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He won a European Blues Award in 2013, he was the best solo performer at the Memphis Blues Challenge in 2010 and he鈥檚 won multiple Maple Blues Awards.

With a resume like that, you might imagine Matt Andersen is so steeped in blues that he鈥檚 blasting out smokey blues riffs every time he picks up his guitar.

But of course, such assumptions are completely wrong.

鈥淚鈥檝e never actually done a blues album, oddly enough,鈥� Andersen says from a phone in his hotel room early in the morning Jan. 23.

He鈥檚 on tour in support of his newest album. Weightless is a collection of tunes that, while showcasing some blues influence, is decidedly lacking in harmonica grooves and wailing laments.

Andersen has always seen himself as a diverse musician. He explains that he grew up on country, folk and classic rock, and that those influences have wormed their way into his songwriting.

鈥淚鈥檇 never stand beside a guy like BB King and say I play the blues鈥擨 just don鈥檛 picture myself a straight-ahead blues player,鈥� he says, adding that if anything his vocal style draws just as much from soul as it does from blues.

And while die-hard fans of the New Brunswick singer know he鈥檚 got much more in his songwriting chamber, the bluesman moniker continues to cling to Andersen.

And that might be thanks to a single song, uploaded to YouTube in 2009. Many people鈥檚 first encounter with Andersen鈥檚 music is his riveting cover of 鈥淎in鈥檛 No Sunshine.鈥�

It鈥檚 an incredible rendition: alone on stage, Andersen throws back his head, jamming his eyes shut as he belts it out. He admits that with that song, and other famous YouTube covers, as an introduction to his music, it鈥檚 not surprising listeners think of him as a blues artist.

While he says he usually doesn鈥檛 mind the misconception too much, these days he doesn鈥檛 even play those songs anymore.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a few songs that still kind of chase me around that I鈥檇 like to shake,鈥� he admits.

Weightless should help that. Andersen wrote all the songs with other musicians, which he says gives it more variety than any of his previous albums.

鈥淭here鈥檚 lots of different vibes on the album from all the different people I鈥檝e written with,鈥� he says. 鈥淭o me, it makes it much more interesting than hearing someone play shuffles for 12 songs.鈥�

He says that touring the new album has been a blast, because playing the songs solo on stage gives him a chance to get to know them better, and experience them in a new way. They may have been written and recorded with a bunch of other musicians, but once he plays them live they really become his.

鈥淚 love playing with a big band, but my heart is happiest, I鈥檓 most comfortable when I鈥檓 playing solo on stage,鈥� he says.

Just don鈥檛 ask him to play any covers.

Trevor Nichols
[email protected]