Interview: Moana A
Born on the island of Saint Martin, Caribbean, Moana A (real name, sorry Disney) grew up on a sailboat, performing alongside her musical parents.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music summa cum laude in 2011, she wrote her first solo, original album “dotted” which was crowdfunded via IndieGogo in 2013, and followed by an endorsement deal with Daisy Rock Guitars.
Some of Moana’s singing & songwriting credits include The Kardashians (Hulu,) Lucifer (Netflix,) Riverdale (The CW,) Love Is Blind (Netflix,) Got Talent Spain, Good Trouble (Hulu,) Siesta Key (MTV,) Lopez VS Lopez (NBC,) Disney Parks; advertisements for Domino’s Pizza, Renault, and the NFL’s Super Bowl; and video games such as The SIMS, Arknights, Reverse 1999, and Identity V.
Moana A is based in Los Angeles, and she has performed in Abu Dhabi for the Formula One Grand Prix; in an artist residency at Shangri-La in Jakarta, Indonesia; on the cruise ship Celebrity Infinity in the Mediterranean region; as well as in several USA states and Caribbean islands; and she taught a semester in India at music college SAM.
Her multicultural influences as well as her work as a session singer gave Moana a chance to explore a myriad of musical genres and become versatile and proficient in many styles.
A powerhouse in epic/cinematic pop, she loves collaborating with film composers.
Her new album “battle” is a collection of big, powerful, dragon-inspired songs, where she incarnates her alter-ego Dragonita.
What inspires your music?
Feelings, silliness, and dragons.
Who are some of your influences?
Lizzie McAlpine, Evanescence, Paramore, Celine Dion
What are some of your favorite memories from your career?
Hearing my song "She Is Fire" on the show Lucifer on Netflix. Singing at the Heineken Regatta in Sint Maarten. Reading the YouTube comments on the songs I sang for the video game Arknights.
Which of your projects do you love the most?
"Win This War." Because discovering that mixing pop and film score was "allowed" was a revelation to me. And I had so much fun crafting my alter ego character Dragonita, who ended up inspiring a whole album of songs in that genre.
Who are some of the collaborators who helped you create your favorite works?
Stefan Lit, a producer and co-writer. He's also known as Koda Kids, and LiTTiE.
What are you most excited to bring to your fans next?
The album I'm working on right now! It's folky, organic, and vulnerable. So pretty much the antithesis to Dragonita. I like exploring different sides of my creativity, and it feels really authentic.
What are your goals for this upcoming year?
Finish this album!!!
How can your fans and our readers best support you right now?
Pre-Save my song "Attention Deficit" out 9/27 and stream my album "battle."