“There’s a big difference between filming content and making music”: Mateus Asato on why he quit social media during lockdown
In 2025, it’s imperative upon any musician to nurture a social media following in order to get their material heard by people. But social media can be an exhausting endeavour, as Brazilian guitarist Mateus Asato knows all too well.
In 2021, during the height of the Covid pandemic, the virtuoso announced he was taking a break from Instagram, saying he was feeling “overwhelmed” by social media and the demands it was placing on him as a musician.
READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: The latest rumours, teasers and news from the biggest guitar gear show on Earth
Asato is back on socials now and has been for some time, but in a new interview with Guitar World, he reflects on his motivation to take a break, and what he learned as a result.
“I was looking at my guitar like a job,” he says. “It became content creation. There’s a big difference between filming content and making music. At the beginning of my Instagram journey, everything felt organic. Then the pandemic happened and I came back to Brazil.
“I didn’t have the same structure as I did in LA, which was my home for 10 years. There were no shows and the future was vague. People were glued to their phones so I felt that if I didn’t post enough, I’d be missing out. That FOMO got in my head and, boom, I burned out.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Mateus Asato (@mateusasato)
He goes on to explain that he was gauging his own success on the amount of engagement his videos would receive, which is common for guitarists looking to grow their social media followings.
“Early on, I didn’t care about how many likes my videos got. Then I started setting myself targets. If a video didn’t pass 100,000 views, it couldn’t have been good. My sense of approval changed.”
Offering some advice for budding guitarists looking to grow their presence on social media, Asato continues: “If you want a career in music and you don’t use Instagram, your path is going to be way longer. Just be realistic about how music and technology come together and don’t forget to take care of your mind. Don’t forget about why you make music. It’s not what you post – it’s why you post it.”
The post “There’s a big difference between filming content and making music”: Mateus Asato on why he quit social media during lockdown appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
