Mateus Asato doesn’t mind you imagining vocals on his instrumental music, but this is why he’s not going to do it

Mateus Asato has been thinking about suggestions to add vocals to his instrumental pieces, and has concluded that the music alone is “enough”.

Asato rose to fame by sharing videos of himself playing online, and has toured with artists like Bruno Mars and Tori Kelly. This year, he began releasing music of his own with singles Cryin’ and The Breakup Song. Both tracks form part of his debut album, which is due for release in 2026.

• READ MORE: “Hurt yourself a bit”: Mateus Asato is one of the world’s best guitar players – and his latest practice tip is certainly unconventional

Neither song features any lyrical content, and fans of Asato have been suggesting different vocalists that should collaborate with him on his music. In a Story post on Instagram, he says he’s not offended by these suggestions, but plans to keep his music purely instrumental.

“If there’s a person who’s considered having vocals and lyrics on my songs, that person was definitely me,” he begins. “Now that I have been releasing my own music these days, it’s been a common thing to read something like, ‘I can picture [this artist] singing over this’. I don’t feel offended – actually, most of the time, I agree or even thought the same thing.

“But… let me explain this. I’m aware of how a human voice and words could be the closest bridge from a creator to the listener. The message doesn’t get any more clear than that. I am not a singer – and never wanted to be one. The only reason I make music today is because I fell in love with the sound of the electric guitar one day.”

Asato goes on to explain how for a number of years, he felt there was something missing from the music he was making, which he now puts down to external pressures from others: “That never started from myself, always from others. Former managers, family members and so on.

“After hearing their words, I’d come home and started to re-shape in my head the creation that made me proud and alive. Until the day I realised that I truly like these guitar pieces how they are. It’s meant to sound that way and it’s enough. For me, at least. And that’s what matters,” he says.

“The coolest thing of instrumentals is how SUBJECTIVE it could be. Like a painting with no description. And I’ve been enjoying the effect of it at this season of my life. It’s grown on me at a point that I finally decided to release these songs in an album that will be out soon. The time with songs with vocals and melodies might come, if my identity as a creator understands it needs some extensions. Right now there’s a lot of satisfaction where it is.”

Hear his latest single below:

You can learn more about Asato and find tabs for his new music via his official website.