Matthew Charles Releases New Single Home By Now
A Stripped-Back, Emotionally Honest Look At Modern Love
South African singer-songwriter Matthew Charles returns with Home By Now, the third single from his upcoming debut EP, What’s On Your Mind? Known for his emotionally driven writing and vulnerable storytelling, Matthew leans all the way in with this heartfelt track about the ups and downs of navigating a relationship. “If love was easy, we’d be home by now,” he sings – a line that perfectly encapsulates the metaphor behind the song. Drawing inspiration from the idea of living together to reflect the state of a relationship, Home By Now is about more than romance; it’s about effort, growth, and choosing each other even when it’s hard.
Originally written as a heartbreak ballad, the song evolved into a more hopeful take on love with co-writers Helena Bowie and Sophia Joelle.
“I absolutely loved the idea from the very beginning and knew it was going to be one of my favourite records,” Matthew shares. “It went through four different versions, and I ended up changing the chorus structure at the last minute because it just felt better.”
Keeping things intentionally raw and intimate, the production draws inspiration from stripped-down country-pop influences. Co-produced by Helena Bowie and Matthew May, the track is emotionally textured yet sonically simple, putting Matthew’s voice and lyrics front and centre.
“I didn’t want a big-sounding record because I thought it would take away from the story,” he explains. “We worked hard to make the listener feel something, to let the emotion in the vocals breathe.”
With each release, Matthew continues to find his voice, one rooted in honesty, melody, and heart. And for him, this song hits home:
“This is my favourite record I’ve done so far. I relate to it deeply, and I think a lot of people will too.”
Home By Now is available on all digital platforms here.
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