Matthew Wilder

Matthew Wilder, born Matthew Weiner on January 24, 1953, in New York City, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He began studying classical piano at the age of four. In the 1970s, he was part of the Greenwich Village folk rock duo Matthew & Peter. He moved to Los Angeles in 1978, where he sang for television commercials and worked as a backup vocalist for artists like Bette Midler and Rickie Lee Jones.

Solo Career

Wilder is best known for his 1983 hit single "Break My Stride," which was a worldwide success, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was from his debut album "I Don't Speak the Language" (1983), which peaked at No. 49 on the Billboard 200. His follow-up single, "The Kid's American," reached No. 33 in 1984. However, his second album, "Bouncin' Off the Walls" (1984), did not achieve the same level of commercial success.

Songwriting and Production

Despite a downturn in his solo career, Wilder went on to have a highly successful career as a songwriter and producer for other artists. He is particularly known for producing No Doubt's diamond-selling album "Tragic Kingdom," which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album. He has also written for and produced for a wide range of artists including Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez.

Work with Disney

A significant highlight of Wilder's career is his work on the soundtrack for the Disney animated film "Mulan" (1998). He composed the music for the film, with lyrics by David Zippel. Wilder also provided the singing voice for the character Ling. For his work on "Mulan," he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score. He wrote and produced the hit song "Reflection," performed by Christina Aguilera for the film's soundtrack. The soundtrack album itself peaked at number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Later Work

Wilder has continued to work in the music industry, contributing to various projects. He co-wrote the music and lyrics for the stage musical "Princesses," based on the novel "A Little Princess". He has also worked on albums for artists such as Australian singer-songwriter Mig Ayesa and Hayden Panettiere.