20 questions
1 . What is your full name?
Matthew Scott Joseph Cooper
2 . Where and when were you born and where do you live today?
I was born in Carbonear, Newfoundland (and Labrador) and now I currently live in Calgary.
3 . What is one thing you would like people to know about you?
One thing I’d like people to know about me is all I care about is positivity and love and I just want people to be happy.
4 . What will people be surprised to learn about you?
I’m a knitter, I like to knit scarves. It’s beautiful.
5 . What is the hardest thing you’ve done?
The hardest thing I’ve done was overcome my mental illness.
6 . Can you describe one experience that changed your life?
One experience that changed my life…well, this one right here definitely has changed my life. It’s been magical, but another moment too would probably have to be being accepted into music school.
That kind of just pushed my career forward and got me thinking about being a serious musician and trying to make it a career. Because I guess it’s like a validation of sorts. Until that point, I was just a musician, but now, I’m actually a serious musician.
7. What is your greatest indulgence?
Adele? She’s all I listen to.
8. What is your favourite television series?
Probably be “The Office”, the US one, I could never get into the British one.
9. What is your favorite movie?
Definitely “The Little Mermaid”. Ever since I was a kid, “The Little Mermaid” was always my favourite. To see to remain.
10. What music do you like to listen to?
Mostly opera and then pop. Definitely Adele.
11. How do you like to relax?
By listening to opera, if I’m having a stressful day, I’ll just get in the car, blast my opera, go for a drive and it just calms me down. It takes all the stress away.
12 . Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Oh my God, who would play me? I have no idea. Someone who’s funny. I like to laugh. I like comedy. Anyone who can crack jokes and be funny, then they would play me in my life.
13 . What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear, I think it would be rejection, definitely.
14 . What is your greatest joy?
My family and my friends, I don’t know what I would do without them.
15 . What is your most treasured possession?
My most treasured possession, I’m going to have to say my Junior and Senior Rose Bowls from the Kiwanis Music Festival. They were a big moment in my singing career.
16 . What is the best advice you got from a parent or mentor?
The best advice I got was from my parents, they always tell me like live your life. Be happy and don’t care about what anyone else is doing because it’s not their life, so it doesn’t really matter. Just be happy and live your own life.
17. What would you say is your best quality and what would you say is your worst quality?
My best quality I think would be my compassion and empathy. My biggest weakness would probably be my impatience.
18 . Where’s your favourite place in the world?
My favourite place in the world would have to be Italy. I’ve sung in Italy a couple times and one of my biggest dreams was to sing at the Scala and principal role in one of the opera houses there.
19 . What advice would you give your 12-yearold self?
I would tell my 12-year-old self to hold on, just don’t give up yet. Don’t stop because things are going to get better for you. It’s not the end of the world and you can continue on to your best life, things will look up.
20 . Which three people would join you for your dream dinner party as living or dead?
Definitely will my grandmother Earle, my grandmother Cooper and my mom. My family is my life. I love them, I want them there for everything that I do.
“The best advice I got was from my parents, they always tell me like live your life. Be happy and don’t care about what anyone else is doing because it’s not their life, so it doesn’t really matter. Just be happy and live your own life.” Matthew Cooper