Matthew Barber

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Matthew Barber on the cover of Toronto alternative weekly NOW, July 17-23 2003. (The tagline's reference is to Broken Social Scene.)

Matthew Barber (born January 10, 1977) is a Canadian singer-songwriter of indie pop and pop rock with folk and alternative country influences.

Barber was born and grew up in Port Credit, part of Mississauga, Ontario, just west of Toronto, before moving to Kingston, Ontario to attend Queen's University, where he volunteered at campus radio station CFRC-FM and performed at campus pubs. After graduating from Queen's, he went to McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario for his master's degree in philosophy, and here he began to take his performing more seriously. Gaining support from the small but committed Hamilton music community, he released his debut album Means And Ends independently in 2002.

The album soon caught the attention of Paper Bag Records, who re-released it to a wider audience in 2003. After two years in Hamilton, Barber moved to Toronto.

Signed to Warner Music Canada, he released the E.P. title The Story Of Your Life in 2004 and the full-length album Sweet Nothing on September 27, 2005.

Sweet Nothing's debut single and music video, "Soft One," became a major hit in Canada, reaching number 1 among most-added tracks and the top 20 tracks overall at hot adult contemporary radio in Canada, and receiving regular play on music video channels including MuchMusic, MuchMoreMusic and MusiMax.

Barber has been a featured guest on >play, Go and Open Mike with Mike Bullard. He has toured extensively with artists including Buck 65, BOY, Joel Plaskett, Emm Gryner and Matt Mays and El Torpedo.

Barber's backing band is dubbed the Union Dues.

Barber's sister, Jill Barber, is also a noted Canadian musician.