MOANA is a singer and songwriter from Canada who creates heartfelt and sincere songs. Her calm voice and honest lyrics have already resonated with many listeners around the world. Over the past few years, her music has gained nearly four million streams, and her new EP is coming soon. We talked with MOANA about her beginnings, musical inspirations, and new single, “Butterflies.”

Moana, it’s very nice to meet you! Thank you for finding the time to talk with us. I know you grew up in a conservative family where music wasn’t really encouraged at first. Do you think that this “forbidden” pull toward music became one of the reasons it took such deep root in you?

Oh trust me the honour is mine! I love this question. Let me just say, my family was extremely musical but with VERY limited genres. Growing up, we always had music playing in the house; it just only consisted of popular songs sung within the contemporary Church at the time (with sprinkles of ABBA and Bob Marley cassettes thanks to Dad). Inevitably, I grew up learning how to sing very simple and anthemic melodies intentionally written for large groups to learn easily so my knowledge of music was pretty sheltered. I literally remember the first time I was exposed to the radio with artists belting the current pop hits at the time and I was immediately infatuated with the catchy hooks and production in the songs that you just didn’t find in Church music at the time. From then on, the “basic” mainstream songs that seem cookie cutter to some really intrigued me and still scratch an itch that fuels my writing today.

Your achievements are honestly impressive, nearly 4 million streams, over 700,000 Spotify playlists, a single featured in the game Avakin Life, and performances at massive events like the Australian Idol finale, the FIFA World Cup, and a Cartier fashion show. How do you personally take in that level of response, and which of these experiences stands out as the most memorable or unexpected?

To be honest, I feel like the biggest fraudster because I have no idea what I’m doing and somehow the right person seems to find me at the right time and throw me into incredible opportunities. I’ve never once looked at my achievements and thought,  “I did that”. Instead, I just find myself constantly reminded of how lucky I am to have people around me that have helped write the songs, push my music, or trust me to perform at their event.  For example, all of the performances you just mentioned were shows I got to be a part of strictly as a back-up singer and every time I left more inspired by those I got to work with. Being able to witness even a sliver of the behind the scenes of what it takes to make music or pull off productions makes you realise how small your part is and how powerful the concept of teams are. Despite the seemingly impressive resume I may have, no one knows who I am and has likely never heard my music so I still very much am just a girl making music in her bedroom. My motto right now is that “the resources will come with momentum” because I’m still trying to overcome the fear that I won’t be able to meet the demand when it comes to performing or fully doing the artist thing. To answer the latter part of your question, by far, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia moved me the most. For the first time ever, the men in my work place were catching up about “last night’s game”, and were referring to women’s sports! I’ll never forget the sense of pride I felt to have been able to experience that firsthand both as a woman watching, but also as a singer on the field!

After listening to your songs, I got the feeling that your music is not only danceable but also deeply personal, that kind of balance is rare. Be honest, is that more about intuition or is it a carefully thought-out concept?

I wish I were smart enough to say it’s a thought-out concept. I’m actually surprised you feel that! I suppose in a way it’s intentional in the sense that I really value authenticity in general so I guess that evidently translates through to my music. You’re actually the first person to tell me that and I think that’s the biggest compliment I’ve ever received…so thank you. I would hope people feel that way not just from listening to my music, but also in the way I live my life. Your girl loves a good dance party paired with a deep chat over a drink so to write music that balances the two is a natural result I guess..who knew?! HAHA I wouldn’t want anything less.

 You’re currently working seriously on your upcoming EP, and the first song from it is “Butterflies.” Why did that one become your bold return after a break?

So far my discography of music could be categorized as dance pop. This track will reveal a very different side to my artistry that hasn’t been heard yet from my audience. While all my other songs were fun to release at the time, I was never fully pursuing the “artist” thing and the songs were just released for fun while I studied full time. I honestly didn’t expect the first release to be received so well so I had to reconsider if I actually wanted to pursue being a music artist. This is the first time in my life where I’m deciding to genuinely portray myself as a singer/songwriter and this new song introduces the raw reality of who I am both sonically and lyrically. 

You described this song as “the one that loved you back”, it sounds deep and a bit mysterious. Was it based on a real-life story or is it something that’s hard to put into words?

This song definitely offers a glimpse into deep emotions I was harbouring at the time. While all the other songs I’ve released up until now were either crafted from a catchy melody, or inspired by someone else’s experiences, this is the first one that is pretty much a journal entry I vomited into a song. I say it loved me back because despite the embarrassment I felt after reading the lyrics, I realised that the session felt like I had gone into therapy where a therapist repeats back to you what you’ve said in order to show you what’s unhealthy or abnormal. It was like I was being introduced to my own hidden emotions and was able to step outside of my own head, meet the unhealthy version of myself that was dying to be heard, and listen to her in order to orchestrate change. I’m a recovering people pleaser and this song made me realise I had let that insecurity dictate SO MANY areas of my life and it had to be stopped.

They say the brightest childhood moments are those little secrets we kept from everyone. And I found out that as a kid, you used to secretly listen to the radio under the covers at night. So, tell me, what was your favorite song back then? 

This is so embarrassing but I was a scrawny little kid with a yellow and green leopard print school bag bumpin’ Kanye West’s “Heartless” on REPEAT. Genuinely, being able to tune in to the countdown of the top 100 hits from 2009 felt like I had won the lotto and yes, I’d stay up all night with the radio hidden under my covers. SO FUNNY but I still think it was an iconic era for Pop music with Taylor Swift getting big, Lady Gaga on the charts, and Soulja Boy still being around…what a time.

You lived in Australia for quite a while, and moving to another country can really turn your life upside down. Was there anything that truly surprised you or even threw you off a bit?

I moved to Sydney when I was 19 and had never lived on my own, let alone moved somewhere so far away that going any farther, you’d start coming back. I matured so fast because I had to figure out how to do basic things like sign a lease, figure out the transport system, and live with people from other countries with completely different cultures. While I learned so many valuable lessons about becoming an adult in the real world, I also felt like I was given permission to become a child again when it came to the arts. I was surrounded by SO many professional musicians and singers, and I got to meet so many songwriters that get to write for a living. I never expected that I would grow so much in my skill and artistry simply by being surrounded by disciplined people who hone in on their craft every day but still let themselves dream and create with freedom for the sake of having fun and using the gifts God has given them. I would not be making music if I hadn’t moved to Sydney.

Moana, you said that writing “Butterflies” came very naturally to you, and your friends say it’s your best song so far. Do the strongest tracks really come that easily – or is there a surprising secret behind it?

Every song is different in how long it takes to start and finish. I see songwriting as a muscle that has to be trained and I definitely do exercises to help me with the logistical things like lyrics and melodic placement. The reality is, there is a method to the madness when it comes to writing good music and it helps to learn why things work and don’t work until it becomes second nature. However, out of the songs I’ve written, the ones that have stuck are ones that came from a real place of emotion and had the rules of the trade applied to serve the original idea. My songwriting teacher used to tell me that a good song makes people listen, but good lyrics make them want to stay and I’ve found that rings true in my case. I’m sure there are some geniuses out there who write their first song about random ideas with no real meaning and it just hits, but for me, writing Butterflies felt like a good day of fishing where I finally caught something after many sessions in the studio leaving empty handed. Based on my track record, I get one of those every seven years where I find a song that reveals itself immediately. More often than not, the few good ones I’ve written exist because of the many bad ones I wrote first. Even then, when I say good, I mean ones that move you or those around you. Jon Bellion speaks so profoundly about this on Ross Golan’s podcast “And The Writer Is” and I recommend everyone check it out.

Some songs seem to paint cinematic scenes in your head, frames, colors, emotions. When you sing “Butterflies,” do you get a visual image in your mind? 

There is a Frito Lays chips commercial that used to play in Canada when I was a kid and it’s all I see. There’s a green field, white laundry blowing in the wind, and a woman eating a bowl of lays chips with wind blowing through her hair. I’ve tried to find it and I can’t so if someone wants to help a girl out, I need it. Lays does not sponsor me, but damn I love plain lays chips and I need their marketing team because that scene of serenity lives rent free in my brain and is all I see when I think about the track behind Butterflies. (I’m being silly, but I’m not joking). 

Your upcoming EP is already sparking curiosity, and I’m wondering, will it be a conceptual story with a common theme, or more of a collection of standalone tracks, maybe even with some unexpected collaborations?

This is a fun question! While the songs themselves are standalone tracks, they are visually conceptual to a greater story that I hope to carry out for a long while. The story is a secret I will likely never share but I’m curious how many people will catch all the things hidden throughout the campaigns and I’m excited to subtly introduce people into this world I’ve been creating. No collabs on this EP but hopefully in the future!

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