MOON AND ARIES

Q: There’s such a rich and evocative narrative that unfolds through your album “Transcendence”. What drove you to touch upon the idea of personal growth and transformation throughout the album?

Hi Derek, thanks so much for having me today to talk about Transcendence and Moon and Aries in general. With the theme of Transcending, it really just coincided with what Tom and I were facing in our own lives. The album happened very naturally, without force or demand. Tom and I were truly at this moment of shifting and upgrading.

Q: I did love the imagery of fire and phoenix in “Fire Night.” If possible, try explaining how those symbols relate to the theme of renewal and resilience in your life.

I used the fire imagery to convey burning of the old, and transforming into the new. And the Phoenix rising from those ashes. The Phoenix in ancient mythology represents Immortality and “the Sun God”.
So, it’s sort of like, once you transcend the Fire Night, you activate your highest version.

Q: In “Diamond League,” you said, “all was written,” “cards were taken.” How much do you think that fate and destiny interplay in the stories you tell in your lyrics?

I believe we can control our fate, based on the decisions we make. I feel we have multiple timelines in this life. But when we live in alignment with our greatest passions and what brings us the most joy, we activate our highest destiny path. And because I believe in the simultaneity of time, we already have written and yet are still writing our life’s story every day. So this concept comes up a lot in our songs and especially Diamond League. It’s also the art of surrendering to these desires and motivations inside and allowing that to be your guide.

Q: “Slow Motion” holds the thought of time as you say you’re “victoriously frozen.” How big is time in your creative process, how does it play into your personal reflections?

Yeah, this segways from what I just talked about in Diamond League, the simultaneity of time. And this complex subject of time is something Tom and I really love to create songs about. Victoriously frozen is recognizing that the time is always now. And now is the present.

Q: “Traffic” uses the metaphor of congestion as an investigation into daily tribulation. How was that metaphor found, and what did you want to express with it in terms of release from routine?

Traffic is all of the convolution in our day to day lives. Even the endless rumination of our thoughts, the drama with people around us and this feeling of being stuck without a free way in sight. The message is, to just keep moving forward. Traffic will always be there, so roll down your windows, blast the music and enjoy the ride as much as possible. Remember, you are in the driver’s seat.

Q: “A Love Revival” focuses on the rudiment of love to bear a fragmented world. How do you conceptualize the role love and connection play in overcoming one’s personal struggles and those which are societal?

First of all, I believe we are all connected, and I believe Love is the only truth, all there is. And the flip side, the illusion, is the concept of being alone and separate. It’s a very painful lie. I want to give a side note, that all my lyrics have 3 layers of relationships: Your relationship with God/ the Universe, your relationship with others and your relationship with yourself. A Love Revival is about reactivating each of those relationships.

Q: There’s another song called “Don’t Feed the Demons,” and it’s about a struggle with personal demons. Can you tell me a little bit more about how you face up to and overcome your darker parts?

The demons can be older versions of yourself in pain, old beliefs/ patterns that no longer serve you, and just straight up thought polluters that float around the Universe like parasites. It’s all about recognizing that these noises don’t have to run your life. Just because you hear them (through thoughts or feeling) they don’t have to be yours, and you have the power to let them go. If they don’t feel good, and don’t serve a higher purpose, they aren’t yours to keep around. So, by not feeding the demons our energy and attention, they will eventually either dissolve or maybe even transcend along with you.

Q: In the song “Revolutions,” the lyrics are almost about rebellion and change. How do you bring the old structures down to rebuild in life?

Everything starts with your own life. Be the leader, be the pioneer. When everyone is out there complaining about expenses or caught up in the drama of government systems, or engaging in wars, be the peace in the middle of that war. Bring the positive outlook and the message of well being. If we are all stressed and crying together, that doesn’t help the collective consciousness as much as when we are waking up to the bigger picture, and illuminating all these tougher areas with compassion, love and wisdom. Easier said than done with so much of the World in chaos, but if that chaos isn’t at your doorstep, your mission might be to just keep raising the good vibrations here.

Q: “Resolutions” closes the album, and it is a very resolute record. What does “being the answer” mean to you? How does that impact how you might face or exceed any obstacles?

Here with me, I’m your answer, is the hook that I repeat. And like I stated before about the 3 layers of relationships in each song. So, this hook line reminds me that I am who I am, and I am exactly who I need to be. The Universe makes no mistakes. This absolutely aids in my everyday life.

Q: There appears to be a great deal of spiritual subtext on this album. How does spirituality play a part in your songwriting and what you tackle within your song?

Spirituality is recognizing that we are more than the physical. So, Tom and I like to explore these metaphysical and quantum concepts because they are just as real as everything we see, but our perception and our perspective is what shifts the many truths at play. If I didn’t have this way of thinking, my writing would fall very flat because I wouldn’t be able to make creative connections and activate this multidimensional music. Same goes for Tom.

Q: Can you describe the process behind writing the lyrics to “Transcendence”? Do you always start with a message in your head, or do you just simply let the lyrics slowly come about?

Well Tom and I discuss the topic of the songs for a while beforehand. We always flush out the title and the concept before Tom begins to compose the instrumental. Sometimes we talk about the subject for 3 weeks, sometimes 3 to 6 months. Because each one of our 30 songs are connected. So, our exploration and development of each song each album comes from many many many hours of conversation, before the instrumental followed by my pen hitting the paper.

Q: In the song “Nothing to Lose,” you mention liberating your life and giving into faith. What prompted this shift in perspective, and how has it impacted your creative work?

For me, and for most people, we live with one foot in and one foot out. We protect ourselves against the unknown and possible rejection. Absolutely we need to be careful in life and not carelessly throw ourselves into unfamiliar situations. But if that becomes a pattern, just to stay in comfort zones, not truly living your passion and purpose, yeah, you gotta re-evaluate why you don’t trust and believe things will work out in your favor. What you believe is always true. So, with Moon and Aries, we believe in ourselves as musicians, and we both decided to go “all in.” Both feet. Nothing to Lose is our anthem for that.

Q: “Blurred Vision” is about seeing beyond the immediate reality. Generally, how do you go about writing lyrics on abstract or introspective ideas?

That’s just how I think, so that’s how it flows. Blurred Vision was an incredible song to write, exploring the concept of not always being able to see the bigger picture, but to trust that it is perfectly unfolding in each moment. Living in gratitude, even when we don’t always see exactly what we want to.

Q: How do you handle the emotional depth of the lyrics to elicit a certain effect with listeners while still being true to yourself?

There is no division there. I am exactly who I am in each song, and how I sing it. Maybe it’s because as I get older, I just don’t mind this level of vulnerability and transparency.

Q: Overcoming obstacles, growth-these are just some of the ideas that pop up through this album. How do those ideas align with your journey as an artist?

It’s truly an everyday practice of staying in your truth and remembering why you do something. Why it matters. Don’t allow your demons or other people’s demons to interfere with your goals and aspirations. I feel like, it’s my life to live, and being an artist is what I am most inclined to do. It’s what I wake up excited to do (also being a mother is everything to me). Sometimes we don’t know why we feel the way we feel. It’s an inner knowing, possibly written and coded into you before birth: Your mission and your purpose here. And if you don’t follow it, your life might not be good. At least for me. And Tom.

Q: Describe the process you go through when using metaphorical language in your lyrics. How do you determine which metaphors will be the correct ones to use to get your point across?

I always use my imagination, and with that comes imagery. I sometimes use something more common, sometimes something more unique. But I come from the school of “show don’t tell,” so I believe painting the picture of your song through metaphors is the best way to get the point across. It all depends on the title and what fits into the environment of the song.

Q: There’s a lyric or song that means more to you than the others off “Transcendence.” What’s unique about it?

It always changes as I grow with each song, but for today I’ll say, “Disturbance is here… hear nature clearing her consciousness along with us hostages.” To me it just encapsulates what I believe to be this time in history. We are the disturbance, here to shake up the matrix and its pyramid system of control. It’s time for an upgrade.

Q: How has response from listeners impacted your lyrical themes or your creative process?

I am stubborn and will write what I feel is most necessary to share. So, zero impact lol Maybe I miss the social cues. But Tom and I will always create music to elevate people.

Q: The album is a balance of personal reflection and more universal themes. How do you balance those different facets in songwriting?

Ok! I’m glad you got that. The 3 layers of relationships. I balance those layers by recognizing the layers. I’m not a one-dimensional person, so the complexity naturally comes out in my lyrics.

Q: How do you feel the themes explored on “Transcendence” will evolve in your future music?

Well we are already writing our 4th album. And absolutely the themes explored in our new songs are the next chapter in our evolving storyline. It’s now “the calm after the storm.” Still debris left of the grown, still a bit shaken, but the battle is one. We fought the main boss, so now we are in a new game. A new simulation. We are exploring what this looks and feels like right now. So far so good.

Q: What are your hopes about the message or feeling the listener will take away with them from this experience of “Transcendence”?

A new awareness. A shift in perspective. We want to help people feel empowered and inspired after listening to our music. We also hope our music makes their nervous feel at ease. With so much music out there theming people’s lives, we want to be the theme music of positivity and feeling good.

Q: And lastly, what do you see in the future with regards to your music and lyrical themes? Any new directions or themes that interest you?

Tom and I have written over 30 songs together. We’ve been through dark nights of the soul, as we dig deep for these melodies and meanings, and now we’ve propelled ourselves into new heights. Without giving away too much about our next project, Tom and I are both in a very healthy and holistic place right now, and that will definitely be the main essence in our next album.