Matías Roden Explores Fear of Commitment on Bittersweet Synth-Pop Single “On the Run” feat. Queer Cowboy Music Video
The Vancouver-based pop artist’s latest single is “On the Run” – a melancholic, joyful, and ultimately bittersweet synth-pop track about a common gay male experience: the fear of commitment and the instinct to flee just as things start to get real. It’s a “pre-heartbreak song,” as Roden calls it, capturing the electric high of early romance alongside the creeping sense of its inevitable end.
Framed by country-inspired songwriting, dark synth textures, and a hooky pop-rock spirit, “On the Run” channels disparate influences – from sunset car rides to Depeche Mode – into a compelling story of fleeting love and fragile connection. Co-produced with acclaimed Canadian artist Louise Burns, the song features drums crafted entirely by Roden, who chopped and stitched together samples to build the pulsing heartbeat of the track.
Written after a short-lived relationship where both intimacy and impermanence were inescapable, “On the Run” leans into dualities: sparse, minimalist verses that give way to denser, sweeping choruses before stripping back to near silence in its final moments. The ebb and flow echo the unpredictable rhythms of desire, fear, and longing.
The official video for “On the Run” mirrors the song’s wistful tension with a clever country-inspired concept that blends queer visibility and political commentary. It follows two cowboys fleeing America for Canada, culminating in a kiss beneath a massive Canadian flag – a direct nod to Bruce Springsteen’s iconic “Born in the USA” imagery (as is the single artwork which is a mirror image of Springsteen’s iconic Born in the USA album cover, just with a Canadian flag instead of American). It features a defiantly Canadian twist at a time where the country is grappling with issues of nationhood and identity as its relationship with its southern neighbour is tested.
Featuring actor Connor Riopel (Amazon Prime’s Laid), the video pays tribute to Roden’s adopted homeland while sparking conversation about LGBTQ+ rights, national identity, and belonging.
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m Matías, I’m a synth-pop troubadour based in Vancouver for the last decade plus and I make melancholic synth-pop music inspired by British artists from the 80s and 90s.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
“On the Run” is my latest single, it’s a short n sweet synth-pop/pop rock concoction about the fear of commitment and it has a gay cowboy themed music video with something to say about the state of America at the moment.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or
creative routine that you follow?
I’m always melody and concept first. Once I have a melody and a title the song writes itself. And I always write the entire thing in my mind including chords and any riffs and such. Then I sit down to actually figure out the chords on the keyboard and I demo it.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
Yes to everything! The song has a music video that’s out already, it’s about two gay American cowboys who decide to escape America to go to Canada. Very topical. There are a bunch of performances that will be announced very soon but I can’t share details quite yet.
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
I took part in a songwriting workshop in 2019 that was basically my introduction to the Vancouver indie music scene. It was there that I met Louise Burns who ended up producing my whole first EP and album.
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
I have some international recommendations starting with Tiger Really from Vancouver Canada, Tsatsamis from the UK, and Markella from Sweden