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Tuesday 26 July 2011

INTERVIEW: Moy Moy Artist

short.
sharp.
facts.


Name
:
Moya Morris aka MoyMoy Artist

Repping:UK/JA

Birthplace:
East London

Lives:
Essex

Artist Debut:
Moy Moy -Let Me Go: Tha Mixtape

Awards/Accomplishments:
Midlands tour - performed in Sheffield, Kent, Nottingham, Leeds, Birmingham, West Bromwich as well as London shows.
Radio play on Choice FM and BBC Radio 1xtra.
Travelled to South of France and Italy to make music.
Over 50,000 views in 3months on 'Put Ina Di Work' on YouTube.



Q&A


What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Aaarrrrr I don’t know!!! You need a chicken to make the egg, and an egg to make a chicken. I need to google it ;-).

What’s your favourite guilty pleasure?
White chocolate.


If you were a fruit, which would you be and why?
Strawberries- they are presentable, yet exotic!


Since it’s supposed to be “Summer”, what’s your favourite thing to do in the park?
Look up to the sky and gain inspiration for my music.


Describe Moy Moy in 5 words….
Hip-Hop artist with dancehall vibes.


Where does your dancehall influence come from?
Both of my parents are from Jamaica - my mum born was on the island, and my dad born here in the UK, but both of his parents were born in Jamaica. Reggae has been a prominent genre of music played in my household from a young age, and I like to represent for my family in my work.





ONiT! Is very excited about your upcoming performance at Style and Substance next week. With such an amazing line up of artists, what are you planning to do to wow the crowd?
You’ll just have to wait and see I’m afraid. I always give a taster of unheard material when I’m live, so hopefully the audience will enjoy.


We love your current mix-tape 'Let Me Go' - can we expect to hear you perform any tracks from it at Style and Substance?
Yeah, without a shadow of a doubt - and I’m touched that you’re feeling my stuff, thank you.


Only talking the truth out here! Where does your dancehall influence come from?
Both of my parents are from Jamaica- my mum born on the island, and my dad born here in the UK, but both of his parents born in Jamaica. Reggae has been a prominent genre of music played in my household from a young age, and I like to represent for my family in my work.


How did it feel when you first heard your music played on radio stations such as Choice FM and BBC 1xtra?
Euphoric - it makes the hard work worth it when you hear your own music played and you feel appreciated by others. Anticipating that radio play makes my music reach wider audiences and gives me the motivation to continue. Any reward for your efforts always feels great!


Do you feel it’s harder or easier for female rappers like yourself to become established in the industry as opposed to male rappers?
Both. It’s easier because of the ratio to male rappers. There are not many female rappers, so it’s easier to get attention in terms of competition. It’s more difficult because females can get bitchy. Haters slandering you can have more of an effect on a female than a male in this industry.


Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
Ermmm… [I] feel sick!! I get so nervous before performing it’s unreal; I think I’m getting good at hiding it though [laughs]. But seriously, my pre-performance ritual is prayer; I ask for His guidance and for Him to give me the confidence to take the stage. He never lets me down.


Who are your greatest influences?
Buju Banton, Lauryn Hill, Drake, Lily Allen, Tinie Tempah.


Is there an artist or performance that you’ve recently seen that blew you away?
Drake and Jessie J gave performances that really impressed me. Their energy, stage presence and clarity were on point. What really made me smile was the diversity in the audience. When you touch people of all kinds, you must be doing something right.


What inspires you to write?
Two things: the beat, and my life. I am an observational artist so everything I see, hear or do is embedded in my lyrics somehow, in some way. I just play the beat and whatever comes to my head first, I write it down. A word or phrase in that first line may make me think of something else- so I’ll write that down too. I’ll gain an idea of concept by the fourth line, and gear it towards a conclusion by the end.


Let’s pretend I’ve just given you £6,000 for you spend on a dream holiday. Where would you go and how would you spend it all?
Fiji! It just seems so beautiful. I would spend the money on an all-inclusive treat-me-like-a-queen package. Cos one day I’ll want to go waterskiing, the next day I’ll want to be getting my hair and nails done [laughs]


What’s been your best performance experience so far?
I think the best has been Notting Hill Carnival. The crowd was so big, and so hyped up over what I was doing it was overwhelming. I love music and the feeling it brings when I write and record; but performing makes me feel like I’m on cloud nine. I would do it again in a heartbeat.


So, all that said, where can we find you performing next?
I'll be performing at Style & Substance on Tuesday 2nd August at Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, LONDON EC2A 3JX (Full info)





















Lastly, where can we find you outside of the stage?

Words by: Shorntay Allen


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