Matt StephensTo Matt Stephens, conventional is just another four-letter word, especially when it’s applied to his music.
Even though the five-piece The Matt Stephens Project covers other artists, the songs that make it through the filter are what set it apart from other cover groups.
Stephens, a Chattanooga native, said he’s partial to upbeat, synthesizer-heavy dance anthems by artists such as Usher, Lady Gaga and Rhianna, many of whom don’t get much attention from cover artists, despite their material’s popularity on the radio.
“If it meets all that [criteria] and it’s something you’re not going to hear another band play live, that falls into our category,” he said. “I want people to come to our show to see something they haven’t seen before out of a cover band.
“When you’re a cover band, that’s one of the big challenges: How do I differentiate myself from everyone else?”