At the stroke of midnight on Saturday, June 10, singer Teddy Mathews could finally breathe again.

Mathews, a Wareham native who went on “American Idol” in 2018, celebrated the release of his debut EP, “Sorry I’m Late,” at the Dudley L. Brown VFW Post 2846 in Onset on Friday, June 9.

“It's like a breath of fresh air,” Mathews said. “A weight off my shoulders.”

The EP is an accumulation of five songs Mathews worked on with different producers. He said the EP is about community and self-expression. 

The five songs combine elements of pop, R&B, dance and EDM. Fans can blast them on their way to the beach or listen to them for a relaxing night in. 

At the listening party, friends, family and fans danced in the glow of the red lights and under the shine of the disco ball, some hearing the EP for the first time.

Mathews said he is grateful for the community that has supported him since he started singing at the age of 9, and asked fans to keep an eye out for his next big project. 

Teddy’s brother Terrell Mathews said the EP was “decades in the making” and the culmination of everything Teddy has learned in his career — an “angelic melody” that is “the epitome of his dedication.” 

Kalcey Cecca has known Mathews since the third grade, when they performed “What I’ve Been Looking For,” a song from the movie “High School Musical.”

“He always had that star quality,” she said. 

After that, Cecca and Mathews would often perform for their classmates on the playground.

That was when they signed their very first autographs.

Cecca said she is “so proud” of Mathews, adding that the two have always talked about becoming famous. 
Mathews began his performance with the first song on the EP, “Lifeline.” It is the track that Mathews is most proud of.

He recorded it over nine times in an effort to get the “vocal tics” just the way he wanted them.

He said the experience of performing his music in his hometown is “unlike any other,” and that the support from the community is what makes it feel like home.

Although his time on “American Idol" was not what he expected (he was eliminated in the second round), it gave him insight into what he wants from the music industry and how he can get it.

“I've really learned the power of taking things into my own hands,” Mathews said. 

Another challenge Mathews faced was having finished the EP just as the COVID-19 pandemic began, which delayed its release for several years.

That’s part of the reason why he decided to title the EP “Sorry I’m Late.” 

The other reason, he said, is that he tends to be late to things.

He said his love for music keeps him motivated through such challenges.

“Whether I'm playing to bars with three people in the audience or stadiums,” he said, “I'm always going to have melodies running through my head.”

Now that his first EP is out, Mathews is planning “absolute world domination,” selling out stadiums and topping the Billboard charts.