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Some people leave home because they have to. Matt Becks left because he knew, deep down, that staying would mean playing it safe, and playing it safe was never really part of the plan.

"I've always been quite ambitious," he says, "and I was starting to feel like I would just not be able to fulfill my dreams if I'd stayed in Montreal." For a kid from one of Canada's most creatively charged cities, that's saying something. Montreal punches well above its weight when it comes to artistic talent, and Becks is the first to acknowledge it. "Lots of very talented and creative people, especially considering we're not that many people on that island. I'm proud of my roots."

But ambition has its own gravity, and for Becks, it pulled west and south. Around 2009, he and his cousin started a band called CB7, which landed them on not one but two US tours with rock titans 30 Seconds to Mars. After that, the question of whether to move to Los Angeles more or less answered itself. "Moving to La La Land was, to some extent, an easy decision to make."

Montreal, though, never really left him. Growing up in one of Canada's most creatively charged cities shaped how he sees and hears everything. "The multicultural environment I grew up in is definitely at the top of the list when it comes to shaping my artistic identity," he says. "It gave me that open-minded perspective on all those different types of arts from different cultures. It helped me to separate myself from the rest of the pack."

That separation showed up in some remarkable rooms. Becks has worked with Cirque du Soleil, performed in the Las Vegas production of the Argentine sensation Fuerza Bruta, appeared on TVA and Radio-Canada, and earned credits alongside Chris Brown. Each project pushed him somewhere new. Fuerza Bruta, in particular, stands out. "Having to learn lyrics in a foreign language and then opening the show singing while playing percussion was, for sure, challenging." He laughs recounting it. "And it was the first time in my life that I was the older guy in the crew." The show, he adds warmly, featured "next level, passionate, and lovely performers."

Then there's the Grammy. The story behind it is almost as impressive as the win itself. Becks was back in Montreal when his friend and mentor, mixing engineer and producer Gerry "The Gov" Brown, called him up and asked him to come mix John Legend's Christmas album. That project led to work on Bigger Love, John Legend's 2020 Grammy Award-winning record. The kicker? "It was actually my first professional mixing engineering gig. I had to learn very quickly." He credits Brown entirely for the opportunity. "I'm forever grateful to Gerry Brown for trusting my ears and my professionalism."

That trust turned out to be well placed. Becks has since developed his engineering work into a full discipline, one that informs everything else he does. "Learning to play different instruments and being part of so many bands and productions gave me better ears when it comes to mixing, as I understand very clearly the song structure and what serves a song versus what doesn't." The reverse is equally true. "Doing mixing engineering work sharpened my ears, making me a better listener and a more nuanced musician."

And the next chapter? Becks is gearing up to release his first EP, developing a one-man show, and collaborating with his long-time friend Gerry Brown on a project called Mr. B's Ménagerie. "I can't wait to share our music and start playing shows," he says, and you believe him completely.

From the stages of Montreal to the mixing boards of Hollywood, Matt Becks has built something genuinely rare: a career that keeps growing because the person driving it refuses to stop learning. La La Land didn't change him. It just gave him more room.


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