New Music: Mattiel – Heartbreak Heatwave

Published On: October 28th, 2026|

Mattiel has swapped the California heat for the Italian coastline around Amalfi, but time spent in The Golden State still resonates in her music.

Well, at least in the lyrics, as Heartbreak Heatwave has a lot of L.A. coming through in its indie/country groove. That combo undersells both the song and Mattiel’s voice, with much of the rock and country history of Los Angeles bubbling under the track’s sun-dappled surface.

It’s easy-going, but not intended to be easy-listening music – the lyrics drive their message home in a sweet but sharp way thanks to Mattiel’s friendly and warm tones and pointed references to Chateau Marmont. She follows in the footsteps of some headstrong and innovative artists – Randy Newman, Fiona Apple, and Laura Nyro. Is Mattiel that retro? No. Is she that good? Albums like Satis Factory and Georgia Gothic and singles like Heartbreak Heatwave say yes.

The song comes from personal experience. Says the artist, “Heartbreak Heatwave is a feel-good song about feeling bad in LA. I wrote it after seeing enough of Silver Lake’s bar culture and the exclusive Marmont parties. Everyone’s competing for attention, most conversations are meaningless, and everyone is always looking for a way to use everyone else. Could I have tried to climb the music industry ranks? Sure. But life is short.”

She continues, “I’ve never had nepo-baby resources, and I’d also like to keep my sanity. So, in 2022, I sold most of what I owned and moved to the other side of the world instead. Now I live in a little medieval Italian town on a mountain. It’s the freest I’ve ever felt, and it’s the reason I have new music to share. To put it bluntly, Hollywood can kiss my ass.”

Mattiel hits the UK next month for a one-off, sold-out, intimate headline show at London’s George Tavern on the 16th of November. May 2027 sees her embark on a full headline UK-EU tour for May 2027, which includes dates at London’s EartH Theatre and Manchester’s Band On The Wall.

Heartbreak Heatwave is out now, to download on Bandcamp and stream on Spotify. Pre-sales for the 2027 gigs started today, the 28th of October – for ticket news, head to Mattiel’s Instagram and Facebook feeds.

Head photo by Jason Travis