Matty Reynolds is a singer-songwriter who grew up in Pelham and competed last month on “American Idol.”   Reynolds impressed the judges enough in his Nashville tryout that he got what’s known as the “golden ticket,” a trip to Hollywood for the next round of the competition. Although he did not advance beyond Hollywood, Reynolds said the whole experience was “awesome.”

In an email interview, Reynolds described how he ended up trying out for the show.  “I decided to audition for ‘American Idol’ because I was in a spot where I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my voice and music at the time,” he wrote. “I had been in contact with a casting producer for a few years and a friend’s mom encouraged me to reach out about auditioning two days before they closed. I’m glad she did!”

Reynolds said he met some “really cool people” while waiting for his turn. “Getting the golden ticket was just a cherry on top to an already incredible experience,” he said.

As for his career, the PMHS grad said he didn’t get serious about it until college. “I’ve always loved singing but never took it too seriously until I had some success posting on Tik Tok my freshman year of college in 2020,” he said. “Seeing people enjoy not just the singing but also the songs I wrote made me take it a lot more seriously and I started to see it as a career opportunity.”

Reynolds songs include “(another) hotel party,” “come and go” and “bed head fever.” His music is available all streaming platforms. Asked what his favorite work, he said,  “My debut EP Somebody Like Me is my newest and best work for sure.”