“It’s just for the website, but it was very cool to see my name alongside these other artists who are very talented and doing well in D.C.,” he said.

Although he does not play an instrument, Mirliani is the son and grandson of band teachers and was always surrounded by music growing up, he said. Mirliani’s early songs were inspired by an interest in jazz, while his current style is new wave and alternative, he said.

He counts Lana del Rey and Lorde among his favorite working artists, though he has always been interested in pop culture, he said. The first album he remembers listening to is “The Nightfly,” a 1982 album by Donald Fagen.

Since he works alone to write and compose his music, some of Mirliani’s peers did not know that he was passionate about making music until weeks after they had become friends. Natalie Cantave ’16, a friend of Mirliani’s and a fan of his music, said this also reflects how humble Mirliani is about his talent.

“His music is a very different genre than what I normally listen to,” she said. “I think that it branches people out.”

Mirliani said he enjoys how music offers a way to reflect on past experiences. Mirliani grew up in what he described as a “typical, middle-class, American suburb” in the Washington, D.C. area, and his songs aim to capture the various complexity, joy and sadness of suburban life, he said. Nostalgia plays an important role in many of his songs.

“There’s a beauty to harkening back to high school, to the various staples of suburban life, but revealing the dark, more complex, emotion elements to these more idealistic American elements,” he said.

He wrote his first original song in seventh grade and used Finale, a music-writing program, to record his vocals over a dance CD. He does not have a standard way that he writes his songs — sometimes they come together very quickly, while other times Mirliani will put aside the instrumentals or lyrics for several months until he can find a fit that he likes.

Mirliani’s friend Lizzy Southwell ’15, who met him this fall, described Mirliani as having “a mysterious side to him.” His music, like his personality, takes time to understand and fully appreciate, she said.

Southwell said she was shocked the first time she watched a video of Mirliani performing.

“It was so cool to see this new, important side of him,” she said. “In person, I had experienced his highly sensitive and vulnerable side, and his music has that personal element, but it seems more packaged up and neat.”

Coming to Dartmouth inspired Mirliani to perform more live shows, he said. He began singing at One Wheelock’s open mic nights, which he said gave him the confidence to perform at venues near his home.

Mirliani’s next goal is to grow his fan base. He said he would like to film a music video or connect with a producer, but expects to take a breather at the moment.

“I want to be inspired by life,” Mirliani said. “If I am just writing, then I am not fully engaging with the world and I have nothing to say.”

Cantave is a member of The Dartmouth staff.

THE FINAL WORD (with Matthew Mirliani ’16)

My favorite childhood television show was: “Arthur.”

If I could meet one celebrity, I would choose: Katy Perry.