Betty Moon is an artist, songwriter and producer from Los Angeles California. Since being signed to A&M Records, Betty Moon has since earned a reputation for her DIY work ethic and has self-released over 10 albums via her own label Evolver Music. Moon has continued to defy industry trends, earning worldwide retail airplay, online and college radio rotation and record numbers with an impressive following on Spotify, Facebook and Instagram. Moon’s music draws influence from underground sounds ranging from rock, soul, punk rock, electronic and electro-pop soaked with aggressive, empowering, yet somehow soothing, electrifying the listener with its big bold energy.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Betty Moon, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What drew you to the music industry?
Thanks for having me, appreciate the opportunity here with Lost in the Manor. I grew up in Toronto and my family happened to have a small recording studio on our property. It attracted a lot of interesting musicians from the area, so that vibe sort of absorbed into my DNA. In my early teens I got into alternative genres of music, was hanging out at music stores and eventually started a post-punk group called Bambi. From there we had a lot of early success and I was hooked into the industry before I even finished college.
How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as a part-time job, family, admin?
I think anyone who is really passionate about something will make the time while also appreciating the other priorities such as family, work etc. It makes life more enjoyable, especially since I absolutely love music and have my whole life. I’m sure some people don’t have a healthy balance in music, but I’m thankful that I make it work and figure out a schedule that works for myself and the family. There’s the early morning and late night hours to do the admin side of things, but during the day almost weekly I’m in the studio making the magic happen.
Your latest song is 'My Only One'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
This song really came to me naturally, I was working in a flow on creating a full album and this was one of the easier songs to bring to life. I sometimes collaborate with my musician friends for specifics like guitar, bass or co-writing certain top lines for the tracks. I co-wrote My Only One with Owen Barry and Jason Ganberg. We were cranking out a lot of music over this super creative period pre-pandemic and we had a lot of fun doing it. We set up a live room in my house and we also had the control room/mixing room area set up in the study where we would gather to listen back and do our rough mixes. Jason and Owen were great to work with, especially on the harder rock tracks. Many of my friends would say “that's a hit single if I’ve ever heard one”. It could definitely have more legs given the opportunity and support of our fans and possibly radio.
What are your songs about?
So many things, really. Love, loss, inspiration to kick ass, life in Hollywood, my childhood and other personal stories. I tend not to explain the full meaning of songs since I like leaving it to the listener to make their own.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
Oh I’d be 110% in real estate development, which I also work in currently. Real Estate can be very creative as well if you focus in the right areas, and it makes a nice balance in contrast to being in the studio. I love contemporary architecture and ocean views.
How do you know when a work is finished?
I set a deadline on finishing each song and try not to overthink it. It’s easy for musicians to overthink songs and often never finish the product. I don’t see any song as 100% final, as you can reimagine, remix and do things differently with a song forever haha. I just put my foot down, hit save, get it mastered and try not to think about it or get cold feet.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I really enjoy working out, spending time with my family, real estate work and traveling. We live in a beautiful part of California so there’s always something amazing to do in the area. Us California folk have it good, that’s probably why it’s so expensive to live here. Amirite? I also collect art and try to make art openings in L.A. I’m a big supporter of the arts community here.
When were you generally fulfilled in your position as an artist?
When my teenage year band Bambi broke up and I got a major label deal. It really cemented the fact that I belong in the industry and need to stick around for the ride. I think there are ups and downs of course, but to have that validation is unlike anything a musician can experience, especially for that time in the 90’s when I started. Today, if I was starting from scratch I think validation would be more from Spotify numbers, fan feedback and any live show successes with good turnouts etc.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Be 110% unapologetically “you”, study music business like a madwoman and always take time to think about big moves before acting but don’t beat yourself up when you make mistakes. Also, do not say yes to everything, get a mentor or 5, and take bold risks with your music and overall brand.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m currently in the studio working on my next album for a late 2023 release. I’m not sure if it will be an LP, EP or a bunch of singles. People tend to like singles again like the 90’s, so I may do a couple more of those before kicking an EP or LP online. What do you all think? ;)