Watch Fleece's Matt Rogers write an electroclash song about universal healthcare
New series Ten-Minute Topline challenges musicians to make a melody in just 10 minutes
Ten-Minute Topline is a series about the art, joy and challenge of composing a melody. It's hosted by Eve Parker Finley, a Montreal musician, comedian and TikTok sensation who has racked up millions of likes on the platform. New episodes will be released every Friday until Feb. 17.
Writing a topline — the melody and lyrics to a song — is a unique experience for every musician. Sometimes, ideas can come to you within minutes, other times it can take days or weeks. In CBC Music's newest series, Ten-Minute Topline, host Eve Parker Finley gives musicians 10 minutes to compose a topline, and on today's episode, Fleece frontman Matt Rogers is tasked with writing an electroclash song about universal healthcare.
Rogers, who's more used to penning indie-pop anthems for his Montreal band, is admittedly not an electroclash scholar. In fact, upon drawing that genre out of a bowl, he exclaims, "I don't know what that is!" But, inspired by Canada's universal healthcare system and a rhythm that he describes as "kind of like [Lady] Gaga," his final creation will make you want to dance while pleading with the government to not take away our healthcare. It may not be his usual method of songwriting, but Rogers says the spontaneity of this challenge was fun, adding: "I love the magic of the moment."