MØYA REY IS MORE THAN R&B

Møya Rey’s music is hard to box in neatly into just R&B, and it should be because there’s a myriad of cultural influences riding shotgun on her debut musical journey, “Lost In Translation,” a name that is evocative of a very diverse and rich blend of sounds and sensibilities, not all of which will be easy to perceive by everyone, but will certainly have something to offer to every ear across an equally diverse audience. 

The multi-talented polyglot shared some rather enlightening answers to our curiosity, and there’s no doubt that Ms. rey is -on top of being a talented singer and songwriter- an avid learner with a sharp mind, who is making some of the most delightfully engaging and stimulating Afro-centric music you’ll hear right now. Don’t take my word for it, just listen to her latest single (“Transatlantic Calls”) and read this interview to find out for yourself:

Clue us in about "Transatlantic Calls" and the headspace you were in when you wrote it.

Transatlantic Calls was written in March 2020, at the start of the quarantine period. I was in the middle of my second semester of my graduate program at Columbia University’s campus in Paris, France.

I have studied abroad in a number of countries and I have gotten accustomed to being away from cherished people such as family and friends. Although I am often abroad, I am also someone who loves and cares for others with passion. A Portuguese word that comes to mind is saudade, which means longing. This song is the longing for love and affection.

Where do you come from musically? Who / what is at the roots of your sound?

I am heavily influenced by R&B, Soul, Hip & Hop, Jazz, Afrobeat, Bachata, Congolese Rumba, Morna, and World Music. I have also traveled to a number of different countries such as South Africa, Senegal, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, France, Spain and a number of other places. The music is often what I carry with me everywhere I go, so my influences always evolve and I allow it to shape my perceptions and most importantly my mood; I love healing music. 

What’s the concept behind the upcoming "Lost In Translation" EP and when can we expect to listen to it in full?

The concept behind Lost in Translation is to represent the abundance of expression through an Afro-centric lens. By that I mean I am an Afro-Dominican woman influenced by the rich cultures of blackness across the Atlantic. Often these cultures communicate through rhythms that get adopted and evolve into their own musical expressions. 

The purpose of the project is to synthesize the many musical genres that most influence me. I think and speak primarily in English, but my brain jumps between languages all the time. Singing in my four languages is a way to fully express myself.

I read (and heard too) that you sing in French, Spanish and of course, English too. Are you comfortably fluent in all three?

I am comfortably fluent in English, Spanish and French, and I am close to fluency in Portuguese. I grew up with Spanish so I still speak it at home and a lot of my friends are also Latinx. I would say I think and speak in English the most, but I try my best to stay connected to all of the four languages I speak. Watching foreign films, reading, and listening to music keeps me connected to cultures across the Atlantic and fortifies my language skills.

Both from the names of your Single, your EP, and the fact that you're multilingual, I gather you've more than a passing interest in languages, where does this fascination come from?

My fascination with languages comes from music. In this project I am heavily influenced by a number of artists, but I’ll talk about each artist by language. As far as Anglophone artists, I am inspired by Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill. For Latin artists I think of Don Omar, I feel my Spanish bars come from listening to his reggaeton a lot. 

I first learned French by listening to artists like Stromae and Maître Gims and watching any movie with Omar Sy. I also really liked the film Divines and a lot of West African films such as Mandabi and Touki Bouki. 

As for Portuguese I learned through Cape Verdean musicians such as Cesaria Evora, Sara Tavares and Mayra Andrade; these women really inspire me when I think of the woman I want to promote through lyrical content. When I was introduced to Brazilain Samba, Seu Jorge was my first influence. Funke always gets me very pumped, especially at the gym or the club. 

I feel very fortunate to be able to get a richer sense of foreign culture. Language allows me to live a multi-dimensional life. Watching foreign films and listening to foreign music allows me to fortify my language abilities.   

How did you like the experience of recording your first music video? Was it at all like you imagined?

Because the EP was born in Paris, France during the first two quarantines I am very attached to the project; it was what allowed me to keep a peace of mind and work with faith and towards a purpose. 

Filming my first music video was more than I could ever imagine. I  thought it was going to be a calm home video, but when the two directors showed up with a production team (director of photography, stylist, make up artists, set photographer props, etc). I knew they really believed in my song which allowed me to get out of my head. By that I mean, this was no longer a project that I created in my attic in between zoom lessons. It was a project that was obtaining form and vision. There are so many details that the directors and production team were mindful of that I sincerely would have overlooked.

It’s a different ball game to work on a project on your own and then to take it to a recording studio, work with engineers, and work with a production team. I have an immeasurable number of demos and studio recording versions because I wanted it fine tuned to my perception of perfection. I had to learn to let go and trust that the engineers and production team that worked on the project were actually helping me bring it to the next level beyond my own dreams.

Tell us a bit about your creative process, do you have any rituals or habits you like to engage in before or after creating?

I would say creating is the ritual, practicing a skill and seeing it refine itself is freeing. It is my deepest connection to divine purpose, I feel most pure when I create, whether it's from necessity, desire or inspiration.

Musicians have to turn feelings into words and melody, do you think there's things that get Lost in translation there?

Apart from the fact that the project is in four languages, when I say lost in translation I am also referring to feelings unspoken that have to be inferred through either metaphors or cadence. I really love to sing in lower octaves because that allows me to relay my deepest emotions. All my feelings are present, they just have to be understood. 

MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born raised and based. 

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant  ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work . Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.