Conversations with Moxie Raia

It's about 8:00pm, in the middle of a deserted area in downtown LA, with what looks to be abandoned buildings and work spaces. After finding the address, we entered into this vintage edgy building. As we stepped into the building, we smelled the herbal essence over the sounds of instruments. It felt like leaving from LA and stepping into a New York City building. Thinking "How fitting for Moxie." We were hesitant to the vintage two person elevator, so we decided to take the stairs. We could feel the soul of the place instantly. Our attention was grasped immediately after seeing the brick walls and art decor in the hall ways. Then from around the corner, there she was with that gorgeous, authentic, smile that just speaks love. Shes was wearing a beanie, jean jacket, pants and boots. We enter her spacious new place and felt right at home. She ran upstairs to change her pants. When she returned her look wasmore comfortable than before. "Those sweats are so dope." I attempted to take her beanie off so I could see her hair. That was a no, no.

TCM:

Moxie Raia right?

MOXIE: Yeah Raia

TCM:

Thank you so much Moxie for taking the time out to do this with us. I love your new place. Its soo dope and spacious. I love space. So you're from a small town in New Jersey and you left at...

MOXIE: 13

TCM:

To go live in New York with your sister?

MOXIE: Yeah I went to a performing arts high school

TCM:

Wow, in New York at 13. That's a pretty big jump. Were your parents cool with you moving in with your sister?

MOXIE: Yeah my parents knew how serious I was. And they just kinda like..I got into this school without them knowing. I applied and I got in and they just understood that I needed to do that.

TCM:

They knew that was like your calling.

MOXIE: Yeah at this point I was already traveling around the US for dance competitions and singing with my mom. She knew..I was like an outcast in school, in middle school, I just didn't fit in. My hometown was all about sports..and being a jock..

TCM:

That just wasn't your steeze. That just wasn't Moxie.. But you did start traveling around the world and dancing at the age of three? Four?

MOXIE: Six

TCM:

Six okay cool

MOXIE: Yeah six, Country.

TCM:

What type of dance was it?

MOXIE: I did everything like: ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop,

TCM:

And you knew, it's kinda like one of those innate things kinda like a Mozart you knew that you wanted to be an entertainer and a musician at some point very early.

MOXIE: Yeah I always knew. I have no recollection of a time where I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Zero.

TCM:

That's dope. For some people takes their whole life or it may take some years to figure out what they wanna do. Then some people are here and then they instantly have it and they already know what they wanna do. For me it's like I've dabbled here and there. Then I stumbled upon this then I stumbled upon you.

(Laughs)

What small part of New Jersey are you from?

MOXIE: I was born in Red Bank, NJ.

TCM:

That's like a small town right?

MOXIE: Yeah Monmouth County

TCM:

Then you went onto Columbia University right? To study Jazz?

MOXIE: Yeah I studied Jazz and French.

TCM:

Jazz and French okay, can you speak any French?

MOXIE:
(Speaks French)

TCM:

Okayyy!

MOXIE: I used to be able to read French history books, and write 30 page papers in French and I studied abroad in Paris. But once you stop doing it, you lose it. I haven't spoken with anybody in French lately besides like: hello, goodbye, how are you, where are you from. It's been years.

TCM:

Exactly. I understand. Language is one of those things where it's repetition. The more you speak it, the better you become.

MOXIE: Yeah it's really not like riding a bike. I'm sure I could pick it up fast, but if someone asked me right now I would really have to think.

TCM:

Exactly So if we dropped you off in Paris..

MOXIE: It would take me a few weeks

TCM:

You still have that Columbia mind frame. No one can get into Columbia

(Laughs)

MOXIE:
Anyone can if they work hard.

TCM:
That's very true I'm a strong believer in that. What year did you leave Columbia?

MOXIE:
I left the end of my sophomore year.

TCM:
To pursue your music career?

MOXIE:
Yeah, I was just really unhappy there actually. I loved studying jazz. A lot of the focus of the jazz program is about like the sociology behind music and that's what I'm really really interested in. I like conscious music and seeing how music effects society and vise versa. That was so cool for me, but the other classes were creatively stifling

TCM:
That's so funny because that was my next question. Did you feel creatively controlled studying music at Columbia?

MOXIE:
Yeah I felt a little bit like that

TCM:
Yeah that's normally how a University is setup for the most part. Anyone I've known that has went anywhere for the arts, or music always felt the institute tries to put them in a box. Hence "institution"

MOXIE:
Exactly yeah the whole idea of college, to me..

TCM:
Puts you in a box. But I feel like it's still good.

MOXIE:
It is. As long as you're aware of the fact that you're in a institution and you're aware of being "programmed," you just take what you wanna take.

TCM:
Exactly you take what you wanna take and make it your own. It's really just about being aware. It also opens you up to people from all over, especially Columbia; you're interacting, and meeting people from everywhere. That period in your life is always good to explore. Then if you don't like it, get the fuck out. I did the same shit.

(Laughs)

MOXIE:
School of life. I would live in the Library

(Laughs)

TCM:
Just reading?

MOXIE:
No doing work. The workload was crazy. I couldn't do music and school at the same time.

TCM:
Yeah

MOXIE:
There was no balance and music..demands no balance. It needs to be your entire life if you really wanna do it.

TCM:
Exactly If you really wanna do it, you have to make a decision. How did your parents feel about you leaving school?

MOXIE:
They were okay with it. They knew I was really unhappy. Especially my mom. I would just call her all the time crying, but she was really supportive. They were cool with it. I moved out here with my whole production company at the time that I was working with. So it was six guys actually

TCM:
The Brain?

MOXIE:
The Brain yeah. We all moved into a house together. So they were happy that I had a whole team that I was coming out with. I wasn't alone.

TCM:
Exactly so you had like a support system and you weren't just coming out here alone. LA can be a very lonely place when you come out here alone. Similar to me, I came out here with people. So I felt like I had a different experience than someone coming alone.

MOXIE:
Your crew already

(Laughs)

TCM:
So basically the deciding factor in leaving Columbia was because you were unhappy and it wasn't your passion?

MOXIE:
Yeah and it's very competitive (I like competition, but this was not in a good way). It wasn’t a very loving environment and I’m a very like loving person...

TCM:
How can you not love this smile? You see this smile? Hey B get a shot of this smile for me really quick!

(Laughs)

MOXIE:
(Laughs) yeah I just wasn't happy.

TCM:
Your parents were supportive. That's awesome.

MOXIE:
My mom was. My dad would just yell through the whole thing, but it would happen anyway. He couldn't control it. (laughs) My mom would say "this is what's happening."

TCM:
Well at least you had your moms support. A lot of people feel stifled Bc they're being told to do something by their parents. So they may never really do what they want to do or it may take them several years to go off and do what they want. So you came here with The Brain? Was that like a writing camp? Tell me about that.

MOXIE:
It was started by one of my friends Freddy Wexler. He kind of just gathered a bunch of musicians, writers, artist, that he had been working with and was like "do you guys all want to move to LA?" So we started to come out here for a few trips back and forth from New York. Then we found this house and it was kinda perfect and we were like lets just move out here and do it..and write, and work together and start this creative collective.

TCM:
And kind of like evolve and grow from there in a sense right?

MOXIE:
Yeah. I really found myself during that time

TCM:
How long were you there?

MOXIE:
Two years.

TCM:
So you lived in that collective for two years and then what?

MOXIE:
Eventually I needed to get my own place. I was living with like 6-8 guys depending on the month. It was a two bedroom place and we were sleeping on couches, and it was just a lot

TCM:
It was good experience though right?

MOXIE:
Oh it was amazing I loved it. They called me "Momma Mox" I love to be mom

(Laughs)

TCM:

(Laughs)

MOXIE:
So yeah I loved it. But it was time for me to get my own place I like to be alone.

TCM:
Yeah exactly you grew out of it. The cool thing is we're constantly evolving.

MOXIE:
I was thinking about that today. I have all these ideas of tattoos that I want and they're all like big statement pieces of art. But I never get them. Then I was thinking why? Why won't I get them? Like what is it? But I'm always evolving and I feel like I would evolve out them, so I cannot commit to one.

TCM:
For sure. Me too. And I'm like, no but I have a million ideas.

MOXIE:
A MILLION IDEAS LIKE SOO MANY COOL IDEAS!

TCM:
So many ideas. But I was thinking it probably sets me apart nowadays.

MOXIE:
(Laughs)

I have one.

TCM:
Really?

MOXIE:
Yeah but it's really small.

TCM:
I've never had a tattoo in my life. but it just has to be something very meaningful to
me.

MOXIE:
I have a lot of ideas that are meaningful to me right now and I've grown out of some. I just can't decide on something.

(Laughs)

TCM:
Who knows, maybe you will soon. Maybe tomorrow you will wake up and say "fuck it, I'm getting that."

MOXIE:
Yes that's the one! For the longest time I was convinced I wanted to get this whole rose thing on my hand (up my arm) I liked to draw it on myself..

TCM:
Ahh I'm glad you didn't

MOXIE:
(Laughs)

TCM:
Im glad because that would like throw you in a box..in a sense.

MOXIE:
The way I would do it though?!!!!

(Laughs)

TCM:
(The way I would do it though!!??) I feel you. The most important part is if you like it. I don't give a fuck what anyone says, if you like it that's all that matters.

If you can play any character in a movie who would it be and why?

MOXIE:
That's a good one. I kinda wanna say like..some sort of character that has powers. It would have to be a superhero.

TCM:
It would be a superhero. That's a question I had later for you.

MOXIE:
If I could be a superhero what super power would I have?

TCM:
Yeah

MOXIE:
I don't even know like a lot of..

(Friend in background: a power to help make Compton a better place for the kids)

TCM:
You wanna help the kids in Compton?!

(Laughs)

MOXIE:
I just wanna unite people! I would wanna play like mother Theresa in a movie or something (Laughs)

TCM:
That's amazing. Like I said, when I see you and you smile I actually feel that

MOXIE:
(Blushes)
Thank you!!!

TCM:
As humans we evolved from language, written language and verbal language. So the only way we would communicate is through thoughts and feelings.

MOXIE:
Yeah I actually go into that heavy on my album… Your inner feelings and energy are so much more powerful than the words that you say or the actions you take.

TCM:
That reminds me of that Maya Angelou quote"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." And that's true which made me think of that.

What are some of your favorite books? Do you read at all?

MOXIE:
I don't read a lot to be honest. Recently I read the Alchemist again

TCM:
Paulo Coelho he's a great author

MOXIE:
Yeah which I really like. I'm actually reading this book right now that's really cool. I just pick up books randomly and read like parts of them, then I put them down.

TCM:
That's similar to me, I'll read some, come back read a little more.

MOXIE:
Yeah I don't know the exact name of it. I don't want to mess it up, but it's about the creative process. It's just this study and that this guy did about the creative process and finding your own creative process which is pretty cool. I've been reading some Allen Ginsberg (I have it over there).

TCM:
Allen Ginsberg okay

MOXIE:
Yeah some poems..

TCM:
Some poems by Allen Ginsberg

(Laughs)

MOXIE:
(Laughs)

I like biographies and autobiographies

TCM:
Biographies are cool too. One of my favorite biographies is Quincy Jones.

MOXIE:
I've never read that one.

TCM:
It's pretty dope. He lived a crazy fucking life.

MOXIE:
Yeah I use to have to read four books a week at Columbia. Then when I left, I was like no more books!

TCM:
Exactly No more books no more reading. Only Documentaries or Netflix so that you can watch it.

MOXIE:
It sucks. I feel like I've been out of school long enough, so it's like okay I feel like reading again now. I was at my neighbors house one night and he has this whole bookshelf. He was like just go up and get one book and take it with you. And the first one I touched was the one on the creative process I have upstairs.

TCM:
That's super dope. When you're younger you don't like to be forced and told to do anything.

MOXIE:
Yeah I always think about that

TCM:
It kinda kills it. Even writing papers, I hated that shit. Like no I don't wanna do that!

MOXIE:
It turns you off forever almost.

TCM:
Exactly then for a teacher to tell me "you didn't write it in this style" is like what the fuck? I wrote it how I wanted to write it.

(Laughs)

So you play instruments right?

MOXIE:
Yeah guitar and piano

TCM:
I love that piano it looks so cool. what type of piano is it?

MOXIE:
It's an Ibach piano

TCM:
Dope. And you started studying guitar, piano and songwriting in performance arts school in New York right?

MOXIE:
Actually younger. I started piano in second grade and guitar in high school.

TCM:
Oh dope. So do you produce your own music?

MOXIE:
Yeah I do both. I work with producers and I produce my own music. Actually the song I'm releasing this fall I produced myself.

TCM:
That's so tight. It makes you a well rounded artist and not just a "produced artist." Either way whatever works for you

MOXIE:
I really like only working with very few producers, but one in particular. He's been my friend for ten years so he knows exactly what I like and what I want. So that's really good for me.

TCM:
100% totally. I'm a believer that time is an illusion. But at the same time, it takes time to get to know someone or you can just click. I feel like we just clicked. So it is what it is. It's a big contradiction. I think it's super cool that you produce your own shit.

MOXIE:
Yeah I'll play you that song.

TCM:
Yeah please I can't wait. Wait hold up what's the name of that?

MOXIE:
I think I played it for you that night actually

TCM:
I love that one song

MOXIE:
"How To Feel"?

TCM:
You know I looked for that last night because you emailed me and you were like it's right here but it's not there anymore. It's not on your soundcloud.

MOXIE:
No it's not up

TCM:
Well you emailed me. I went to the old email you sent me.

MOXIE:
It wasn't there?

TCM:
Nope it wasn't there. I was trying to play that shit last night but I couldn't find that shit.

(Laughs)

So what's the name of the single you're releasing in the fall?

MOXIE:
"How to Feel"

TCM:
Okay cool, "How to Feel". What inspires Moxie creatively? And what inspires the entire creative process for you?

MOXIE:
It's totally differently. Last week I got like reeeally wasted.

TCM:
Really that's great

MOXIE:
Like really wasted and it was actually my friend Jamie's birthday. There's a bunch of artist that live in this building (actually this building is really inspiring). I love being around other artist. And so a lot of them ended up coming over and it was just a lot creative artistic energy. We got really wasted and stayed up till 11:00am the next morning. And we all ended up falling asleep in here. When I woke up at 4:00pm, I felt like I could write the entire album at that moment. I woke up on this couch and I was like "Dan you have to come over right now we have to record this entire night."

TCM:
Yeah that's how it is. You have to come over right now.

MOXIE:
I felt this like.. I just felt something. I can't even explain what I felt. But I woke up and I was like I have so much to say I have so much to give.

TCM:
That's what I love about being a creator. You get like surges and that shit just comes then you have to go with it. That's why you have to have that producer on call!

MOXIE:
And sometimes you just fall into place of yourself.
It's hard to explain. But you know, you waiver in and out of feeling good about yourself or understanding yourself. Then you have those moments where you fit perfectly in whatever shape that is..

TCM:
Then you know like "I got it!" It's just like that moment

MOXIE:
That's when that whole board came out. It was literally one night. I went on this writing trip to Bali and that was incredible. The night I came back I tried to go to sleep and it was just like.. I just had the pen and paper next to my bed and I would wake up every 15 minutes and write a million ideas down of what I wanted talk about on the album (ideas just coming to me). But to answer your question life experiences inspire me.

TCM:
That's why it's important to just get out and like experience things. We have the Internet in front of us, you can look at shit, being around people and just taking it in. It's amazing. Oh yeah books. I think I've told you this before, but you have to read Osho. Osho is like my god. He has a book "creativity." It's just so amazing. Osho is probably one of the coolest people to ever walk the planet in my eyes. He was killed by the Ronald Reagan administration and shit. But he's just the coolest and all of his speakings at his ashram were turned into his books. He has a ton of books on everything.

MOXIE:
I'll put one next to my bed

TCM:
Yeah please. Maybe I'll get you one as a early Christmas present or some shit

(Laughs)

So we do live in social media era. As humans were absorbing content at an all time high (more than we've ever absorbed before). How do you feel about social media and does it effect your career?

MOXIE:
I actually just wrote a song about this. Not in terms of like career, but in terms of relationships with people. Especially romantic relationships, because you just have access to so many people.

TCM:
All day long

MOXIE:
All day long. So you just have all of these people and it's like..It's actually not hard for me, but for a lot of people, it's hard to focus on one person. It's like you leave someones house from spending time with them, then you open up your phone and theres girls you talk to from all over the world..

TCM:
(Laughs)
Right?! Like "oh someone just DM'd me oh my god"

MOXIE:
We have access to so much and it's not normal. This is normal now, but if there wasn't this technology it's like you would only know the people that are around you and people that you come across on the street. But now you have millions of people in the palm of your hand. Of course that’s a blessing too.

TCM:
I just had an analogy it's like a money counter. That's how the content is.

MOXIE:
Exactly just scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, scrolling

TCM:
Its crazy how the psychology behind this trains you into absorbing information. There's this "scroll effect." When you're a Fortune 500 company, or whatever, you play into this and you understand how this scroll effect works. So now everyone is in like this algorithm of this scroll effect. (Phone scroll) And that's how they "sell" you things through this scroll effect. You don't even realize that you're being sold this scroll effect. The guy who made the scroll effect is probably sitting in Bali right now. I'm not saying it's bad or good. It's all about being conscious of it. But I'm aware that I jump into this world and I become apart of this scroll effect.

MOXIE:
Totally and you get lost. Sometimes you just sit there and you're like what the fuck am I doing.

TCM:
Yeah exactly.

(Friend in background: Steve Jobs)

Yeah Steve thank you Steve. Steve had style though. He wasn't like the MIT student sitting there making the actual technology. He was the one that knew how to package it and bring it to life. Which is everything to, but that's the world that we live in.

MOXIE:
It's amazing and there are downsides to it as well. But again, as long as you're aware of it, take it for what it is.

TCM:
Yeah and I've always told people the only thing that changes, over time, is the way we receive information. I look back to my grandma and mom. It was radio and newspaper. Then when we came into play it was television. TV is kinda fading out now. You're on your iphone more than you're even on laptop nowadays. Companies realize that, and they're always looking for where the eyes are. That goes into play..

MOXIE:
Next its gonna be in our body

TCM:
Yeah exactly that's next. The closest thing is "the chip" Thats no lie. You've seen movies like Limitless and that's the next step. But the way we receive information is the only thing that has Changed. People are always looking for where the eyes are and that goes into play for every form of business. In music, It's called the "music business" because it's two forms and they're looking for where the eyes are as well.

MOXIE:
Where can we reach the most people.

TCM:
Exactly where can the most plays, where can the most hits, whose gonna pack a show etc But yeah social media is a very interesting thing

(Laughs)

MOXIE:
It doesn't feel natural

TCM:
It doesn't. I don't really know if it is that natural. But at the same time, it gives the individual so much more power. It's taking power away from the corporations (although you have to play together). So the corporations become Instagram, it becomes Facebook, Twitter, snapchat like those are all corporations too. But it gives you a chance. Like my mom worked for a company for 26 years and got laid off. But you don't have to do that anymore. You can just go here and create your own business.
We live in a social media world where humans are absorbing content at an all time high. How do feel about social media and how does that effect your career?

MOXIE:
Well like you said, for example this week. I just released a cover that I did just for fun cause I really liked the song and Im still working on my own music a little bit. So I put out this Travis Scott cover.
(Song- "Drugs you should try it")

TCM:
(interrupts):

"through the hills I hear them calling a thousand miles away" -Travis Scott

(Moxie catches on and chimes in with her amazing voice. Then we both laugh)

I love that shit it was my favorite song of his last project ("Days before Rodeo")

MOXIE:

(continues)
Yeah so I have access to all of my fans right they're in my phone. So I just posted it; put it on my soundcloud and that's it. Went on with my day.

TCM:
Social media has also forced them to evolve too and has taken a lot of power away from them (labels)

MOXIE:
And I'm just...bureaucracy is very stressful.

TCM:
You don't even know me so why are you trying to offer me things (interrupts with Kanye rant)
"YOU CAN NOT GIVE ME ANY ADVICE! WHAT YOU CAN DO IS, YOU CAN HELP ME HELP OTHER PEOPLE!" Lol

MOXIE:
(Laughs)

It's true, everything Kanye says is the truth!

TCM:
What are some of the challenges you have faced being a female in your career maneuvering through the industry?

MOXIE:
Well it's definitely that thing you just talked about. The fact that it is a business and sometimes I like to completely be in denial of the fact that it's a business, but it is. So just trying to navigate within myself..I never write songs thinking about the fact that it's a business.

TCM:
We're always judging and being pre judged. You know we all do it. That's just kinda like what we do. What you can do is make them feel some type of way and just stay true to you.

MOXIE:
Mhhmm stay true to me. I saw that Erykah Badu was talking about one time being a slow burn…

TCM:
I love Badu. I saw her perform at Outside Lands in San Francisco. She's a goddess.

MOXIE:
I saw her like two months ago at the Nokia theatre with The Roots.

TCM:
You opened up for the Roots. That was one of your first performances.

MOXIE:
Mhhmm probably one of my first performances ever, yea.

TCM:
That's so tight. That's like your Roots.

MOXIE:
(Laughs)
I idolize them.

TCM:
What is one word that describes your style musically?

MOXIE:
This is hard!

TCM:
You just got one word tho.

FRIEND IN BACKGROUND:
Soulful

MOXIE:
Soulful. That's the first thing that comes to mind too.

TCM:
I mean that's what I would give you. (Soulful)

MOXIE:
Because I just do everything from my heart

TCM:
It transcends for sure. That's why I'm here.

MOXIE:
(Laughs)

TCM:
What's the perfect date to you? For all of the applicants out there.

MOXIE:
I like to take walks honestly.
Walking on the street hanging.
Having a drink talking, I like to talk.
I like to talk on a couch, have a few drinks.

TCM:
You like to converse. You're not one of these superficial girls.

MOXIE:
(laughs)

TCM:
Whats your favorite food?

MOXIE:
It would have to be Italian food. I'm Italian.

TCM:
I know your dad is a chef?

MOXIE:
No he owns a restaurant, but he's an amazing cook. He's basically a chef, but I just grew up cooking with my family. That's a part of being Italian.

TCM:
So you are Italian. What's your background?

MOXIE:
Italian, Sicilian

TCM:
Italian Sicilian and a little black in there somewhere.

MOXIE:
(Laughs)

TCM:
Sicilians and Africans mixed some time long ago.

MOXIE:
Oh yeah, Sicily was apart of Africa.

TCM:
Are you single and ready to mingle or what?

MOXIE:
I'm single for a long time. I saw this thing on Instagram. Hold on I'm gonna get it right

(she scrolls through her phone, she pulls up the meme)

"Are you single? Nah I'm album."

TCM:
(Laughs)
That's so you!

MOXIE:
My friend sent it to me and was like this is you.

TCM:
It's really like love yourself and have those experiences.

MOXIE:
You and I have had this conversation before. A relationship is not something that I search for in life.

TCM:
Exactly it comes when it's suppose to come and when you're connected and in tune. You know that where you are is where you're suppose to be.

MOXIE:
I never ever worry about it, think about it, ponder over it; nothing.

TCM:
That's not your style. Your DAD was very present in your life wasn't he?

MOXIE:
(burst into laughter)

TCM:
Was he or not?

MOXIE:
Nah..."present in my life" not really, he was in and out.

TCM:
Ok maybe he wasn't present. I've ran into a lot of females that have daddy issues and it effects them throughout their life.

MOXIE:
It has, but it's something that I've been aware of. It used to effect me a lot and I used to make really bad decisions with those kinds of things. But I like..

TCM: But you confronted it.

MOXIE:
Yes I was looking for something to fill me and then I finally decided I needed to fill myself. Then I'm just full and there’s nothing to fill anymore. Only add.

TCM:
Exactly. Are your mom and dad together?

MOXIE:
(Laughs) Another funny question. It depends on the time.

TCM:
Haha, that plays a huge affect on females. I've ran into girls that didn't have dads, or they were in and out. Those that confronted it and made peace with it. That allowed you to move on a smoother road.

MOXIE:
Yeah it was actually last week this time I wrote my dad a text just thanking him for being in my life. He was always really hard on me and my whole life I complained about it. I was like I'm actually really happy I was born into the parents that I was born into, because it made me who I am. My dad being so hard on me made me a harder worker. So it gave me this drive. I just had this moment of gratitude, which I've never had for the way he's been with me. In other ways yes, but in this way I've always been like "why is he like this?" Why can't he ever just tell me "I'm proud of you" or "you're great." It keeps me going. I'm grateful for the fuel.

TCM:
And that moment of gratitude is freeing.

MOXIE:
It was.

TCM:
It's a release and you can get that off.

MOXIE:
It was a release.

TCM:
In our life, a lot of times, we keep putting dams in our water. As humans, we're 85% water. We have to get rid of the dams in our water so we can flow like us, water and that's a freeing moment. Sometimes it takes time to realize this. He feels you. He's happy you're his daughter I'm sure. 100%

(Moxie, gives an I don't know about that face)

What are some of your Goals? Short term and long term.

MOXIE:
Short term goal is finishing this first project and then an album. Which some days feels really close, easy and some days feels impossible.

TCM:
Thats being an artist.

MOXIE:
I really have this vision of what I want it to be like and executing that isn't always easy.

TCM:
Well you know as they say, anything worth having isn't easy.

MOXIE:
Mhmm.

TCM:
Ok ready for this? It's timeee for Marry Fuck Kill

MOXIE:
Marry, fuck, kill. I'm gonna be fucking and marrying a lot of people because Im not into killing (laughs).

TCM:
Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Johnny Depp

MOXIE:
I would marry Kendrick Lamar, next question.

TCM:
Kendrick got your heart I know.

TCM:
David Beckam, Frank ocean, Kanye West

MOXIE:
Kill: David Beckam
Marry: Kanye
Fuck: Frank

TCM:
Steve Aoki, Travis Scott, Adrian Graneer.

MOXIE:
This is funny on some levels

Kill: Adrian
Fuck: Travis
Marry: Steve..ahh hey Steve!

TCM:
Okay that's done for the game. I could go on and on but let's stop there.

MOXIE:
(laughs) okay

TCM:
What are 3 things your fans may not know about you?

MOXIE:
Hmm.. Let me think...Okay they might not know.. They might not know that I've been a vegetarian since I was 3 years old. They might not know how much I value my sleep. Sleep is important kids..They might not know, hmm I'm in love with Afro Cuban jazz like samba.

TCM:
A lot of that is in New York.

MOXIE:
Like if I'm home I put that on...it really inspires me.

TCM:
Okay that's three things we got it.

MOXIE: There’s more those are maybe lame..It's hard to think of them coming off the top of my head.

TCM:
How would you describe your style physically and musically?

MOXIE:
I really like a lot of baggy clothes. That's how I feel comfortable and I like to be kinda covered. I think it’s just how it makes me feel. Well I like to unify people and things…so I like to dress a little hmm bohemian?, a lil hip hop, a lil rock n roll. I'm inspired by so many different things. I just try to bring all my influences together. I really don't ever like to look styled. I like to have my own unique thing.

TCM:
It definitely comes off like that. I love your style. I've told you that before.

MOXIE:
Thanks.

TCM:
And you know the full package comes with having an image as well of some sort. You have cultivated that.

MOXIE:
It’s part of the art and certain clothes make you feel a certain way.

TCM:
I love clothes.

MOXIE:
Yeah me too. I love the melrose trading post. That whole pile over there, I haven't gone in weeks. Hold on you'll die when you see this.

TCM:
Please bring it out. I feel like I could go in your closet and rock a bunch of your shit.

MOXIE:

(Shows clothes)

Camouflage onesie from like the 1970's,
this back pack I've been wanting this forever.
This sweater I've been wanting this forever. I saw Lauryn Hill wearing one once.

TCM:
Camo onesie go awff!! The sweater is dope it's kinda like the preppy mixed with the grunge. Have you written for anyone?

MOXIE:
I Have. Now I'm in a space where I'm only trying to write for my album.

TCM:
You don't want to be clouded you want to be zoned in.

MOXIE:
Yeah.. I don't even write that often. I write once or twice a week when inspiration comes.
I'm not trying to force anything.

TCM:
If You have one album to listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be?

MOXIE:
Hmm...probably "Fulfillingness' First Finale" by Stevie Wonder or probably “Songs in the Key of Life”

TCM:
I saw him perform live at Outside Lands. It was epic.

MOXIE:
I saw him perform to at the Hollywood Bowl. His music touches me more than any other person I've ever listened to in my life. Honestly, the only person I feel like, right now, that comes close to that, for me, in our time is Kendrick. In terms of how it makes me feel.

TCM:
Really, I love Kendrick. What Kendrick is doing for the people and our generation is incredible. The way he's able to deliver a message and make it sound cool is so dope.

MOXIE:
Yes

TCM:
No one wants to be preached too. Especially kids. He's able to do it in such a cool creative way. He's just drops jewels. What's one of the most embarrassing moments you have ever experienced?

MOXIE:
I haven't had a moment where I've fallen on my face on stage. One time someone really upset me before I went on stage (which is usually good but this one just shook me). I sucked at this one performance. Like I just was not in it. I sucked and it was on YouTube that exact same day. I'm like "of all the days, why would they put that one up." It was definitely a lesson.

TCM:
You had the opportunity of touring with Steve Aoki and performing your single with him. How was that experience?

MOXIE:
Actually I learned so much on that tour. It was my first tour obviously and I learned that I fucking love to be on tour. Oh my gosh! I love performing every night, I love traveling. Traveling in the name of music is the best combination.

TCM:
How was it sleeping on tour?

MOXIE:
Sleeping was surprisingly good actually. I mean we couldn't go to sleep until like 4 in the morning. But we would sleep till noon while the bus was going and I could sleep really well on the bus.

TCM:
If you activate any super power what would it be?

MOXIE:
A super power to help people understand each other.

TCM:
You could be like the guy in X-Men.

MOXIE:
Yeah X-Men or Bob Marley. For example Bob: when he took the two leaders handsand put them over his head at the concert and made them touch hands. There was this whole conflict between them. They held each other's hands. Thats a super power to me. You said to me once "Muscian Magician." I think about it all the time. I never forgot it and I think about that a lot when I think of him. It's like the magic of music. The magic of how music makes you feel.

TCM:
It's so magical. It's the sounds of the gods and goddesses. Music is the universal language. It brings people together.

MOXIE:
Or to fly.

TCM:
I always think about flying or teleporting.

MOXIE:
Teleporting gives me a scared feeling.

TCM:
Who are you listening to musically?

MOXIE:
I really only have like four artist on my iPhone, which is kinda strange. Jazmine, Stevie, Kendrick, and Bilal right now.

TCM:
If you could collaborate with one person who would it be and why?

MOXIE:
Mmm, from anytime?

TCM:
From anytime.

MOXIE:
I know who I would say...It would be John Coltrane. The idea of working with John..I don't know.. I've always had this spiritual connection to him since I wrote a paper about him in high school. One time he wrote a song based of off the rhythms of a Martin Luther King speech. That would just be like....if I could ever (obviously I can't in this realm) but if I could ever meet him or work with him that would just be like something that seems untouchable to me.

TCM:
I'm gonna go listen to him.

MOXIE:
"Giant Steps" “A Love Supreme”

TCM:
What advice would you give to all the aspiring musicians/artist out there expressing themselves that want to make a career out of it?

MOXIE:
The greatest power that you have, is that no one else is you.

TCM:
You have to stay true to you man. It takes some people some time to figure that out. I told my friend the other day about the concept of getting on. What does that mean? You're already on when God brought you here. You were on.

MOXIE:
You just dim your light by trying.

TCM:
"Oh we trying to get on" I'm like you're trying to get on? What? I been on.

MOXIE:
Have you ever seen a baby that was not on? When you're born into this world you are on! Everybody in the world wants to look at you. You walk down the street and strangers are just staring at you. You're just unbelievable. Everything you do is amazing.

TCM:
It doesn't matter about zero dollars or one dollar. A one dollar bill and a one hundred dollar bill are the same thing. I had to tell my mom this. I'm like mom: One dollar bill and a one hundred dollar bill is the same thing she was like (Huh, boy go get a job?"

MOXIE:
(Laughs)

TCM:
Where can we keep up with Moxie and find you music?

MOXIE:
On my Instagram and my Snapchat.
I put all my music on my sound cloud
Soundcloud.com/yomoxie
My Instagram @yomoxie.
Snapchat: yomoxie
Twitter: @yomoxie
Everything is at yomoxie.

TCM:
The stars are aligning for you Moxie and as you were telling me, stay true to you. You're here for a purpose. Thank you so much for your time.

MOXIE:
Thank YOU!

MusicTastemaker Collective Media October 24, 2015moxie Raia, interview, music, tastemaker collective media