Matt Thiessen
The chief songwriter and driving force behind Relient K, crafting witty, heartfelt pop-punk anthems that defined a generation of alternative Christian rock.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Canadian-American musician·Birthday: August 12·Generation X
Biography
Matt Thiessen has spent his career at the intersection of faith, doubt, and irresistible melody. Co-founding Relient K as a teenager in Ohio, he became the band's primary architect, writing songs that balanced self-deprecating humor with profound spiritual questioning. Under his guidance, Relient K evolved from pop-punk novelties about comic books into a band capable of the nuanced emotional landscapes of albums like "Mmhmm" and "Forget and Not Slow Down," the latter written in the wake of a broken engagement. His gift for collaboration extended beyond his band; he was a key songwriter on Owl City's breakout album "Ocean Eyes," helping shape its synth-pop sound. Whether fronting his own band or working behind the scenes, Thiessen's work is marked by lyrical specificity and an unwavering commitment to melodic craft.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Matt was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As frontman of Relient K, released the album "Mmhmm" which was certified Gold and peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200.
- Co-wrote and provided guest vocals on the Owl City hit "Fireflies," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Won a GMA Dove Award for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" in 2006.
- Helped Relient K earn two Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Gospel Album.
Did You Know?
He is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
He named his side project, Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, after a nickname given to him by a friend.
He is an avid fan of the television series Lost and has referenced it in Relient K lyrics.
He produced and played on multiple tracks for Switchfoot's album "Hello Hurricane."
“I think the best songs are the ones that are honest about the struggle, not just the victory.”
