Mats Dernánd is an artist with lauded songwriting ability. Singles ‘She’s Called Grace’ and ‘Judas’ received a a remarkable second place in the pop category and an Honorable Mention Award, and first place in the Gospel/Inspirational category in the USA Songwriting Competition respectively. A constant collaborator, Mats has worked with the likes of Luna Keller, &Tilly and Emma Nilsdotter, with each artist bringing their strengths to Mats’ orchestrated and rich arrangements.
Recently, Mats released his debut album ‘Lake Home’. The project is the closing of a chapter for Mats, bringing together tracks from the past five years for a journey of poignant lyricism and expansive folk songwriting. As the project progresses, listeners are treated to gracious, cinematic pop music. Mats’ voice is a gentle guide through soundscapes full of bouncy acoustic guitars, rich drums and growing string ensembles. Each track is intricate and thoughtful in its execution, making for a moving and spellbinding release.
Mats reflects on the meaning of the project, “Our summer house, which has been in the family since I was a child, is on Lake Home. It’s a place I always return to and where many of my songs on the album came about. It feels logical that that particular place should name my debut album. Of all places, Lake Home is where I feel most at home. Lake Home is an enchanting place in the heart of Sweden. I wanted the music to capture the dreamy beauty of the lake.” Continuing on the title track, he adds, “I wrote the song for my wife Sofia. We have a long warm love relationship, but unfortunately I have the ability to be absent sometimes – not least when I create my music. The song is an apology and a wish for our relationship to become even deeper.”
