Betty Moon is an artist I first came across back in 2017 when she released her single ‘Sound‘, so this chat was well-overdue. 2021 has been great so far for Betty, it’s been a weird past year or so but she is rolling with the punches right. In fact, Betty released a new album (COSMICOMA) and has been focusing on promoting and getting the music on playlists. Life is great outside of that for her and she has also been spending time in the studio writing new songs for upcoming releases.
“I see it as music choosing me for a career and way of life,” Betty reflects on her career. “My family had a studio on our property in Canada as a child and I was immersed in that environment from the get-go. I would say either a kid raised like that would steer completely away from music, or take it all in like I did.”
Betty didn’t really dive into the music world until she was a teenager, and that’s when she started her first band (Bambi) and never looked back: “I fell in love not only with other bands, record stores, shows and more, but I knew I wanted to work my butt off to make everyone know my music as well, Betty continues. “It was part of further building a culture around existing music in Canada, but also knowing I had my place in the industry for life. Eventually, I brought that to LA, and I’m thankful I’ve stuck to my guns with making music.”
In the grand scheme of things, COSMICOMA is about the universe and how perhaps we are in a coma or dazed when thinking about the bigger picture. In this album, Betty lets the lyrics of each song carry their own theme and meaning, but she does feel there is a much larger journey creative and humans are supposed to be focusing on, “I’m all about having a great life, letting go, and focusing on contributing your best strengths to the world. Keep it fun, keep it zen and let’s, party people,” she adds.
“Thank you, and yes I think it’s amazing and sort of a trip to have new music out in times like these,” Betty says. “I’ve definitely adapted like many artists have, but I have also developed a further appreciation for music being a form of escape, or even therapy for our creative souls.”
Writing music doesn’t really feel like work for Betty, she is the type of artist that just has a great feeling to finally commit to 8-10 songs for an album and set that release date. It’s easy for musicians to drag the process on and on, but just setting that deadline and having fun with it is a better process all around and one Betty is happy to have completed. So that said, yes COSMICOMA was a ton of work, but Betty set that release date and got that music into the world.
“Oh absolutely, sometimes it’s hard to choose the final songs for an album when the theme is set in stone,” Betty continues in our interview. “With COSMICOMA it was a title I chose after putting the playlist together, it just vibed with what I was going for and encompasses what the LP is all about.”
The creative process of this album felt all over the place at times, however, it all came together rather quickly: “I’m either taking notes on paper/an iPad, on acoustic, a piano, guitar or sitting down in Pro Tools tracking beats, vocal ideas, and riffs to make sure I don’t forget what’s going on in my head,” Betty says on the creative process. “I also collaborate with friends of mine in the studio so they help bring some of these ideas to life, it’s a team effort either way. For past albums I’ve pretty much operated the same way, minus the era when I was on a major label and it was a bit more of a “machine” process.”
“It’s a mix of my personal experiences and a bit of fantasy to keep things interesting.” — Betty Moon on the creation of her album
Over the years Betty has experienced some pretty wild things, from crazy romances, meeting celebrities, traveling the world, playing with Pink Floyd and so much more. those experiences helped mold her worldview, and she combines that with her everyday outlook (living a focused lifestyle, fitness, meditation, working on real estate projects, and doing the stuff most people have to do).
“I like to write music that is relatable and that the listener can make their own,” Betty continues. “I also like telling stories that inspire the listener and make them want to dance. Is that too much to ask?? haha!”
“Black Bloods” is the latest song Betty has been focusing on as of late. It’s got a cool rock, mellow vibe to it, and the track steers from a lot of the electronic/dance music she has been putting out in recent years. At the end of the day, Betty loves rock n’ roll, a great guitar riff, and a vibe that gets stuck in your head. I think “Black Bloods” does the trick.
“Oh absolutely, that’s why I set a deadline on releasing albums,” Betty states on any material left off the record. “For anything left over, I roll it over to the next EP, single or full length. Nobody knows the music exists until it’s out anyway. Hindsight is 20/20, so I try not to think about that stuff.”
With this album, Betty hopes that listeners just get through the whole album without choosing singles or a “track or two”. “I know we are in a singles culture again, but this album really tells a story and feels complete when you finish,” Betty says. “That’s what is great about CDs and vinyl, you have to choose an album and essentially let it flow before you are forced to choose the next one.”
As a theme, COSMICOMA is an album that should inspire you and remind listeners that music is the gateway to the soul. More than a blog, podcast or even meeting someone in person, a song can really tell you the story of that person and let you know the deepest parts of their soul.
For the remainder of 2021, Betty may have a music video or two here in the coming months. She is also working on my follow-up EP which should be out later this year or in early 2022.
