Matthew Koma: 'Parachute' guy flies high

Matthew Koma says the answer to the thorny question "What are you doing with your life?" is getting a lot easier for him now.

"Obviously, my parents and my brother have been around for the whole process, and they understand," the 25-year-old Seaford native says about his years working to establish himself as a major-label artist. But he admits extended family and friends have seemed a bit confused when he tells them that he makes music for a living.

Now that he's playing Nassau Coliseum Tuesday, opening for LMFAO, people are starting to understand. "This is one thing they can actually materially look at and go, 'Oh, you did something, you've made it,' " Koma says.

And it's not going to end there. Koma released his first EP, "Parachute," for Interscope Records last month. He co-wrote the current No. 1 on the dance charts "Calling (Lose My Mind)" by Sebastian Ingrosso and Alesso featuring Ryan Tedder, and he's featured on the up-and-coming dance single "Spectrum" by Zedd, which has topped the Beatport charts, and Alesso's new single "Years." Koma also is featured on Far East Movement's album and co-wrote the new single from Kat Graham, "Put Your Graffiti on Me."

"It's really cool to look at that list and to hear people talking about the songs," Koma says. "The dance world is a different world for me, but it's really just a different angle on the same thing -- delivering a feeling."

Koma says he'll start work on the video for "Parachute" when he wraps up the LMFAO tour and is excited about more people getting to hear his music.

"It feels like I'm starting on a new chapter," he says.

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