Youth Model

Youth Model’s origin story may be rooted in a family tragedy, but the band stands as proof that
tragedy can often fuel powerful, thoughtful endeavors. When Matt’s cousin passed away in
2011, Matt stepped out from behind his drum kit where he’d been a loyal rhythm-maker for other
bands, and ventured into his first solo project, My Beating Heart. The project was an effort
dedicated to his cousin who had “always supported his [Holmes] songwriting”. When attention
and care are thrown into any project, you want what’s best for it and sometimes what’s best
requires making adjustments. My Beating Heart’s shiny, sleek pop feel shifted when Holmes
recognized the difficulty in recreating perfect, glossy pop in live performances. As a result, he
began writing grittier, pop-rock songs—tunes that felt like a fresh start, tunes that begged to be
brought to new life with other like-minded musicians. In October of 2013, My Beating Heart
became Youth Model.
This is where drummer Randy Borawski comes in. Borawski is a Columbia, SC music veteran
and co-host of Unsigned on the local radio station WXRY. Unsigned showcases local, regional
and undiscovered talent. It was here that Holmes and Borawski met. If only all decisions could
be made as easily as Randy’s decision to accept Matt’s offer to join the band. “He accepted on
the spot,” Holmes said of the moment. Youth Model has consistently been playing shows and
laying down tracks ever since.