Matt Sassano Releases 'Not My Name' Inspired By Experiences With Disability and Bullying
Independent rock artist Matt Sassano has released his latest single 'Not My Name,' a gut-punch of a song inspired by his own experiences with bullying and disability. The song is available on major streaming platforms.
'Not My Name' was produced by Josiah Prince (Disciple). Its release caps off a successful touring run serving as direct support for Seventh Day Slumber. Matt presented the song live throughout the tour, to unanimous audience approval.
“‘Not My Name’ goes out to people with disabilities or who are black sheep, anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable in their own skin,” Matt explains. “Growing up with cerebral palsy and dyscalculia, it seemed that people know disabled people by whatever their disability is. You hear ‘oh, that’s the blind kid,’ or ‘oh, that’s the deaf guy.’ So it’s like they get addressed by the disability rather than the person underneath. ‘Not My Name’ was my attempt to say that people can put their labels on you, but there’s always a person underneath with potential.”
That’s exactly the truth that the chorus encapsulates:
“Label me
Call me by my pain
That’s not my name
That’s not my name
I’m so much more
Than your throw-away
That’s not my name
That’s not my name.”
The song’s musical range is a dynamic blend of electronic and rock elements, with synth pads balancing out forceful guitar riffs. Matt Sassano’s vocals lead the charge with a precise edge. It’s a sound that is instantly memorable, driving home the weight of the message.
“I was always forced to be diminished, or diminish myself. The song is about escaping those stereotypes,” Matt concludes. “Not everybody is going to grow up to be a rockstar or athlete, but at the same time, there’s unforeseen potential in every person. Who cares what other people think?”
“Not My Name” is the first of several songs cowritten with Josiah Prince, marking the beginning of a new era for Matt Sassano. Although relatively new to releasing solo music, Matt has a history which includes song placement on the main menu of 2012’s NASCAR the Game: Inside Line and an EP recorded with Travis Wyrick under the artist name Transparent Soul.
