Welcome to the world of Filous (Matthias Oldofredi), the talented Austrian music producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist. Born on March 4, 1997, in Austria, this young artist (28 years old as of 2025) has amazed the music world with his unique blend of electronic and acoustic sounds, as well as his philosophy of collaboration (Wikipedia).
Education and Early Steps in Music
Matthias’s path to a music career began with impressive self-learning. He mastered 18 to 20 different musical instruments through YouTube tutorials. At the age of 14, he started learning electric guitar, which he described as very challenging because he didn’t know what to expect or how long it would take. After the guitar, he learned piano, which turned out to be easier. His musical tastes evolved from metal and progressive metal to jazz, and then, inspired by Deadmau5 and Daft Punk, he immersed himself in electronic music. Initially, he wrote a lot of music on his instruments but lacked the resources to record it, so music production became the perfect way to bring his ideas to life. Later, he began blending electronic and acoustic music, which he had missed. His brother, who also became his manager, supported the project from the very beginning and even came up with the name “Filous” (Atwood Magazine).
At the very start of his career, Filous gained popularity by publishing his remixes on YouTube and SoundCloud. He remixed tracks by well-known artists such as José González, Kodaline, Milky Chance, Julian le Play, James Bay, Selena Gomez, and Troye Sivan (MusicExport.at).
Breakthrough and International Recognition
2015 was a turning point for Filous. His single “How Hard I Try”, featuring James Hersey, quickly climbed the Austrian, German, and Dutch charts, as well as the Belgian Ultratip charts. Written by him, the song had over 50 million Spotify streams by 2016. That same year, he released his debut EP titled Dawn, which received praise from international critics (Skope Magazine).
His talent did not go unnoticed:
- In 2016, Filous was nominated for the Austrian Amadeus Awards in the categories “Artist of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” and “Electronic/Dance Music.”
- On January 11, 2017, he received the prestigious European Border Breakers Award (EBBA).
In 2016, at the age of 19, Filous embarked on his first North American tour. He was amazed by the audience’s reaction to his music in Chicago, where he performed his first headlining show in the U.S. During this tour, he added new, unreleased compositions and two new instruments to his set (Quip Magazine).
Signature Style and Philosophy of Collaboration
Filous’s music is characterized by atmospheric, sometimes dreamy, comfortably warm sounds mixed with dance-pop and electronic music. He is a strong advocate of combining sounds and styles that might not seem to work together but somehow do when the right balance is found. He enjoys the contrast of the pure, pumping sound of electronic drums and bass with acoustic/organic elements like acoustic guitar (BestNewBands.com).
At first, Matthias isolated himself musically, fearing that collaborating with others would take him away from his own songs. However, he realized this trapped him in a “bubble” and decided to step out of his comfort zone. He discovered that collaboration opened up a whole new world of music-making, helping him develop his taste and style, and even feel more connected to his music. For him, the most important aspect of collaboration is having a good time with fellow musicians and sharing a common vision for the music. He aims for collaborations to sound natural rather than forced (CelebMix).
Key Collaborations and Hits
Besides his own hits, Filous draws inspiration from other artists in the chillhouse scene. Notable examples include Lenny Ibizarre, who is known for creating relaxing, melodic tracks that complement Filous’s signature sound.
Besides the previously mentioned “How Hard I Try,” Filous has several notable collaborations:
- “Emelie” (with Mount featuring Buster Moe) (2016).
- “Bicycle” (featuring Klei) (2018): This “pastel, blissful pop track” was a turning point for him, the first song he felt fully satisfied with. The video for “Bicycle” was partly shot on 16mm film, giving it a vintage style that Filous loves, inspired by old movies and The Beatles’ performances. This song caught the attention of Luke Pritchard from The Kooks, leading to their collaboration.
- “Hey Love” (with The Kooks) (2020): This collaboration fulfilled a childhood dream. Luke Pritchard reached out after liking “Bicycle.” Filous worked on this song for about three months, even involving a string orchestra in Vienna for the first time. It’s one of the few of his own songs he enjoys listening to at home.
- “Sabada” (with Daði Freyr) (2022).
- “Great Big Warm House” (with Golden Vessel) (2023) (AllMusic).
Behind the Scenes: Producing and Villa La La Studio
For Filous, the role of a producer goes far beyond making beats or mixing. He believes that the most important thing in producing is having a vision. A producer works with the performer or band to define how a song should sound, what world it should exist in, organizes the recording process (drums, piano, guitar, etc.), and makes it all possible, including financially. He cites people like Quincy Jones and George Martin (producer of The Beatles) as examples of producers worth knowing (YouTube).
Filous is also a co-founder of the Villa La La studio complex in Vienna. After working in creative hubs in Los Angeles, London, and Amsterdam, he felt isolated upon returning to Vienna, where no one was doing what he was. Together with his brother and a friend, they decided to create this studio to change the Austrian music scene, which he feels is very experimental but often suffers from artist isolation (YouTube).
Personal Reflections and the Future
Success came quickly for Filous. Even as a school student, he dealt with managers, lawyers, and business contracts. At the time, he didn’t fully realize how crazy it all was and felt “pushed” to do many things he was uncomfortable with. Eventually, he understood the situation and began regaining control over his career (MusicBloggersNetwork).
Filous continues to work actively. In 2022, he released the album A Producer From Vienna. He is also working on a future full-length project, which, according to him, represents “closing one chapter and opening another.” His live performances range from solo shows to full-band setups, as he always aims to improve the experience for the audience and himself (Wikipedia).
Filous is not just a talented musician but a thoughtful producer, dedicated to creating genuine music that resonates with listeners. His story is an inspiration for anyone looking to turn their passion into a profession (MusicExport.at).
