Matt Chessco, a Canadian pop artist and former mechanical engineer, became an internet sensation by creating colorful celebrity portraits synchronized with popular music on TikTok. His videos, featuring songs ranging from classical compositions to 6ix9ine's "GOOBA," attracted millions of viewers and transformed his paintings into a growing business. By March 2021, Chessco had more than two million TikTok followers and was selling individual artworks for approximately $2,000. However, his success also attracted imitators who copied elements of his videos, paintings and online store. Five years later, Chessco remains active in contemporary art, with millions of followers, international exhibitions and projects combining traditional painting with digital technology.
Who Is Matt Chessco?
Matt Chessco, also known as Matthew Chessco, is a Canadian contemporary pop artist recognized for his vibrant portraits of celebrities and cultural figures.
Born in Toronto and raised in Montreal, he studied mechanical engineering and industrial design before pursuing painting professionally.
Chessco became dissatisfied with engineering shortly after beginning his career. According to his account, he left an engineering position after just four days in 2018 because he wanted to pursue more creative work.
He subsequently experimented with different artistic techniques and began sharing his paintings online.
By early 2020, he had committed to building a full-time career as an artist, using social media to reach audiences without relying exclusively on traditional galleries.
How Matt Chessco Became Famous on TikTok
Chessco began experimenting with short-form painting videos in late 2019 after searching for a more engaging way to present his artwork.
Rather than simply recording a painting from beginning to end, he developed an editing style that made portraits appear to emerge through brush movements synchronized with musical beats.
He would wave or tap his brush against the canvas while edited transitions revealed new colors, outlines and details.
The technique transformed painting demonstrations into short performances combining visual art, music and digital editing.
His early subjects included Bob Ross, George Washington and Megan Thee Stallion.
In a March 2021 interview with The New York Times, Chessco recalled that one of his videos attracted more than 350,000 views in three days.
The exposure helped him build an audience exceeding two million TikTok followers and generated demand for his original paintings.
Why Did Chessco Use 6ix9ine's GOOBA in His Videos?
Music was central to Chessco's approach because the rhythm determined how his paintings appeared on screen.
His videos featured a variety of soundtracks, from Antonio Vivaldi's classical composition The Four Seasons to contemporary hip-hop songs such as "GOOBA" by American rapper 6ix9ine.
The musical beats provided natural moments for transitions, allowing brushstrokes and visual changes to appear synchronized with the soundtrack.
The contrast between traditional painting and modern hip-hop helped make his content recognizable and entertaining to social media audiences.
The New York Times specifically identified "GOOBA" among the songs used in Chessco's music-driven painting presentations.
However, the use of the song did not represent a professional collaboration with 6ix9ine. No verified evidence establishes that the rapper participated in creating Chessco's videos.
How Matt Chessco Turned Viral Videos Into Income
As Chessco's audience expanded, his artwork became a commercial product rather than simply content for social media.
By March 2021, he was selling some original paintings for approximately $2,000 each.
He also developed commercial relationships with music labels, advertising agencies and other businesses interested in reaching his TikTok audience.
According to The New York Times, certain sponsored posts reportedly earned him nearly $5,000.
These amounts reflected his business during the early stages of his viral success and should not be considered verified current prices or earnings.
Chessco subsequently expanded his business through original paintings, prints, merchandise, commissions and digital art projects.
His growth demonstrated how artists could use short-form videos to attract buyers without depending entirely on conventional gallery representation.
Matt Chessco's Copycat Controversy in 2021
Chessco's growing popularity also brought competition from creators using similar painting techniques and video formats.
In early 2021, he discovered another TikTok artist producing videos that closely resembled his own content.
According to reporting by The New York Times, the competing creator used similar painting subjects, music selections and editing techniques.
The artist also operated an online store that reportedly resembled Chessco's website while selling comparable artworks at substantially lower prices.
On February 5, 2021, Chessco posted a video drawing attention to the similarities.
The competing creator subsequently restricted comments and temporarily removed the online store before resuming activity.
The incident raised questions about originality, imitation and competition among artists building businesses on social media.
Although Chessco publicly criticized the similarities, the available reporting does not establish that a court found the other artist responsible for copyright infringement.
Why Copycats Became a Problem for TikTok Artists
Chessco's experience reflected a broader challenge facing creators whose businesses depended on recognizable social media formats.
Successful videos could be imitated quickly, allowing competing artists to attract attention using similar visual presentations.
For artists selling physical work, imitation could also create commercial competition when similar paintings appeared online at lower prices.
At the same time, the popularity of a video format did not guarantee that its creator could maintain the same level of audience interest indefinitely.
The New York Times examined these issues in its March 2021 report, The Boom and Bust of TikTok Artists, which explored the opportunities and uncertainties associated with building an art career through viral content.
Chessco continued distinguishing his work through new subjects, larger paintings, exhibitions and experiments with technology.
Matt Chessco's Pop Art Style
Chessco's artwork is characterized by expressive brushstrokes, saturated colors and recognizable portraits of celebrities, musicians and fictional characters.
His visual approach draws inspiration from pop art, including the work of Andy Warhol, while incorporating his own energetic painting techniques.
Celebrity subjects have included Drake, Taylor Swift, Post Malone and other widely recognized cultural figures.
The physical paintings form the foundation of his work, while video editing provides a separate presentation designed for digital audiences.
In an October 2024 interview with VoyageLA, Chessco explained that his approach emerged from a desire to create painting videos that looked different from conventional demonstrations.
Matt Chessco's Exhibitions and Digital Art Projects
As his career developed, Chessco expanded beyond short-form videos and began exhibiting his work in physical galleries.
ArtOfficial Exhibition in Toronto
From October 16, 2023, to January 5, 2024, Chessco presented his ArtOfficial exhibition at Withrow Common Gallery in Toronto.
The exhibition featured approximately 50 paintings, including portraits of Drake, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift and fictional characters.
It also demonstrated his growing interest in combining conventional painting with new forms of artistic production.
Pop Cats Digital Collection
In 2022, Chessco launched Pop Cats, a collection of 10,000 digital artworks featuring colorful cat illustrations.
According to his official website, the collection sold out within two minutes.
The project introduced his visual style to digital collectibles and blockchain-based art markets.
Robotic Painting Collaboration
Chessco also collaborated with Montreal-based Acrylic Robotics on an experiment involving a robotic arm reproducing one of his paintings.
The project explored how technology could translate an artist's digital instructions into physical brushwork.
His interest in robotics reflected his engineering background and his willingness to experiment with new methods of creating and distributing art.
Matt Chessco's Art Career in 2026
Chessco continued producing artwork and participating in exhibitions after his initial TikTok success.
His 2025 painting Pop the Script, measuring 60 by 96 inches, reflects his decision to leave engineering and pursue a creative career.
In February 2026, a podcast profile highlighted his ongoing projects, including large-scale paintings, digital collectibles and experiments involving robotic production.
His official exhibition history also records an appearance at ESPOIart in Montreal on March 31, 2026.
By November 2026, his professional website reported approximately 2.7 million TikTok followers and more than 2.8 million YouTube subscribers.
Those audience figures are approximate and can change over time.
Chessco continues working between Montreal and Los Angeles, producing original paintings, commercial commissions and artwork for collectors.
Matt Chessco's TikTok, Instagram and YouTube
Matt Chessco uses the username @mattchessco across his main social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
His content features celebrity portraits, painting demonstrations, finished artworks and behind-the-scenes material.
According to his professional biography, his videos have collectively generated more than two billion views across platforms.
His audience has allowed him to develop an international customer base while maintaining a recognizable artistic identity beyond his original viral videos.