Luvcat Dials Up the Drama with Melancholic Rework of ‘Matador’

Known for her femme-fatale-meets-'70s-rockstar allure, Luvcat is no stranger to exploring themes of romance, melancholy, and loss. Her latest rework of her hit ‘Matador (Strings)’ breathes new life into a song that encapsulates all three.

First released just over a year ago, the reimagined cut leans into the toxic, complicated, and all-too-common kind of love that the Liverpudlian singer has become known for poeticising; perhaps, a testament to her relatability and rapid rise in popularity across the continent.

Dramatic strings and softer, more heartbroken vocals seep through the track more than before, making the new release feel truer to form than its original manifestation. All in all, it’s Luvcat at her most exposed, flipping the script on her own song while the band shape-shift behind her with ease, tailoring the sound to suit every mood, every character, and every scene. If the 2024 cut cast the so-called “matador” as the lead, this stripped-back version hands the spotlight firmly to Luvcat, injecting the track with a louder, clearer female voice, despite its sorrow-soaked tone.

Featuring on an impressive lineup of festivals this summer (such as Mad Cool, Rock En Seine, and Reading and Leeds Festival to name just a few), this refreshed take of ‘Matador’ illuminates the serious plight that the singer has had in the last 12 months, and portends the brilliance we can expect from her yet-to-be-revealed, but hopefully in-progress, debut record.

Ruby Brown

Image: Barnaby Fairley

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